Electrolysis tank for cast iron pans, "or anything you want to clean"

#Acid dip...

 

I was thinkin about doin that to some hand planes

 

Been thinking about throwing together an electrolysis tank for a while. I still haven't got all the gunk off that pan i posted the pics of a couple weeks ago.

If i could just find the time...



Oh i did have a question, Dave.
Is there a standard amount of cleaning soda needed per gallon? Or does it even matter?
Also, how to dispose of the nasty wash water when finished. We have a septic tank so I'm thinking not to put it down the drain...

 

That’s awesome Dave! I’m getting into repurposing things. The old stuff is so much better!

 

Had Ma's old gunked up cast frying pans.I threw them in the wood stove.After a good fire no gunk.

 

I have what appears to be an old chicken fryer. I suspect it was cleaned in a wood or coal fire as it is permanently stained a rusty red color.
cast iron fry pan myths

 

Ya these came out fine.

 

Ya if you leave water in them too long rust will form.After the fire mine looked new.

 

This is the tank I made out of 8" pvc pipe to de rust the Mall scratcher saw chains.
But I've been a slacker.

 

I got parts to build a setup today. Going to use a 5 gallon bucket and some old mower blades. Used the bottom of a poly drum years ago. 5 gallons might be too small to get my bigger cast iron in.

Need to get a manual battery charger. My old one burned up along with a battery years ago when my young wife didn't know it was a manual charger and it was left on hooked to a battery for a week.

 

I was just cleaning up a number 8 skillet that appears to have been fire cleaned years ago....and it's cracked at the handle. There went my $10 deal. Just a wall hanger for some cabin now.

 

It's part of the hobby. It's a risk you take when one buys very dirty cast iron.

It will still cook if needed but I don't want my family using it when it completely fails. Hot iron and grease burns I could have prevented would make me feel pretty small.

I'll use it somewhere....by the forge or for a large parts collecter when rebuilding a chainsaw.

 

Dave, so the electrolysis process caused it to crack?

 

Generally no. The electrolytic rust removal and lye baths work so well you find cracks that were hidden under years of built up crud.

My current de-rust setup. Old mower blades for sacrifices. Power supply is LED or Servo power supply. Cheap and used for 3d printers all over.