Here's an overview video of the process, I didn't really do a step by step but here you go.
ITEMS NEEDED
HOW TO SET IT UP
You'll want to fill the container up with hot water (hot water helps disperse the electrolyte) and pour in your washing/baking soda until the water starts to look a little hazy. This is Sloppy Mechanics, so I'm not giving you any measurements as I literally do not know the ratios needed, I just eye ball everything. From there you'll want to drop in your object you want the rust removed from, making sure that it's fully submerged and if possible suspended in the liquid. Next is dropping in your sacrifice while making sure to not touch the object you want cleaned.
From there attached your battery cables. Positive to sacrifice and negative to the object you are cleaning. Pro tip, try not to submerge the positive cable in the solution, it will eat the metal on the charger cables.
From there slap that bad boi on 2 amps (Or whatever your lowest amp setting is on the battery charger) and make sure there's no arcing in the water. After some time the water should start to bubble from hydrogen being released during the electrolysis process, I'd suggest doing this in a well ventilated area away from fire if possible, since that stuff can go boom.
Here are some before and after results:
Here's some pictures of the sacrificial metal:
You'd think you could just grind this rust off, but it's literally pitted and destroyed the metal below it.
Right after you are done removing the rust I would suggest oiling it to stop flash rusting - Although the metal should have a light black layer over it which I believe is some type of oxidization left over from the process.
ITEMS NEEDED
- A 12v battery charger
- A piece of metal that you will sacrifice (This will destroy the metal)
- Washing soda - AKA the electrolyte (Baking soda also works, but not as well)
- A plastic container big enough for the anode (the sacrifice) and the cathode (the object you want to remove rust from)
HOW TO SET IT UP
You'll want to fill the container up with hot water (hot water helps disperse the electrolyte) and pour in your washing/baking soda until the water starts to look a little hazy. This is Sloppy Mechanics, so I'm not giving you any measurements as I literally do not know the ratios needed, I just eye ball everything. From there you'll want to drop in your object you want the rust removed from, making sure that it's fully submerged and if possible suspended in the liquid. Next is dropping in your sacrifice while making sure to not touch the object you want cleaned.
From there attached your battery cables. Positive to sacrifice and negative to the object you are cleaning. Pro tip, try not to submerge the positive cable in the solution, it will eat the metal on the charger cables.
From there slap that bad boi on 2 amps (Or whatever your lowest amp setting is on the battery charger) and make sure there's no arcing in the water. After some time the water should start to bubble from hydrogen being released during the electrolysis process, I'd suggest doing this in a well ventilated area away from fire if possible, since that stuff can go boom.
Here are some before and after results:
Here's some pictures of the sacrificial metal:
You'd think you could just grind this rust off, but it's literally pitted and destroyed the metal below it.
Right after you are done removing the rust I would suggest oiling it to stop flash rusting - Although the metal should have a light black layer over it which I believe is some type of oxidization left over from the process.
