Post by SpyderLady on Jun 13, 2007 13:34:40 GMT -6
Cleaning metal parts or coins with electrolysis
I needed to clean some small metal objects of paint and rust, but it was almost impossible to get into all the corners. I then remembered 'Electrolysis', it's thorough, it can be done at home, and it's cheap!
When I was rebuilding an old Motor cycle I bought dismantled, I must admit the worst part was cleaning, and restoring the surfaces. The carburettors and other small alloy type metals were cleaned quite easily using a thing that looked like a pen, and is called a 'Gunsons Speed plate'. These implements are great for getting into really small areas of any small metal object or coins even (although for coins, electrolysis cleans without scratching). The Gunsons Speed plate is mainly used by electricians for cleaning electrical contacts, but it will clean any metal object. As I said it looks like a pen, but at the business end it has a five mm nib made up of hundred's of fibres, probably fibre glass. The nib length is controlled by twisting the body, and the longer the nib, the gentler the cleaning. The only drawback of this pen, is the nibs don't last long, and on a restoration project, you can go through quite a lot. Also once you start using this pen, you start looking for things to clean!
The parts that were hard to clean were the little metal plates of various shapes that make up the main frame and headlight brackets, of the motor cycle, and the various studs that can't be or are hard to replace. These studs may be OK at the threaded part but if the stud is red with rust, the restoration won't look right, it will be half a job!
I tried everything at first, little power tools with wire brushes etc., but this was no good because it still left traces of rust, and if there is any rust about, it won't take long to spread again. I remembered a technique we used at school and later at work using electrolysis (you might have done this at school yourself). This method of cleaning will clean any metal object right down to the bare metal, removing rust and even paint! (we cleaned coins at school).Best of all it's very cheap, you may even have all the bits and pieces at home.
The method I used here removed every trace of rust. When the bolt or studs are free of rust, you can buy kits for coating them in zinc, or nickel cadmium, that utilize the same equipment.
The first thing you need is a battery or battery charger with an output of 6 or 12 volt. The next main item is a tank. Any plastic or pyrex tank will do (don't use metal. it will short everything out). I bought a cheap round pyrex tank about 10 inches diameter by 8 inches deep, but because there isn't much heat (just tepid), plastic works fine. The medium or solution is very easy to make up, it's just washing soda (sodium carbonate) mixed at one tablespoon per gallon. The live connection is fastened to a piece of steel (Anode). Because this is eaten away, I just used an old teaspoon, and submersed it, then fastened it to the side of the tank with the lead's, crocodile clip. Don't allow the clip to get into the solution, because it would eventually corrode away. The part to be cleaned is fastened to the negative lead (Cathode). I just fastened the part to the crocodile clip, by making a loop out of wire, and then submersed the part.
It's a matter or testing then. I first tried it on a piece of metal I didn't need. I found that the smaller the piece, the less voltage it required, so I used 6 volts. As you get using this little set up, you get to know what is required. If the ammeter shows a high reading, just move the leads in the solution, further apart, this will also slow the process down a bit (which is better if the part is delicate) and you will see the meter fall. The set-up gives off little bubbles, as the water breaks down, these bubbles are Hydrogen and oxygen, and so make sure this set up is in a well ventilated place. I did mine in the garage, without the car being present, of course. This set-up will lift the rust and leave the part intact. The time it takes depends on the size of the part to be cleaned, and can take all day. As the solution evaporates, more water is to be added. I get fascinated, watching the part fizz as it's being cleaned. When the part is clean, it needs coating as soon as it is dry so the part won't rust again. I used red and grey lead then finished off with lacquer (except for the parts that were going to be plastic coated).
Aluminium can be cleaned but take great care because the surface can be damaged by aggressive use of this method. I just stuck to cleaning steel. With rusty metal this method will clean all the rust and leave the metal, but don't forget, if the rust has eaten into the metal, you will be left with pits to fill in. As the solution gets old and dirty, change it often, it's not expensive! When the process has ended I use an old tooth brush to clean any residue off the part.
So to recap, you need;
• A battery or battery charger, six to twelve volts.
• A tank big enough to hold your object to be cleaned, not metal!
• Washing soda (to make up the solution).
• An old spoon or knife for the Anode.
• Some thin copper wire.
I needed to clean some small metal objects of paint and rust, but it was almost impossible to get into all the corners. I then remembered 'Electrolysis', it's thorough, it can be done at home, and it's cheap!
When I was rebuilding an old Motor cycle I bought dismantled, I must admit the worst part was cleaning, and restoring the surfaces. The carburettors and other small alloy type metals were cleaned quite easily using a thing that looked like a pen, and is called a 'Gunsons Speed plate'. These implements are great for getting into really small areas of any small metal object or coins even (although for coins, electrolysis cleans without scratching). The Gunsons Speed plate is mainly used by electricians for cleaning electrical contacts, but it will clean any metal object. As I said it looks like a pen, but at the business end it has a five mm nib made up of hundred's of fibres, probably fibre glass. The nib length is controlled by twisting the body, and the longer the nib, the gentler the cleaning. The only drawback of this pen, is the nibs don't last long, and on a restoration project, you can go through quite a lot. Also once you start using this pen, you start looking for things to clean!
The parts that were hard to clean were the little metal plates of various shapes that make up the main frame and headlight brackets, of the motor cycle, and the various studs that can't be or are hard to replace. These studs may be OK at the threaded part but if the stud is red with rust, the restoration won't look right, it will be half a job!
I tried everything at first, little power tools with wire brushes etc., but this was no good because it still left traces of rust, and if there is any rust about, it won't take long to spread again. I remembered a technique we used at school and later at work using electrolysis (you might have done this at school yourself). This method of cleaning will clean any metal object right down to the bare metal, removing rust and even paint! (we cleaned coins at school).Best of all it's very cheap, you may even have all the bits and pieces at home.
The method I used here removed every trace of rust. When the bolt or studs are free of rust, you can buy kits for coating them in zinc, or nickel cadmium, that utilize the same equipment.
The first thing you need is a battery or battery charger with an output of 6 or 12 volt. The next main item is a tank. Any plastic or pyrex tank will do (don't use metal. it will short everything out). I bought a cheap round pyrex tank about 10 inches diameter by 8 inches deep, but because there isn't much heat (just tepid), plastic works fine. The medium or solution is very easy to make up, it's just washing soda (sodium carbonate) mixed at one tablespoon per gallon. The live connection is fastened to a piece of steel (Anode). Because this is eaten away, I just used an old teaspoon, and submersed it, then fastened it to the side of the tank with the lead's, crocodile clip. Don't allow the clip to get into the solution, because it would eventually corrode away. The part to be cleaned is fastened to the negative lead (Cathode). I just fastened the part to the crocodile clip, by making a loop out of wire, and then submersed the part.
It's a matter or testing then. I first tried it on a piece of metal I didn't need. I found that the smaller the piece, the less voltage it required, so I used 6 volts. As you get using this little set up, you get to know what is required. If the ammeter shows a high reading, just move the leads in the solution, further apart, this will also slow the process down a bit (which is better if the part is delicate) and you will see the meter fall. The set-up gives off little bubbles, as the water breaks down, these bubbles are Hydrogen and oxygen, and so make sure this set up is in a well ventilated place. I did mine in the garage, without the car being present, of course. This set-up will lift the rust and leave the part intact. The time it takes depends on the size of the part to be cleaned, and can take all day. As the solution evaporates, more water is to be added. I get fascinated, watching the part fizz as it's being cleaned. When the part is clean, it needs coating as soon as it is dry so the part won't rust again. I used red and grey lead then finished off with lacquer (except for the parts that were going to be plastic coated).
Aluminium can be cleaned but take great care because the surface can be damaged by aggressive use of this method. I just stuck to cleaning steel. With rusty metal this method will clean all the rust and leave the metal, but don't forget, if the rust has eaten into the metal, you will be left with pits to fill in. As the solution gets old and dirty, change it often, it's not expensive! When the process has ended I use an old tooth brush to clean any residue off the part.
So to recap, you need;
• A battery or battery charger, six to twelve volts.
• A tank big enough to hold your object to be cleaned, not metal!
• Washing soda (to make up the solution).
• An old spoon or knife for the Anode.
• Some thin copper wire.
