Thread: More detail please

Arron, yes it is sold by that name. According to the bag, which says
Soothing
Lectric Soda
Washing & Bath Crystals
Relief for tired feet - weary aching limbs
Refreshes and Relaxes

This is commonly known as washing soda. More correctly it is sodium carbonate. Don't confuse it with sodium bi-carbonate which is used in cooking.

I found it in the section of the supermarket with other laundry products. It is used as a water softener.

The electrolytic process involves making up a 1% solution of sodium carbonate in water, (approximately 2 teaspoons of sodium carbonate per litre of water) in a plastic container like a bucket, or for really big items maybe a wheelie bin.

The negative lead from the battery charger is connected to the object to be de-rusted, which is then immersed in the solution.

The positive lead is connected to another piece of metal (preferably stainless steel) which is also immersed in the solution.

When the battery charger is switched on a current flows between the two electrodes and the rust deposits are loosened and fall off the surface of the tool being treated.

You will see bubbles forming on the positive electrode and also on the item being treated. Oxygen bubbles from the positive electrode and hydrogen from the negative. (I think that's the correct way around.)

This mix of gasses is highly explosive, so take care to switch off the battery charger before you fiddle with the clips connecting the leads.

If you inadvertantly connect the wrong lead to the item being treated it will corrode, and you will be worse off than when you started. Remember "N" for Negative and "N" for No more rust.

The rate at which the processs happens is directly related to the current flowing. This is governed by several factors. A higher current will flow in a stronger electrolyte solution, where the distance between the electrodes is reduced, and where the surface area of the electrodes is increased. Adjusting these parameters may be necesssary, depending on your particular set up.

The suggested electrolyte strength of 1% is really a ball-park figure to give a starting point. I found this was adequate.

Have fun.

Thanks for the detailed reply Ian. I will give that a go on some of the old hand tools I am currently buying.

Arron

two points you forgot to mention (sorry being a little picky )

Dont let the anod and cathode touch! No electrolysis if they do.

Also, the current flow can be adjusted up or down my moving them towards each other to increase it or apart to decrease.

This is a variation of hte process used in industry to protect large steel structures like pipes, tanks, support structures and even wharves from corrosion. If the set up is correct you can totally stop corrosion of the structure.

http://www.htpaa.org.au/article-electro.php

haven't actually tried it myself...but have some of my grandads tools that I'm looking at fixing up.....

I have tried it and it worked a treat. For those of you finding it hard to get sodium carbonate, I have used bi-carb soda and it worked but not as well as sodium carbonate.

Another tip I heard about is to daisy chain a few of the donor stainless steel plates around the object to be de-rusted. This allows you to attack all sides of the object as once. Normally only the side facing the donor steel reacts.

I used a variable DC transformer from my CB days instead of a Car Charger and it allowed me to dial up the voltage required.

Joe

Arron,

I tried this process today with great results. I was able to obtain a product sold in supermarkets called ECO WISE washing soda,
about four dollars a kilo. I think you would be able to buy numerous brands of Washing Soda. On the box was a phone number in sydney which I rang and confirmed that the contents were sodium carbonate. (made from Lime and Salts so I was told)

I made six litres of brew (table spoon of crystals per litre) and tried some parts rusted badly 2 hours. Rusted moderately 1 hour, and a last experiment still going has been in for three hours and is a piece of angle iron very badly rusted and corroded and almost complete.

The piece of stainless rod is ten mil being the positive with the work as negative. I am using a battery charger 12 Volt which is delivering 2.5 amps continiously. No heating is evident of the conecting wires I have quite a few of these rods and intend to daisy chain six rods to get away from the rotating process.

My tests today were all rotated at 30 minute intervals. Spacings were about 75 to 125 mills. Take care with shorts and be aware of gases etc playing with this experiment.

Hope this helps

Regards Mike