Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24

Thread: Saw Restoration: Carbon electrode Electrolysis + Foiling

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Santa Clara, CA
    Posts
    186

    Saw Restoration: Carbon electrode Electrolysis + Foiling

    Hi,

    I decided to try a new combination for restoring a saw plate. I posted a while back on my discovery using autosol and aluminum foil to bring a saw plate to a high polish without having to rely on abrasives. The caveat was that this method only worked on saw plates that weren't badly rusted, but what about the saws that have been very neglected? I still don't want to rely on the heavy use of abrasives on a saw plate, but to remove heavy rust, that's pretty much what you have to rely on, or electrolysis. The problem with electrolysis is that it leaves a dingy gray layer of steel that you have to abrade to get through. So life went on, but one day, I read about someone who used graphite rods for their electrolysis set up, because it is much cleaner and efficient, and the poster specifically mentioned that you don't get a dingy gray layer like when you use steel electrodes. I created an electrolysis tub using carbon electrodes and tested it out on a saw plate. I then proceeded to "foil" the plate. Here are my results on a saw plate that had a very stubborn layer of rust, black rust.

    IMG_20140706_174258768 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140706_205755069_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140706_205820446_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    Here is how I created my "ultimate" electrolysis tub using

    a 27 Gallon tough plastic tub
    Galvanized Wire rope ties
    3/4" Carbon Gouging
    14ga stranded wire
    3 Hanger Bolts, washers and nuts
    Rebar Wire ( which will tie into the hanger bolts and hold the item being derusted)

    IMG_20140705_165942657_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140706_165912172_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140706_173145304_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    And only Hand tools were used in the construction:

    IMG_20140705_154938826_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140705_154951644 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140705_155528999 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr

    IMG_20140706_170102717 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
    Last edited by Christian Castillo; 07-07-2014 at 3:23 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Wild Wild West USA
    Posts
    1,542
    Christian,

    Nice !
    Where does the foil go ?
    oh and
    are you sure your middle name or last name some where in your family isn't Fraaaahhhhnnnkinsteeen ?

    PS: in your eighth photo
    ahhhhh
    dude . . . do your dividers still have the plastic dip for shipping still on them ?
    or
    maybe you like to dip your dividers in honey before beginning to work so your projects comes out "sweet".
    Last edited by Winton Applegate; 07-07-2014 at 1:53 AM.
    Sharpening is Facetating.
    Good enough is good enough
    But
    Better is Better.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Santa Clara, CA
    Posts
    186
    You wad up a ball of aluminum foil, dab some autosol polish onto the saw plate, and begin to polish the plate with the ball of aluminum foil until you leave the plate clean. I actually used the dividers then forget to take a picture of that part of the process, so I already put the protective dip back on them to avoid damaging the tips and decided to just take a picture for demonstration purposes .

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Neither here nor there
    Posts
    3,831
    Blog Entries
    6
    Thanks for posting this. Very nicely done. Two questions:

    (1) Where do you get the carbon rod?
    (2) What type of plastic dip is that?

    Thanks again.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Santa Clara, CA
    Posts
    186
    1) 3/4" x 12" Plain, non copper coated Carbon Gouging rod @ McMaster Carr
    2) I have no clue, it came on the dividers and I just take it off and slide it back on when I'm done.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Carlsbad, CA
    Posts
    2,227
    Blog Entries
    2
    Very cool Christian!

    I know this is stupid question, but umh, what is the yellow box connected by jumper cable-like clamp things?

    Thanks for posting!
    Cheers, Mike

  7. #7
    How long did you leave the charger on and can you still use regular washing soda in the water when using graphite?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Santa Clara, CA
    Posts
    186
    Mike Allen: the yellow box is a car battery charger.

    Cody: I used plain normal washing soda, I only left the plate in for 3 hours.

  9. #9
    FYI...

    I use a pair of 1/4" x 12" x 12" carbon plates (from McMaster Carr) in my electrolysis tank.

    No cleaning required and the line of sight process works well with the large, square plates.

    Mike

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Neither here nor there
    Posts
    3,831
    Blog Entries
    6
    My 3/4" carbon rods arrived this week. Thanks for the info.

  11. #11
    "Carbon rods" - no "dingy grey" on the de-rusted item afterward - good.

    Do the carbon rods bond with the rust? Can it be cleaned off? This is the part about electrolysis that I don't understand. Thanks.

    Oh, excellent kit!
    Last edited by Doug Hobkirk; 07-19-2014 at 12:34 AM.
    Doug, the "Wood Loon"
    Acton, MA

    72, slow road cyclist, woodworking dabbler, tool junkie , and
    bonsai enthusiast.
    Now, if I could just stay focused longer than a few weeks...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    South Bend IN 46613
    Posts
    843
    When I do a search for "carbon gouging rod" at McMaster Carr I get nothing of any value. The 3/4" x 12" carbon rods I am finding at McMaster Carr are either $46.15 each or $524.76 each for extreme high temperature. Is there any chance you can post the part # for the rods, or did you really just spend $400 on an electrolysis tub? Or whole hog with over $4K? Not mentioning the pic I saw of the tub with an electric drill.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family." (Sandra Bullock)




  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Neither here nor there
    Posts
    3,831
    Blog Entries
    6
    Search for "carbon electrode" and it comes up. Make sure you get plain and not copper coated. Part no. 7979A19

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Neither here nor there
    Posts
    3,831
    Blog Entries
    6
    ...and it's $12 for a box of 5. I saw the same rod you saw at first and thought the same- "Surely this fool didn't spend $400 on electrodes!"

  15. #15
    Questioning the need for carbon....

    What are you claiming the carbon does?

    I am skeptical that the carbon has any effect on the result. I predict that if you replaced it with a stainless steel pipe or bar or spoon the result would be equivalent. Carbon is essentially inert and the only thing going on at the carbon is oxidation of water to oxygen, a process that occurs no matter what electrode is used.

    In the case of using steel anodes, in addition to the oxidation of water the steel oxidizes to yield oxides and hydroxides of iron which appears as a nasty mess on the anodes. For this reason i don't use steel.

    I use stainless steel for the anodes in de-rusting by electrolysis. The stainless steel doesn't dissolve and hence contributes nothing of significance to the bath. Never-the-less the derusted metal is grey. It is grey because some of red rust has been reduced to finely divided particles of iron and black oxides of iron. This deposit can be removed to reveal bare metal beneath, as what appears to be done with your aluminum treatment. But I predict the favorable result is from the aluminum abrasion and not the electrolysis, unless you have evidence to the contrary.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •