Thread: Source for Electrolysis Anode

Stainless steel cutlery from an op shop. I use a large stainless steel bbq skewer with wooden handle which cost me all of 40 cents.


Peter.

I used to use an offcut of 1/2" SS towel rail but now I just use a lump of steel tube with as good results. In fact I think read somewhere that SS used in electrolysis can contaminate the item you are de-rusting with other metals, depending on the type of SS you use. Chromium? Might not be desirable, depending upon the item.

Not sure, more Googling required on that one. Suffice to say a lump of ordinary steel works fine for me.

I just went down to the local sheet metal workers business & asked very nicely if they could spare some off cuts.

"No worries, help yourself to the bin over there"

All information I have seen has ALWAYS said to NEVER use a stainless anode in a electrolytic de-rusting bath. The chromium in the stainless leaches out into the electrolyte as hexavalent chromium which is a significant carcinogen. Use plain mild steel please.

Dominic

Oh dear - first post and it's a whinge AND it's not even about wood. How embarassment

Dominic, welcome and don't worry about it because you are right.

Not looking it up, using stainless as the anode does produce a chromium compound and the tell-tale is a chrome yellow tinge to the electrolyte.

If it's yellow, don't go anywhere near it. The next country might be safe enough. Extremely nasty stuff. I don't know how long it takes for the electrolyte to become toxic, and I have no intention of finding out.

I use worn out hacksaw blades. They are effectively useless once they are worn out, are quite tough, hold up very well in the bath and have convenient holes in the ends for connections. Also pretty safe since they are plain old high carbon steel.

If the rust isn't too bad, a good scrub with a wire brush to get rid of most of the flaky bits, then stick the whole mess into vinegar. Does the same as electrolysis (ie: removes the rust and not good metal), is much milder in it's action and measurably safer. Just takes a lot longer to get results.

Here is at least one source (purportedly from an electro-chemist) which recommends using stainless steel.

This one discusses using SS and has a cautionary note at the bottom. I think this is the article I was thinking of. It doesn't suggest any problem with using SS in terms of affect on the item being de-rusted - it discusses the toxicity problem.