Occasionally, I come across something that is so useful it makes me angry.
This is one of those things.

All of my life, I have messed around with rusty stubborn parts...tractors,
motorcycles, cars, machine tools, you name it. Seems I am forever trying
to
get some stubborn frozen #$%*& bolt loose.

A while ago I came across a reference to electrolytic rust removal. After
a
bit of research, I found all you need is:

1.) a battery charger
2.) an iron sacrificial anode
3.) a plastic tub or bucket
4.) sodium carbonate aka soda ash, aka arm and hammer washing soda (not to
be confused with baking soda which is sodium bicarbonate)

If you want to make sodium carbonate from baking soda you heat it in the
oven at 400F to drive off the CO2 to make soda ash.....but it only cost $2
for a box of the stuff at the grocery store in the laundry isle. DIY can
be
carried to extremes. Do whatever you think is best.

You mix a 10% solution. of water and washing soda. Exact amount is not
really critical.

You put the impossibly rusted, frozen, and extremely valuable part in the
bucket and connect the negative lead to it (very important to get the
polarity right)

You put the sacrificial anode in the bucket and connect the positive lead
to
it. Then you turn it on and go to bed.

Then you get up the next day, you have coffee, you putter around in the
shop
and otherwise goof off all day (trust me it's OK your making money the
whole
time!!)

Late in the day you get the part out, wash the black slime off with soap
and
hot water, blow the part dry. Soak it in WD40 so it won't surface rust.

See the pictures for yourself.

Why am I mad? I spent all those years sanding, grinding and otherwise
working WAYYYYY too hard. WHY didn't somebody clue me in? WHY was this
never
mentioned in any of those damn hot rod books I wasted so much money on?

IMPORTANT!!

Only use iron or mild steel anodes (I used a grid of re-mesh) Plated steel
or stainless steel can produce toxic byproducts.

The electrolyte can be reused. eventually it becomes too nasty and you
have
to dispose of it. It is mostly soapy rusty water. Best practice is to let
the water evaporate and send the residue to the landfill or take it to
your
local household hazardous waste center.

The bubbles produced are hydrogen and oxygen so do this outside away from
sources of ignition.

There is anecdotal evidence that this can cause hydrogen embrittlement. If
you are worried about this bake the parts in an oven at 400F for a couple
hours to drive the hydrogen out by diffusion.

Your mileage may vary,

Don't electrocute yourself, Don't smoke while doing this, Don't drink the
sludge, Don't do this while intoxicated, mentally retarded, naked, on
probation, with a minor, etc, etc

Proceed at your own risk, Not responsible.....yada,yada, yada

Googgle "electrolytic rust removal"

Monty

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