Removing rust from tools.

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I want to share with you a good way to remove rust.

All the tools in my father's toolbox were in a very poor state of conservation, mainly from rust, and all the screwdrivers have been used as a paint mixer at some point in time. A 2 dollar wire wheel took care of many years of neglect but it was not enough for some tools like adjustable spanners and pliers.

One of the sites that I visit the most is instructables.com there I found this instructable about rust removal via electrolysis and decided to give it a try.

Instead of the battery charger I used an ATX power supply, that I hacked to power up my electronic prototypes and some other projects, and I used baking soda instead of washing soda. The results are really good. Many pliers were frozen in rust but 6 hours in the bucket was enough to make them functional again.

After the bath you need to rustproof the tools, many people use oil or wax, but I can't stand the feeling of an oiled tool, so I sprayed the tools with clear coat and I am really happy with the results. I only used oil to lubricate the pliers and white grease for the adjustable spanners

The setup and some pics of the cleaned tools
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I am very proud of this hammer, 4 hours in the bucket and a new handle and it is like new again.

This is an example of the work in progress. This rasp was one of the most corroded tools and also was used as a paint mixer. You can see the original state to the left and the treated part to the right. This photo was taken after 8 hours in the bucket.

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These tools have been used around the house for many years and now they are going to be in a decent state.
 
I use a non-toxic, environmentally sound product called Evaporust.

Works like pure magic. Just a bit pricey because of the patent on the liquid.

Soak overnight for best results!
 
This has my interest, i think i will build one, I wonder how many amps are too much? What would happen if the entire vat was the anode, say an old cast iron pot?
 
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In the instructable they used a 1.5 A charger, my ATX PSU delivers a maximum output current of 17 A. I didn't measured it but I doubt that I was using so much power.

I think that if you use more current you overcome the limitation of only cleaning in the "line of sight" between electrodes and thus avoiding the need of several anodes (or one big pot).

I gradually increased the amount of baking soda that I put in the bucket (increasing the conductivity and therefore the current), and the tools cleaned from all sides and the electrode also corroded from all sides.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
This has my interest, i think i will build one, I wonder how many amps are too much? What would happen if the entire vat was the anode, say an old cast iron pot?


The anode slowly corrodes away, so I'd suggest you'd end up with quite a big mess.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad_C
Originally Posted By: spasm3
This has my interest, i think i will build one, I wonder how many amps are too much? What would happen if the entire vat was the anode, say an old cast iron pot?


The anode slowly corrodes away, so I'd suggest you'd end up with quite a big mess.


You mean it would be a rusty pot with a hole in it?
 
Is that safe to use? Because it is using electricity right. I bet it should be done away from children. But thanks anyways for sharing. The tools are cleaned and rust-free now.
 
It's safe enough but as with most power tools it may not be safe for some people's kids.

You can put your hand in the bucket without being electrocuted. The alkaline solution is hard on your skin.
 
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