I’ve done many hundreds of hours of electrolysis for old tools and boat parts- I started off with mild steel as sacrificial anodes, with the concern of getting chromium in solution through using stainless, but in the end threw caution to the wind and used stainless for the sacrificial- it just works so much better and doesn’t immediately slow down like mild steel does as it cakes up. You can keep grinding back to raw mild steel every hour or two and it will work fast but for set and forget stainless is the go.
Thanks Danger Stu. After watching this video, went straight away and within a hour was cleaning tools, saw blades, trailer hubs, etc....... Works Great ! Set up just like yours with battery and charger. Pushed 2-10 amps thru the romex wire. No washing soda so i heated some baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate ) on the stove and converted to ( sodium carbonate ) worked great. Always enjoy your informative and educational videos mate ! Cheers ! Regards. Wichita, Kansas
When our boat-slip neighbors are out of town, I hook up the positive pole of our boat battery with a long wire to our neighbor's boat. It seems to do a great job keeping our boat's metal fresh, especially when compared to our neighbor's neglected, manky boat.
Hi Stu, the project supervisor (Eddie) didn’t seem impressed! But he sure is a great guy, and great supervisor. I loved this video, physics, chemistry, and science! You’re the real deal man. You don’t just do the work, you understand the process of whats going on and then your work intends to prevent it. The attention to detail while your fabricating, welding, and sealing the steel will make a huge difference in the test of time. Now that I’ve been out of high school for a little while, I am really impressed with how much they taught and I honestly use all that knowledge everyday. There have been many times in my career when no one else can figure something out, I get put on it, repair, fabricate, replace what ever it was (electrical, mechanical, structural, ect ect). Get asked after how did I figure it out and fix it, explain it in detail, and get the deer in the headlights look. Then I say come on man everything I just explained is basic electricity, physics, math, mechanical knowledge that they taught me in high school. All that knowledge is root of ingenuity. We all have this wonderful gift of a third cortex that is able to remember and learn, an imagination that is able to wrap itself around nature and the fabric of an infinite universe. I’ll never understand why the majority of human beings chose fill all that mind up with what’s happening on facebook, whats the new hit song, what a celebrity did or said, just meaningless knowledge. And when something happens that does matter (usually something bad), then it’s all finger pointing and blame, but no ideas or solutions. 100% of the time the finger pointing is in totally the wrong and irrelevant direction. Ok, so I’m going to post this, but am terribly embarrassed that I went way of the track there. I think I’m impressed with you you Stu, you care enough to learn and always do the best you can, not because of ego, because you genuinely care about what your doing. Also your ability to teach and spread your knowledge and ingenuity. Caring isn’t easy, its hard and takes a lifetime of practice to get good at.
Just a note, don't put seized assemblies with mixed metals in the electrolysis bath, i.e. aluminium/brass/bronze etc, they (non steel parts) will disappear at an alarming rate....gate/ball valves etc. Good for rusted steel though. Very very effective. Thanks Stu
Great explanation of the electrolysis process Stu. I had no idea you could use this process at home. The useful things I learn from this channel never end!
This would obviate having a sandblasting cabinet. You're really progressing well .Thanks to Matt Nelson (below) for elucidating why you end up with black parts and not shiny silver parts. Anyway, this type of info is very welcome, reminiscent of SV Seeker TH-cams (elsewhere). 09APR2019
A couple of comments. First off, from the theory section, it was generally good but the glaring mistake was the reasoning for why salt water makes iron rust faster. It's not the salt water being more conductive, it's the chloride effecting the corrosion mechanics. High chloride content will also mean more localized (ie pitting) corrosion, as well as crevice corrosion. Which is a problem in every place where there is something bolted on or doublers welded on. As for the setup; putting 4 sacrificial anodes up is a good idea, in this setup I would perhaps try to use even wider strips as the effectiveness is directly proportional to electrical flow area. And, for the same reason it pays off to be mindful of the electrical connection between the PS and the part being cleaned. Of course, jamming the wire will make a connection, but e.g. winding it around the chain (as far down as possible) will mean a much more efficient setup.
@@DangarMarine No worries. And I'm sorry that I came off a bit short in my comment. I was in a bit of a hurry, but wanted to share what knowledge I have =) And your explanation wasn't wrong per se (impurities, e.g. NaCl, is required so the water is conductive), and I agree that it is the reason given in high school chemistry. But more or less any impurities will do, that is why stuff rusts in moist air, lake water, etc. I happen to have a science degree in corrosion and electro chemistry, so I just jumped at it =) Also, I commend you on your comment about recognizing stray current corrosion! A very important cue to finding the source of corrosion.
Left Flamingo 12 volts is convenient, but is it the optimum voltage? Is there an ideal current? I'm sure it's more complicated than my questions assume, but whatever you can provide would be great. Thanks!
@@firstmkb Voltage and current density in mA/cm² are important considerations to get optimum results and each element has different requirements. ie, too much current will increase heating and evaporation of the electrolyte. 12V is overkill. chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/8494/how-does-voltage-and-resistance-affect-an-electrolysis Aluminium electrolysis operates at around 3 to 5V with a current of 500,000 amps!
@@ahaveland thank you! Getting an answer online is easy, but a knowledgeable one can be a lot tougher. I'll print that out to read it, because I can only absorb so much on a phone.
Although it is exceedingly rare these days, some items on boats like old anchors can still be found which are made of forged Iron rather than steel which is an alloy of iron and carbon. When Iron oxidises or 'rusts' it does so in a very distinctive 'ropey' sort of pattern similar to the one you discussed.
Great video and explanations. As has been said so many times already, you have a gift when it comes to explaining the work you’re doing so laypeople can understand. Thanks.
I've used this process for many years with great success. There is one thing I learned long ago regarding safety, besides the ventilation and spark/flame avoidance: never let copper come in contact with the liquid. Apparently its electrons bond with those in the liquid, and create a seriously dangerous toxic chemical, whose name I've long since forgotten. I was told to use steel wire to hang the part being cleaned. Great video, thanks for posting.
I have watched a number of your videos and your attention to detail and efforts are impressive. This video is very helpful and informative. I've done this process on the first anchor I found when I started scuba diving and it works very well. One of the advantages is that it removes/converts rust in the tiniest of places, places where a brush cannot reach sometimes as well as places where even fine sandblasting might not reach. As you mentioned, it doesn't remove steel which is not rusted. One person commented on avoiding the use of copper which I seem to recall I tried but the copper wire was destroyed in short order. I changed to using some kind of steel wire. There is the idea of using stainless steel for the anodes but I seem to recall reading that it may cause problems. What those problems supposedly are is beyond my recollection from 12 years ago when I learned about this process and started using it. But it's worth looking up prior to using it as the anode. The biggest thing I can offer as hopefully helpful is the power supply. I use a computer power supply. The one I have, which is not special or "high output", is labeled to supply 16 amps on the 12 volt channel! I've run it for over a week at a time on a couple of projects with no problem. The...been too long since I built computers...ATX? power supply (ATX is the style, not a brand) has a green wire, as I recall, which must be connected to ground to cause the power supply to turn on. I may be misremembering the wire which needs to be grounded, but I'm pretty sure it's the green wire, and that can be searched online easily. For very large projects (I've seen a truck frame done with this process in a makeshift vat of tarps and 2x4 lumber), a DC welder can be used to supply the power. Thank you for the great content you make. You work too hard. You need to go on holiday. Texas is nice. Incidentally, I have a 1987 Evinrude 225 that could use a skilled, thoughtful hand. In Texas. Just sayin'. ;)
Interesting subject, Before i retired i ran a small company in the UK recovering silver from Photographic waste, i would travel round a customer base consisting of Printers, Photographic studios, also hospitals and industrial companies conducting non destructive testing, ie places like British Aerospace, i would purchase all and any Photographic waste which contained silver, things like film, xrays and the fixing solution, i would take it back to my place of work and in the case of fixing solution i ran it through a silver recovery machine, which consisted of a tank with a set of Graphite anodes, and a rotating stainless steel drum cathode, depending how concentrated the silver content was you would vary the amperage until all the silver had migrated onto the cathode whereby you could then scrape it off and recover silver flake which was 99.9 % solid silver,after smelting you could obtain 100% Purity, it was then sold on to a bullion dealer, in the case of xrays and film it consists of a sheet of acetate which is then sprayed with silver nitrate which is light sensitive, in order to recover the silver i would shred the films into small pieces using an industrial shredding machine and then steep for 5 minutes in a dilute solution of ferric chloride, this turned the films into a creamy white colour turning the silver into a halide state making it recoverable, it was then steeped again into fixing solution which dissolved the silver into solution, this was then pumped and circulated through the electrolytic silver recovery machine and plated the silver onto the cathode, from a 1 tonne batch of xrays it was possible to recover between 50-60 Kilogram of solid silver, unfortunately the digital age has all but killed it off, there are still quite a few companies still using non destructive testing {NDT} but not enough to sustain running a business on , Thanks again for another interesting video.
I bet you got plenty of old 35mm film from the old Yashica sc5 security cameras used in the banks. I used to service those and would recover hundreds of rolls if ilford black and white film.
Electrolysis is my preferred method for removing heavy rust from parts. I like it best because it's a big time saver over manually trying to remove rust - you can do plenty of other things while the part cooks in the bath. Make sure you get the poles right - I carelessly reversed them once and ruined the part. Also, just to emphasize this: This method requires DC voltage NOT AC. I have found that 12 volts at 2amps works best. I have tried this both directly hooked up to a battery charger (@ said 12v 2amps) and with a deep cycle marine battery as you show in the vid. I haven't noticed any difference between the two methods, and so I just connect the charger directly to the anode/cathode.
I tried to do exactly as you did but I couldn't get under my house for the wire and I didn't know which sides of the round tub to put the sacrificial anodes on...you make it look soo easy!
Thanks for the demonstration Stu! Thinking of doing this to some parts on my 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck before they rust away and have to be replaced.
I use Muratic Acid to remove rust. Mystic Acid can be found at most hardware stores as it's normally used for cleaning concrete. It works amazingly well and is cheap at around $10.00 per gallon. It's not that dangerous just forget it in your eyes and wash off when it gets in skin or clothing. Try it out it will clean the dirtiest parts down to bare metal easily when soaked in a bath or brushed on.
That was easier to understand than my old chemistry teacher! Then again might have something to do with the fact that this is interesting now! Thanks for sharing!
Nice demonstration. Alternatively you could paint the parts with orthophosphoric acid (sold as Ospho here in the USA). That will convert the rust to iron phosphate, which you can paint directly or epoxy seal then paint. The parts will turn black though.
Sodium Hydroxide is better Stu, it helps reduce chloride levels of your parts because it completely dissociates into sodium and hydroxide ions and the sodium grabs the chlorides and puts them in solution. You can monitor the chloride level of the electrolyte to work out when all the chlorides have all been extracted (as sodium chloride). At the end of the reduction the electrolyte is contaminated with the chlorides so you should probably rinse away the residual electrolyte with deionised water after electrolysis, then dewater with ethanol or acetone before applying the primer.
Tried this process my self once but it took ages in the soak tank. In the end I fabricated most of the easier parts because it was quicker. However, nice one Stu, keep them vids coming 👍
Sometimes I feel like I'm watching science class videos just illustrated by applying theory to the boat restoration :) Good work, man! Both: explaining science and fixing this iron lady along the way. :)
Another great video 👍 I clean up old black powder and milsurp part's this way. Works well for me but I don't leave it for a week. Keep checking out the pieces hanging. Thumbs up.
Hi Stu, nice getting a new video so quick. Due to the wait time I see you had this one going for awhile. I should have paid more attention in school and took a chemistry class. Watching this makes me think of a giant tank to put the whole boat in to do this. Would be allot less work for at least removing rust. Wonder if someone has thought of this?
Make sure your Anodes are clean before doing this, wire brush and degrease them. Make sure the surface area of your anodes exceeds that of your cathode for best results. Use a 10 amp charger for best results, should take two days or less. Reserve Electrolysis for machined parts where you want to maintain tolerances. For general rust removal use vinegar, will leave a sandblasted type finish.
Works very well, takes some time. I did a number of items once. I once did some screws from an oven though, and whatever that metal was, it basically ate the screws quite heavily, not just the rust, maybe they were too porous to begin with. Don't use stainless steel as the sacrificial anode as it can release some pretty toxic substances apparently. You can re-use the electrolyte quite a number of times also. I'd clean out the excess rust and the rust from the anodes to provide clean surface area though to speed the process, most of that rust will just wipe off really.
Curious... Eddy sometimes has a sad look about him. Do you think he would rather be in charge, sort of to speed up the work being done? I'm certain that with him barking commands at the bespectacled worker, they would wind up with a quite proper trawler, eh?
You should try using one of the many derust liquids such as evapo-rust that are on the market ( which also seems much safer) these days in a comparison test
I wish you would of cleaned off your anodes before adding the next part as you will eventually passivate your anodes with all the accumulation of rust. The highest resistance in a CP circuit is between the anode and the electrolyte. In any case keep the videos coming, love seeing the boat come together.
I use citric acid, same stuff that makes candy that sour taste. If you don't want to use electric just citric acid and water works well too. Heated water speeds up the process. And it takes hours to a day or 2 depending on method and amount of rust.
Hi Stu, my rusty parts need a good de-somethingorother...anyway, i was thinking, if you had a big enough tub, you could just dunk the whole boat in. I know,i know, i shouldn't do so much thinking. Your chemistry lesson reminded me of schooldays, my answer to everything was 'heat it'. The boat's coming along nicely. Stay safe and keep up the good work.
Even though I've decided to build my houseboat using plywood and fiberglass, I still enjoy watching your project on this steel hull craft. Quick question, how far are you from the great barrier reef? While on vacation in Aussie-land, my family took a glass-bottom boat out to explore the reef. 44 years later, and I clearly remember how beautiful that was to experience. If I had a bucket-list, seeing the great barrier reef again would be at the top.
Never cease to entertain Stu ...You sound like you actually know what you’re talking about, fantastic explanation but you lost me entirely.... great video 👍
Fisher nick ,, well nick since you used the first 5 words I was going to use no point me doin so an I just like your comment hahaha . Great minds think alike they say . Lol later cob . Great work stu can’t wait for completion,,,,
Just toget it correct, water does not conduct electricity! The mineralization of water does. But demineralized water does not conduct at all. Actually some use demineralized water as a cooltant for computer mainboards by dumping them completly into it. So H²O is not conductive. It is a pretty good isolator in fact. But metalls like natrium in the water do make it become conductive.
I’ve done many hundreds of hours of electrolysis for old tools and boat parts- I started off with mild steel as sacrificial anodes, with the concern of getting chromium in solution through using stainless, but in the end threw caution to the wind and used stainless for the sacrificial- it just works so much better and doesn’t immediately slow down like mild steel does as it cakes up. You can keep grinding back to raw mild steel every hour or two and it will work fast but for set and forget stainless is the go.
Thanks Danger Stu. After watching this video, went straight away and within a hour was cleaning tools, saw blades, trailer hubs, etc....... Works Great ! Set up just like yours with battery and charger. Pushed 2-10 amps thru the romex wire. No washing soda so i heated some baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate ) on the stove and converted to ( sodium carbonate ) worked great.
Always enjoy your informative and educational videos mate ! Cheers ! Regards. Wichita, Kansas
Glad you’ve been getting good results with the technique and nice work on making your own washing soda. :)
When our boat-slip neighbors are out of town, I hook up the positive pole of our boat battery with a long wire to our neighbor's boat. It seems to do a great job keeping our boat's metal fresh, especially when compared to our neighbor's neglected, manky boat.
LOL. :)
Hi Stu, the project supervisor (Eddie) didn’t seem impressed! But he sure is a great guy, and great supervisor.
I loved this video, physics, chemistry, and science! You’re the real deal man. You don’t just do the work, you understand the process of whats going on and then your work intends to prevent it. The attention to detail while your fabricating, welding, and sealing the steel will make a huge difference in the test of time.
Now that I’ve been out of high school for a little while, I am really impressed with how much they taught and I honestly use all that knowledge everyday. There have been many times in my career when no one else can figure something out, I get put on it, repair, fabricate, replace what ever it was (electrical, mechanical, structural, ect ect). Get asked after how did I figure it out and fix it, explain it in detail, and get the deer in the headlights look. Then I say come on man everything I just explained is basic electricity, physics, math, mechanical knowledge that they taught me in high school. All that knowledge is root of ingenuity.
We all have this wonderful gift of a third cortex that is able to remember and learn, an imagination that is able to wrap itself around nature and the fabric of an infinite universe. I’ll never understand why the majority of human beings chose fill all that mind up with what’s happening on facebook, whats the new hit song, what a celebrity did or said, just meaningless knowledge. And when something happens that does matter (usually something bad), then it’s all finger pointing and blame, but no ideas or solutions. 100% of the time the finger pointing is in totally the wrong and irrelevant direction.
Ok, so I’m going to post this, but am terribly embarrassed that I went way of the track there. I think I’m impressed with you you Stu, you care enough to learn and always do the best you can, not because of ego, because you genuinely care about what your doing. Also your ability to teach and spread your knowledge and ingenuity. Caring isn’t easy, its hard and takes a lifetime of practice to get good at.
Just a note, don't put seized assemblies with mixed metals in the electrolysis bath, i.e. aluminium/brass/bronze etc, they (non steel parts) will disappear at an alarming rate....gate/ball valves etc. Good for rusted steel though. Very very effective. Thanks Stu
Great explanation of the electrolysis process Stu. I had no idea you could use this process at home. The useful things I learn from this channel never end!
Bit of a hassle to set up, but I think I'll have a queue of things to plunge in now it's done.
good tip about the lines in the steel being caused by stray current.
Please keep posting 2 videos a week. Can't get enough of this great project. Thank you.
This would obviate having a sandblasting cabinet. You're really progressing well .Thanks to Matt Nelson (below) for elucidating why you end up with black parts and not shiny silver parts. Anyway, this type of info is very welcome, reminiscent of SV Seeker TH-cams (elsewhere). 09APR2019
A couple of comments. First off, from the theory section, it was generally good but the glaring mistake was the reasoning for why salt water makes iron rust faster. It's not the salt water being more conductive, it's the chloride effecting the corrosion mechanics. High chloride content will also mean more localized (ie pitting) corrosion, as well as crevice corrosion. Which is a problem in every place where there is something bolted on or doublers welded on.
As for the setup; putting 4 sacrificial anodes up is a good idea, in this setup I would perhaps try to use even wider strips as the effectiveness is directly proportional to electrical flow area. And, for the same reason it pays off to be mindful of the electrical connection between the PS and the part being cleaned. Of course, jamming the wire will make a connection, but e.g. winding it around the chain (as far down as possible) will mean a much more efficient setup.
I did say high school was a long time ago. ;) Thanks for the clarification, I do really appreciate the expertise of this channels viewers!
@@DangarMarine No worries. And I'm sorry that I came off a bit short in my comment. I was in a bit of a hurry, but wanted to share what knowledge I have =)
And your explanation wasn't wrong per se (impurities, e.g. NaCl, is required so the water is conductive), and I agree that it is the reason given in high school chemistry. But more or less any impurities will do, that is why stuff rusts in moist air, lake water, etc. I happen to have a science degree in corrosion and electro chemistry, so I just jumped at it =)
Also, I commend you on your comment about recognizing stray current corrosion! A very important cue to finding the source of corrosion.
Left Flamingo 12 volts is convenient, but is it the optimum voltage? Is there an ideal current?
I'm sure it's more complicated than my questions assume, but whatever you can provide would be great. Thanks!
@@firstmkb Voltage and current density in mA/cm² are important considerations to get optimum results and each element has different requirements. ie, too much current will increase heating and evaporation of the electrolyte. 12V is overkill.
chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/8494/how-does-voltage-and-resistance-affect-an-electrolysis
Aluminium electrolysis operates at around 3 to 5V with a current of 500,000 amps!
@@ahaveland thank you! Getting an answer online is easy, but a knowledgeable one can be a lot tougher. I'll print that out to read it, because I can only absorb so much on a phone.
Although it is exceedingly rare these days, some items on boats like old anchors can still be found which are made of forged Iron rather than steel which is an alloy of iron and carbon.
When Iron oxidises or 'rusts' it does so in a very distinctive 'ropey' sort of pattern similar to the one you discussed.
Great video and explanations. As has been said so many times already, you have a gift when it comes to explaining the work you’re doing so laypeople can understand.
Thanks.
I've used this process for many years with great success. There is one thing I learned long ago regarding safety, besides the ventilation and spark/flame avoidance: never let copper come in contact with the liquid. Apparently its electrons bond with those in the liquid, and create a seriously dangerous toxic chemical, whose name I've long since forgotten. I was told to use steel wire to hang the part being cleaned. Great video, thanks for posting.
I have watched a number of your videos and your attention to detail and efforts are impressive. This video is very helpful and informative.
I've done this process on the first anchor I found when I started scuba diving and it works very well. One of the advantages is that it removes/converts rust in the tiniest of places, places where a brush cannot reach sometimes as well as places where even fine sandblasting might not reach. As you mentioned, it doesn't remove steel which is not rusted. One person commented on avoiding the use of copper which I seem to recall I tried but the copper wire was destroyed in short order. I changed to using some kind of steel wire.
There is the idea of using stainless steel for the anodes but I seem to recall reading that it may cause problems. What those problems supposedly are is beyond my recollection from 12 years ago when I learned about this process and started using it. But it's worth looking up prior to using it as the anode.
The biggest thing I can offer as hopefully helpful is the power supply. I use a computer power supply. The one I have, which is not special or "high output", is labeled to supply 16 amps on the 12 volt channel! I've run it for over a week at a time on a couple of projects with no problem. The...been too long since I built computers...ATX? power supply (ATX is the style, not a brand) has a green wire, as I recall, which must be connected to ground to cause the power supply to turn on. I may be misremembering the wire which needs to be grounded, but I'm pretty sure it's the green wire, and that can be searched online easily. For very large projects (I've seen a truck frame done with this process in a makeshift vat of tarps and 2x4 lumber), a DC welder can be used to supply the power.
Thank you for the great content you make. You work too hard. You need to go on holiday. Texas is nice. Incidentally, I have a 1987 Evinrude 225 that could use a skilled, thoughtful hand. In Texas. Just sayin'. ;)
Hey Hardford, good tip about the ATX power supply. I do need a holiday and Texas does sound nice. ;)
Awesome as always. OILRIG
Oxidation is loss reduction is gain
Nice one, I'll remember that.
Interesting subject, Before i retired i ran a small company in the UK recovering silver from Photographic waste, i would travel round a customer base consisting of Printers, Photographic studios, also hospitals and industrial companies conducting non destructive testing, ie places like British Aerospace, i would purchase all and any Photographic waste which contained silver, things like film, xrays and the fixing solution, i would take it back to my place of work and in the case of fixing solution i ran it through a silver recovery machine, which consisted of a tank with a set of Graphite anodes, and a rotating stainless steel drum cathode, depending how concentrated the silver content was you would vary the amperage until all the silver had migrated onto the cathode whereby you could then scrape it off and recover silver flake which was 99.9 % solid silver,after smelting you could obtain 100% Purity, it was then sold on to a bullion dealer, in the case of xrays and film it consists of a sheet of acetate which is then sprayed with silver nitrate which is light sensitive, in order to recover the silver i would shred the films into small pieces using an industrial shredding machine and then steep for 5 minutes in a dilute solution of ferric chloride, this turned the films into a creamy white colour turning the silver into a halide state making it recoverable, it was then steeped again into fixing solution which dissolved the silver into solution, this was then pumped and circulated through the electrolytic silver recovery machine and plated the silver onto the cathode, from a 1 tonne batch of xrays it was possible to recover between 50-60 Kilogram of solid silver, unfortunately the digital age has all but killed it off, there are still quite a few companies still using non destructive testing {NDT} but not enough to sustain running a business on , Thanks again for another interesting video.
I bet you got plenty of old 35mm film from the old Yashica sc5 security cameras used in the banks.
I used to service those and would recover hundreds of rolls if ilford black and white film.
@@axeman6560 sadly no i used to mostly concentrate on industrial xrays as that was were the most money was.
Its nice to see videos on you tube that you can learn from and put into use for yourself.
Keep making these kind of videos. Thanks.
Sick 2 vids in as many days... i know why the clock is stuck at 4.45 so when u look at it, its always beer🍺 o'clock 🍺🍺🍻🍻
I have learned a lot from you but this was the most fun. Spent the last few days taking rust of everything. Even the wife is impressed!!!
It is quite addictive once you get going. :)
Electrolysis is my preferred method for removing heavy rust from parts. I like it best because it's a big time saver over manually trying to remove rust - you can do plenty of other things while the part cooks in the bath. Make sure you get the poles right - I carelessly reversed them once and ruined the part. Also, just to emphasize this: This method requires DC voltage NOT AC. I have found that 12 volts at 2amps works best. I have tried this both directly hooked up to a battery charger (@ said 12v 2amps) and with a deep cycle marine battery as you show in the vid. I haven't noticed any difference between the two methods, and so I just connect the charger directly to the anode/cathode.
It would be interesting to get before and after weights to see how much iron transferred to the part hanging in the solution.
Nothing like a surprise video from one of my favorite Aussies. Thank you!
Have you ever heard of Evapo-Rust? Great stuff and it's relatively quick. No electricity, just dip, wipe off and that's it.
Very well explained
It may have been thirty years, but your memory was nearly flawless.
I've kinda guessed my way through this subject in the past..This would have to be one of the best explanations on this subject I've seen..Thank you.
I've often said "Building boats broadens your knowledge on many fronts" . You've just shown us a great example. Thanks mate!
Thanks Stu..Very interesting and good to know...Road salt kills the cars over here... Now I know the reasons why.
looks so much neater when you remove the rust this way,used this method with many diving relics I found,thanks once again. Keep up the good work
cool shot with the waterproof camera :)
I tried to do exactly as you did but I couldn't get under my house for the wire and I didn't know which sides of the round tub to put the sacrificial anodes on...you make it look soo easy!
Thanks for the demonstration Stu! Thinking of doing this to some parts on my 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck before they rust away and have to be replaced.
I use Muratic Acid to remove rust. Mystic Acid can be found at most hardware stores as it's normally used for cleaning concrete. It works amazingly well and is cheap at around $10.00 per gallon. It's not that dangerous just forget it in your eyes and wash off when it gets in skin or clothing. Try it out it will clean the dirtiest parts down to bare metal easily when soaked in a bath or brushed on.
Glad to see you're back to making regular videos :), missed you. You seem a lot more relaxed now :).
It’s all over my head but very interesting . Keep them coming more often .Loving it Stu
Excellent video. Thanks.
if i do this myself I'll be blowing up my garage great video my man
That was easier to understand than my old chemistry teacher! Then again might have something to do with the fact that this is interesting now! Thanks for sharing!
Nice demonstration. Alternatively you could paint the parts with orthophosphoric acid (sold as Ospho here in the USA). That will convert the rust to iron phosphate, which you can paint directly or epoxy seal then paint. The parts will turn black though.
Welcome back, Eddie.
Yes Hello Eddy
Was going to try this on my IRISH SETTER 'Rusty'...but decided against.
GREAT video, as always.
positive to the collar, negative to the tail, chuck him in the bath, job done. You'll have to rename him Shinny though.
Sodium Hydroxide is better Stu, it helps reduce chloride levels of your parts because it completely dissociates into sodium and hydroxide ions and the sodium grabs the chlorides and puts them in solution. You can monitor the chloride level of the electrolyte to work out when all the chlorides have all been extracted (as sodium chloride). At the end of the reduction the electrolyte is contaminated with the chlorides so you should probably rinse away the residual electrolyte with deionised water after electrolysis, then dewater with ethanol or acetone before applying the primer.
That's what I was going to say Steve. ;)
Very well done! Thanks!
Tried this process my self once but it took ages in the soak tank. In the end I fabricated most of the easier parts because it was quicker. However, nice one Stu, keep them vids coming 👍
Danger studio you rock
The things one will do for a rusty old boat. Looks good. I've been watching all of your videos and enjoy them.
I'm really enjoying this series on the steel trawler repair , and its even better with the dog in the mix . keep up the good work
Stumbled across web you first bought the steel trawler. Great series stu
Thanks! Nice demo. Please show the rudder part when it comes out!
Sometimes I feel like I'm watching science class videos just illustrated by applying theory to the boat restoration :) Good work, man! Both: explaining science and fixing this iron lady along the way. :)
This is the easiest to understand science class I've ever been in.
If Dangar Stu had been my science teacher I would have aced my GCSE physics and chemistry!!
Excellent. Loved the under water view. You should set up a live cam! Haha
Another great video 👍
I clean up old black powder and milsurp part's this way. Works well for me but I don't leave it for a week. Keep checking out the pieces hanging. Thumbs up.
Very good video reminded me of chemistry 101
Great. I wish some of the other sites would give this amount of detail. Not for everyone, I know.
Just started this method on a engine block. It’s going to be used for a coffee table
Cool! Sounds like a fun project. :)
Awesome thanks for explaining the process as well.
Thanks for the chemistry refresher Stu. Can wait to see your shiny trawler next to Brupeg!
You reminded me of some basic science......btw the Castrol GTX Can do not throw it away I think that type are now collectors items........ LOL......
You are better than my 8th grade science teacher Stu. Good job!
BTW: You can wipe off (clean) the anodes between doing the parts to help it work better.
PS> Your wall clock is right twice a day :)
Yes, I did give them a bit of a clean soon after putting the new part in but didn't film that part. Should have!
Hi Stu, nice getting a new video so quick. Due to the wait time I see you had this one going for awhile. I should have paid more attention in school and took a chemistry class. Watching this makes me think of a giant tank to put the whole boat in to do this. Would be allot less work for at least removing rust. Wonder if someone has thought of this?
Professor Stu 👍👍👍👍
You're low-key genius, no joke.
Fantastic idea for cleaning with minimal damage.. ashamed I didn't think of it to suggest
Thanks for the chemistry lesson Stu :)
G’day Stu I’ve used it a couple of times and the results have been great and it’s genial on the metal John
We love Eddy!
Make sure your Anodes are clean before doing this, wire brush and degrease them. Make sure the surface area of your anodes exceeds that of your cathode for best results. Use a 10 amp charger for best results, should take two days or less. Reserve Electrolysis for machined parts where you want to maintain tolerances. For general rust removal use vinegar, will leave a sandblasted type finish.
Works very well, takes some time. I did a number of items once. I once did some screws from an oven though, and whatever that metal was, it basically ate the screws quite heavily, not just the rust, maybe they were too porous to begin with. Don't use stainless steel as the sacrificial anode as it can release some pretty toxic substances apparently. You can re-use the electrolyte quite a number of times also. I'd clean out the excess rust and the rust from the anodes to provide clean surface area though to speed the process, most of that rust will just wipe off really.
GOOD LOOKING ,INTELLIGENT ,GREAT HAIR. MORE EDDY!!!!! (who's that guy with the glasses ?)
Curious... Eddy sometimes has a sad look about him. Do you think he would rather be in charge, sort of to speed up the work being done? I'm certain that with him barking commands at the bespectacled worker, they would wind up with a quite proper trawler, eh?
You should try using one of the many derust liquids such as evapo-rust that are on the market ( which also seems much safer) these days in a comparison test
Yes, a comparison test would be interesting.
I'm loving these videos mate you get all the satisfaction and none of the hard work haha
For not being a chemist your explanation was spot on...
Nice - thx a lot!
Simply fasinating.
Ever tried Evapo-Rust? A bit quicker than electrolysis. And it's re-usable for so many treatments.
Thanks for the video. 👍
Great video. Thanks
That's super interesting man!
Very informative, thanks!
I wish you would of cleaned off your anodes before adding the next part as you will eventually passivate your anodes with all the accumulation of rust. The highest resistance in a CP circuit is between the anode and the electrolyte. In any case keep the videos coming, love seeing the boat come together.
I did actually give them a brush soon after putting the new part in, just didn't film it.
Great video. Learned a bit and was fun to see how it all came out.
I use citric acid, same stuff that makes candy that sour taste.
If you don't want to use electric just citric acid and water works well too. Heated water speeds up the process. And it takes hours to a day or 2 depending on method and amount of rust.
A great video very informative, thanks.
Great education!!!
Excellent.
That's rad...Old school science...Love it...👍🍻...
Hi Stu, my rusty parts need a good de-somethingorother...anyway, i was thinking, if you had a big enough tub, you could just dunk the whole boat in. I know,i know, i shouldn't do so much thinking. Your chemistry lesson reminded me of schooldays, my answer to everything was 'heat it'. The boat's coming along nicely. Stay safe and keep up the good work.
When connecting the sacrificial rods together, you said you were going to repeat that process around all four sides... of the round barrel! lol
Even though I've decided to build my houseboat using plywood and fiberglass, I still enjoy watching your project on this steel hull craft.
Quick question, how far are you from the great barrier reef?
While on vacation in Aussie-land, my family took a glass-bottom boat out to explore the reef. 44 years later, and I clearly remember how beautiful that was to experience.
If I had a bucket-list, seeing the great barrier reef again would be at the top.
Thanks mate for explaining these concepts so clearly! Keep it up!
Wild. Love it.
That video was excellent, thanks
Very interesting thanks
That outboard gearbox at 3:30 looks like a 40's penta or Archimedes
Great video. Looking for the next.
Never cease to entertain Stu ...You sound like you actually know what you’re talking about, fantastic explanation but you lost me entirely.... great video 👍
Fisher nick ,, well nick since you used the first 5 words I was going to use no point me doin so an I just like your comment hahaha . Great minds think alike they say . Lol later cob . Great work stu can’t wait for completion,,,,
Just toget it correct, water does not conduct electricity! The mineralization of water does. But demineralized water does not conduct at all. Actually some use demineralized water as a cooltant for computer mainboards by dumping them completly into it.
So H²O is not conductive. It is a pretty good isolator in fact. But metalls like natrium in the water do make it become conductive.
very interesting, and a great science project.
Mnemonic from HS (also 30+ years ago). LEO goes GER. Loss of Electron Oxidation/Gain of Electron Reduction
The one I was told is OILRIG - Oxidation is Loss, Reduction is Gain.