Here's the best reference I've seen so far on rust removal with a battery charger and washing soda. It is 8 pages long, so get a cup of coffee before going there. Personally, I printed off a copy for myself.
Good article for "batching" jobs i.e. hang in tank, turn on power and come back tomorrow. The recipe he gives using Sodium Silicate is one I've used for many years and posted in the drop box in '99. It is suited to small jobs being cleaned using a "brush" technique in a few minutes not days.
<Ted
Nice little write-up. Do you have any idea what the sodium silicate in this formula is doing? A detergent action, I would guess.
I think the sodium silicate is acting to reduce undercutting.
Dan
Could you explain? I don't see why there would be undercutting since the work piece is the cathode. Detergent action could be a possibility. I have yet to understand why it works but I'd like to.
I found the formula in library book over 40 years ago. I tried it along with several others for cleaning prior to plating and found that formula worked best of those I tried.
Ted
Well maybe to reduce pitting. I said undercutting because I believe sodium silicate is used when etching to reduce undercutting. I have no idea of why it does that, but if it tends to reduce the etching action where the etching is beneath the resist, I think it would also reduce the etching action is pits.
I will do a little googling and see what I can find. I think the name used by etchers is dragons blood, but am not sure.
Dan
From a vendor on ebay... Sodium Silicate, NaSiO3, solution used to deflocculate or disperse clay slips, slurries, or glazes.
Perhaps it globs up particles so they sink or otherwise get out of the way. Just using washing soda, the solution got pretty opaque...
Must remember to NOT use stainless steel cutlery next time. So THAT's what the yellow stuff was... /mark
snipped-for-privacy@krl.org wrote:
Is sodium silicate easily available? The beauty of EDR to me is that you can just use stuff you probably either already have or can get at the grocery store.
-- GWE
Mark wrote:
I have not bought any Sodium Silicate for some time, but it used to be available in drug stores.
It is also used for casting, so a foundry supply may have it in large quanities. You mix sodium silicate with sand, pack your molds, then use a thin tube to inject CO2 which causes the sodium silicate to set. Sodium Silicate is also known as Water Glass.
Another thing you can do with it is put some in a paper cup and microwave it. It boils and hardens to form a heat resistant foam.
Dan
Yes. I got mine from McMaster-Carr. As long as I was going through the motions I got two jugs of it.
Regards,
Orrin
Phosphate-free TSP (now doesn't that make sense) down the cleaning isle:
100% sodium metasilicate Na2SiO3.Tim
-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 16:29:55 -0500, the opaque "Tim Williams" spake:
I was just as awed when I saw the TV commercial for "Oil-free Oil of Olay Lotion" half a decade back, Tim. Who ARE these marketeers?
-------------------------------------------- -- I'm in touch with my Inner Curmudgeon. --
Then there's "wireless cable" as I've seen advertised around here.
Steve
I found sodium silicate solution at a pottery supply place here in town (Mnpls).
My suspects are Farm and Ranch supplies - Sodium Silicate - water glass - is used to over-coat eggs. And naturally foundry work... It is also used to 'glue' slick surfaces together...
Martin
Most pottery / ceramic shops will have it. It is used to get the bubbles out faster when casting. Paint stores that carry theartical supplies will have it. There it is used to make crackle paint. Most special effect shops will have it. Do a google .
Steve E.
I've bought sodium silicate from the drug store. Bartell's as a matter of fact. There's one just up the hill from you Grant, on 85th going towards Redmond. It was on the shelf. The last time I bought any was about 15 years ago though. Eric
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