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The Rust Buster-
by Tim Rohr

I have used electrolysis for years to remove rust. It is so simple that you think it shouldn't work. The neat thing is that you can probably do it with items that you already have in your home. Rather than explain to you personally how to do it I will refer you to Bill's Electrolysis Page at http://www.oldengine.org/members/billd/electrol.htm

The one thing I would like to add is I originally used re-bar as an electrode but it needed constant cleaning and eroded away rather quickly. I went to scrap yard and picked up a few pieces of stainless steel which I am still using and it rarely need cleaning.

There have been times that I could not remove a rusted bolt from an item knowing that the bolt would snap. After putting it in the electrolysis tank I was able to remove it with my fingers. Mind you this is the exception as to the rule. Nonethless it is an amazingly simple method that works and is very suitable for smalller pieces that you do not wish to use more aggressive methods on or have spots that you cannot get to with traditional methods.

You can do it with a plastic butter dish and a little battery or do I like I do it. I bought a Plastic 55 Gallon drum for $5.00 and cut the top off. I can put the skins of a visible pump in the tank and do one half then flip them over and do the other half. Give it a try you will be amazed.
This is the picture of the vat I usually use
for smaller pieces. However it is big enough that I was able to derust a Model A wheel in it.

There are other sites on the internet that address this same method and give more detail including the whole chemical process that takes place but to be honest you don't need to know the chemical process you just need to know that it works. Another thing that I like about it is that there are no dangerous chemicals involved. Just water and Arm and Hammer washing soda. I use the same water all season long and as winter sets in I just pour it on my lawn and the grass loves it.

I've decided to ad a list of web sites that give details on how to do this. By the time you finish reading them you can't hardly wait to find a rusty piece of iron to give it a try.


http://www.alphalink.com.au/~petero/rustconverter.html http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/rust.htm http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm  http://www.intricatearticles.com/personal/rustfaq.html  http://www.antique-engine.ns.ca/electrolysis.html http://www.nothingtodo.org/projects/norust.htm http://users.ev1.net/~gmuster/tool_restoration.htm