Electrolytic Rust Removal page is up

Good stuff :-)

That setup could also be used for three other process that come to mind.

1) Electro Etching: The same wiring setup, but maybe salt water, and done outside. Draw a negative image on a piece of carbon steel with either black permanent marker, or nail polish (leave exposed where you want to etch). This should be a quick process, so watch it or you could eat a hole through your work.

2) Plating: Flip the electrodes. Put a piece of silver, or copper, gold etc. You would possibly need to change the electrolyte, I'm not sure if salt water works for everything. I'm not a 100% on this so someone else can fill in my blanks.

3) Metal build-up (I don't know the correct term): The same setup as plating, but you match the the alloys. This would be good for your pitted items. I first saw the technique on documentary about Titanic treasures. Not sure about the medium, but I think salt water would do the trick

Regards Charles

spaco wrote:

down here in arizona it seems that folks want rust. i've used several methods. spraying ferric nitrate on hot steel works. another method i use is to apply muriatic acid and rinse with peroxide. during summer months steel left in the sun will get around 150 degrees F. perfect temp. for this chemicaly induced rust. have fun guys, mark

A guy I knew worked for a company in So Cal that made some sort of large machines, maybe for the printing industry. Because they were in an environment like yours, they didn't bother to protect the metal parts. (No plating or paint, I guess). They sold one to a company in Atlanta. It rusted so bad in short order that the buyer sent it back.

I guess it's all in your point of view. The rasp and drift that I derusted for my webpage 2 days ago already have a fine coat of red rust on them.

Pete Stanaitis

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark F> down here in arizona it seems that folks want rust. i've used several