Lazy mans stripping and rust removal

So I haven't seen this method on any car forum I belong to, and assume it's because there's something I'm not considering. This doesn't really work for body panels, I wouldn't think, but it works spectacularly on tools, outdoor equipment, and anything metal.

It's also really simple. I suck at remembering to take pictures of things, but I'll post what I have.

You need a bucket or a barrel, baking soda, water, some scrap metal and your trusty analog battery charger. I've used smart ones that worked well, but everyone seems to swear by analog.

The ratio is 1TBSP baking soda/ gallon of water. I use 2 boxes in my 40 gallon drum.

Take one or two pieces of scrap, rebar works very well, and attach it to the inside of your drum, you want to go go as far in as possible, but NOT touch the piece you're working on. Put the piece you need to strip in the tank, and cover with water, then mix in the baking soda.

This is IMPORTANT Positive goes to the rebar and the NEGATIVE to the piece you are stripping, and turn the charger on.

Basic electrolysis, but I don't remember the school words for the parts. The rebar will collect rust line of site style, so you can put a few pieces around and wire them together to make it go quicker. Within hours, all the rust is gone. Scrub the pieces off with a nonmetallic scrubber and some water, pressure washer works great, and finish IMMEDIATLY.

This is the firebox of my smoker in the tank. I left it overnight. In the morning, just the hose took the paint and all remaining rust off, then a quick dry and prime.

This is the inside of the cooking chamber, before and after. \\" />

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It's been thoroughly discussed on many forums.
For larger pieces, use a kiddie pool.
Lay down a layer of steel mesh, or weld a grid of rebar.
Then use some blocks or even 2x4 to raise and insulate the piece(s) to be treated.
Could use an aboveground pool to do a whole chassis or bodyshell.
Lay it down on the liner, and build the pool around it.

There's only 1 rule about this, no stainless or chrome anywhere in the water, nasty byproducts result.

BrokenYugo wrote: There's only 1 rule about this, no stainless or chrome anywhere in the water, nasty byproducts result.

For chrome molasses works pretty well, have had engine blocks come in stripped that way as well.

All of the info I've seen says to use WASHING SODA, not baking soda. We used Arm & Hammer "Super Washing soda" which says it's Sodium Carbonate. I set up an electrolysis tank like this to clean a bunch of old nasty cast iron skillets and it works unbelievably well- better than magic.

Do you use the 2 amp or 12 amp setting?

12 amp. in this case, the higher the current the better, from my experience.

Washing soda and baking soda are similar enough they both work. I can't find washing soda in my area, and baking soda works just fine, just takes a little longer. But I leave my stuff overnight regularly so it's not a big deal.

Washing soda is over with the laundry detergents at most grocery stores.

How do these results compare to a product like Evaporust?

Evaporust (a non acid rust stripper) will work better on complex parts where you can't get line of sight from all surfaces to the electrode(s). They're otherwise identical in the end result.

I used Evaporust on an old axe head I had. It worked well.

I've found plain old white vinegar to work as well, if not better, than Evaporust. It's a lot cheaper too.

Rigmaster wrote: All of the info I've seen says to use WASHING SODA, not baking soda. We used Arm & Hammer "Super Washing soda" which says it's Sodium Carbonate. I set up an electrolysis tank like this to clean a bunch of old nasty cast iron skillets and it works unbelievably well- better than magic.

You can find washing soda in the store in the laundry isle but not allways, you can use baking soda and turn it in to washing soda by spreading it on a cookie sheet and baking it. Bill's antuiqe engine site has this info.