HOW TO make your own Electrolysis cleaning kit

[Bedford126]

Originally Posted by Hazmanscoop

Electrolysis should remove the oxide from the aluminium.

Cheers mate. Finally found something cheap that will do it lol.

[Hazmanscoop]

No worries mate.

Aluminium in an ore is removed this way, so don't see why not!

Due to the "soft" nature of the metal, make sure you only submerge it for a short period of time and use a soft brush to clean it.

Don't have the current too high either.

If any of these rules aren't followed then you'll end up with bad pitting or dissolving the metal altogether.

[willsy]

If you're doing aluminium definitely only use the sodium carbonate and not the ammonium chloride. Use less than 25g per 4.5litres aswel to start with and see how it goes.

eBay item number 280669642826 is great for scrubbing the residue off aswel. Set of mini brushes of varying stiffness. I ordered 5 sets at that price aswel lol should last me a while

[Bedford126]

Originally Posted by willsy

If you're doing aluminium definitely only use the sodium carbonate and not the ammonium chloride. Use less than 25g per 4.5litres aswel to start with and see how it goes.

eBay item number 280669642826 is great for scrubbing the residue off aswel. Set of mini brushes of varying stiffness. I ordered 5 sets at that price aswel lol should last me a while

Lol anything else i should order whilst I'm at it lol.

[Simonp]

Interesting, might be making a few purchases soon

[Bedford126]

Have you been making vids for youtube willsy?

[Hazmanscoop]

Maybe you should order a gas mask or a professional lol

[Bedford126]

Originally Posted by Hazmanscoop

Maybe you should order a gas mask or a professional lol

Lol mate I use chemicals at work that you cant even buy without a licence. I act the fool but I will be doing it in the garden and i will be wearing gloves and a mask when I go look at it.

[willsy]

Lol no I havnt made any videos, to be fair they'd be pretty boring to watch after the first minute of setting up. It is pretty much a case of setup outside and leave it to work its magic, switch off, check on progress, give it a scrub and dip it back in and switch back on for a bit if needed.

Shouldn't really need to be anywhere near it to breath in any fumes unless you enjoy watching bits of muck and rust floating in a bucket :-)

[willsy]

I'd thoroughly recommend a zinc plating kit aswel if anyone fancies being really anal :-)

[willsy]

A few more sample pics for you all.
Here's my AX battery clamp pre cleaning



After cleaning. A few natural pit marks from the corrosion remain but all rust has gone





And to tempt you to buy a zinc plating kit



If you really wanted to eliminate any remaining pit marks you can buy a 'pre zinc plating' copper plating kit. Once copper plated it is softer and builds up quickly. It can then be smoothed down to a level finish and then zinc plated. I may do this in the log run if I get really OTT anal

[Bedford126]

Can you do the blue zink with the kits mate I'm not a fan of the yellow. Also what is needed for the kit i already have a pretty decent dc voltage controller.

[willsy]

Originally Posted by Bedford126

Can you do the blue zink with the kits mate I'm not a fan of the yellow. Also what is needed for the kit i already have a pretty decent dc voltage controller.

Yes mate, with the kit from gaterosplating they supply a bottle of blue passivate and yellow passivate so you can choose either. I prefer the blue aswel to be honest but stuck with yellow for originality.

Ill go through the zinc plating kit in the morning and give you a list of what's needed :-)

If using the yellow passivate you have to give it a quick dip in the blue first so ill grab some pics of the blue too in the next load that I do

[Bedford126]

Originally Posted by willsy

Yes mate, with the kit from gaterosplating they supply a bottle of blue passivate and yellow passivate so you can choose either. I prefer the blue aswel to be honest but stuck with yellow for originality.

Ill go through the zinc plating kit in the morning and give you a list of what's needed :-)

If using the yellow passivate you have to give it a quick dip in the blue first so ill grab some pics of the blue too in the next load that I do

Nice one you are possibly spending all my wage ha ha.

[Yates]

if you get a blue kit bedford im sending some bits to you haha, ive only got a few small bits that need doing

[willsy]

I do have the blue aswel Matt. Did you get any pics of the battery bits that you wanted doing?

Anyone bought some equipment yet and given this a go? If so let's see the results :-)

[Bedford126]

Here ya go Willsy. Still waiting for the zink kit though mate way over a week since i ordered it.

[Pricklep]

Originally Posted by willsy

Anyone bought some equipment yet and given this a go? If so let's see the results :-)

I will be giving it a go next month sometime. I want some bits and bobs in the bay cleaning up.

[Gandi699]

Is there anywhere on the high street I can purchase the sodium from?

[Bedford126]

Originally Posted by Gandi699

Is there anywhere on the high street I can purchase the sodium from?

I got mine from the local health food store they sell it as "soda ash" used for dying clothes.

I'm pretty sure if you ask at the chemists they will tell you where you will get some.