The Lotus Grand Tourers

This is the same piece today - about 30 hours later.



There's still the tiniest bit of rust left on the very pitted areas - I'll leave it in again tonight and it will be ready for priming tomorrow.

Pete

That looks like a good result. Does any of the good material (when there is!) get removed using this method? With electrolysis only the rust is removed, any non-rusty steel is unaffected.

Neil

Non-rusty steel is unaffected. Absolutely every trace of rust is removed. However - I've noticed that cast iron parts seem to get eaten slightly by the process if they are left too long, so they need careful monitoring.

Pete

Got a very grotty brake caliper to clean so I thought I show you my setup. This is the good side...


And this is my setup, negative to the piece needing to be cleaned, positive to a scrap steel piece. Don't let the two touch and dangle the piece off of something. Theres a handful of blasting soda (bicarbonate of soda) in the water I will show you the result in 24 hours.


Bash

Bash,
Can you leave rubber on?

Yes, anything can be left on, it doesn't harm it at all. Its the hydrogen bubbles that are generated from the steel that lifts the rust off.

Bash

Exciting! Can't wait for the next episode!

Pete

The following pictures are:-
Guess where the rust has gone.

The scrap steel.

Straight out of the bucket.

Scrubbing brush for 1 min under the tap.

30 sec with a wire brush


Bash

That's what you call a result. I'll be using that system in the future.

It's a good "lazy" system - it does work a bit line-of-sight between what are effectively the anode and the cathode, but does the job!

Neil.

Thats right, sometimes you have to turn the piece around to get in the inaccessible bits. Whats left in the bucket can go down the drain ok or even on the garden, its only water and bicarb with a little iron oxide.
You need an old fashioned charger by the way, not the newer maintenance types. Also, do it in a well ventilated place, doing it in my garage has been fine and there is no smell. Cleaning the scrap bit off from time to time can speed things up.

Bash

That's excellent Bash. How long was the current on for?

Pete

About 24 hrs but it was very crusty on the other side.
Bash

Normally a couple of hours is sufficient to get most rust off - once it's off there's no point in keeping it going.

I've used an old pc power supply as well, but an old car charger is easier if you have one handy.

Neil.