Rusty Junk To Useful Stuff With Chemistry

instructables
Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!
by Cheese Queen
Backyard DIY Electrolysis for Rust Removal on Cast bright and shiny...
Iron and Tools
There is. Here's a sweat-free, pain-free method of
I'll bet everyone reading this has a secret stash of removing every particle of rust from your rusty junk-
rusty something-or-other; Granny's Dutch oven, tools using the miracle of electrolysis and some random
left in the rain, a cool garage sale find. If only there stuff you probably already have laying around.
was some quick and easy way to return the metal to
Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 1

Step 1: Equipment for Your Miracle
Here's what you need: and bottom; you want the solution to circulate freely.
You can also line a cardboard box or basket with
A battery charger, 10 amps or bigger. A smaller plastic to hold the solution- anything will work if its
trickle charger will work, but it might take weeks sturdy enough and can be lined in plastic
instead of hours to remove all the rust. One with a
built-in ammeter is best, so you can tell when you Arm & Hammer WASHING Soda (not baking soda).
have a good connection. You'll find this in the laundry detergent aisle.
A plastic tub, bucket or container, big enough to Steel for the anode- rod, sheet, bar, whatever you
suspend the rusty article completely free of the sides have handy or can buy cheap. Old metal junction
boxes, pieces of rebar, literally whatever you have. from. I used a piece of CPVC pipe, but wood is good
The more surface area the better. too.
A non-conductive rod to suspend the rusty article Some wire, any kind

Step 2: Safety First
Do this outside, please. You can use more than one anode, such as multiple
pieces of rebar on different sides of the rusty article,
You will be generating some hydrogen gas and you as long as all the anodes are electrically connected,
don't want any explosions in the garage. i.e. wired together. Using more than one anode
speeds up the electrolysis, and you won't have to
Step 1) Fill the plastic container with a measured move and turn your rusty piece during the process,
amount of water- when filled, you will add 1 but use whatever is easiest for you. You can also do
Tablespoon of washing soda per gallon of water; stir more than one rusty article at a time, as long as- you
to dissolve. Tip- make the last gallon you put into the guessed it- they are electrically connected to one
tub HOT water, you can dissolve ALL the washing another and nothing touches.
soda in the hot water and you'll get a fast, thorough
dissolve. Step 4) Connect the BLACK clamp of the battery
charger to the rusty article, and the RED clamp to the
Step 2) Place the non-conductive rod across the top steel anode, and turn on the charger. You can use an
of the solution container, and wire your rusty article to extra alligator clip jumper if that makes a better
is so your article hangs completely submerged, but connection to the piece than your regular clamp.
not touching the sides or bottom.
Turn the battery charger on and check the ammeter to
Step 3) Place your anode steel in the solution (the see whether or not its “charging”- if not, you may have
anode can touch the sides and bottom, and it can to scrape a clean spot in the rust so you make a good
stick out of the solution too) but make sure it is AT electrical connection.
LEAST 2” from your rusty article. Any closer and you
will pull too much current on your battery charger and Let 'er rip!
might damage it.

Step 3: Making the Magic
You will see bubbles start to form almost amperage of your charger. It will probably take a few
immediately, and an ugly rusty sludge will collect on hours, maybe overnight to totally remove the rust. It
the surface- all normal. won't hurt anything if the charger continues to run, but
it won't help either.
Every so often, turn off the charger and lift out your
rusty piece to inspect how the rust removal is going; You can dump your rusty, sludgy water on the
take this opportunity to turn or invert the piece if you garden, or save it for your next rust-removal project. *
are using a single anode, to make sure all parts are note; if you used a stainless steel anode, you may
getting blasted. have generated some semi-toxic byproducts; better to
not dump this down the storm drain or into your
The length of time you will have to leave your rusty vegetable garden.*
article will depend on how rusty it was and the
Step 4: Yes, You ARE a Genius;
When you remove your work piece the final time from And voila, you have resurrected Granny's Dutch oven
the solution, you will have noticed that instead of rust, with the expenditure of just a little bit of money and
your piece is now covered in a sooty black oxidation the time it took your cauldron to do it's bubbly
layer. The easiest way I've discovered to remove this electrolysis magic.
is with 3M Brand GRAY Finishing Pads, available at
Lowe's in the sandpaper aisle, but if you need a more Take a bow!
polished surface, you may have to work with the
softer white scrubbies. It only takes a few minutes to
remove the black stuff.

Step 5:

Rusty Junk To Useful Stuff With Chemistry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rusty Junk To Useful Stuff With Chemistry

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rusty Junk To Useful Stuff With Chemistry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

instructables

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 1

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 2

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 3

Step 4: Yes, You ARE a Genius;

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 5

Rusty Junk to Useful Stuff With Chemistry!: Page 6

You might also like