eletrolysis questions

[cracker]

Ok, I tried the electrolysis on an old plane I had found, just to try it out. I don’t think I have it right. I may not have the Washing Soda. It never said that on the box but the results are not what I expected. Maybe I’m expecting too much. The body of the plane had a lot of rust. I put it in the solution and turned the power on and left over night. Pulled the body out this morning and the rust for the most part was gone. I hit it with a green pad and the rust is gone. But it seemed that every thing was black. Is this normal? I mean with a little elbow grease, it’s starting to look pretty good compared to the way it looked yesterday. This was the first time and I’m curious.
Thanks
Everette

[Livens]

Yep, that normal.

The black is where some of the rust was converted back into iron. Just sand it off and itll be fine.

BTW, I just use plain old Arm & Hammer baking soda, works just as well; 1/2 Cup to 5 gallons water.

[cracker]

Great, thanks for the reply. I just went to the store and bought some baking soda.
Everette

[BigDaddy]

Limey,

baking soda DOES work?? It never seemed to do well for me, i tried that, and I tried oxy clean ..

finally one day at the grocery store i found myself getting some laundry soap .. and remembered to look for washing soda .. finally found some, called "Super washing soda"...

i stuck a rusted hunkatunk #6 in a tall bucket ... right away i could see the bubbles, forming .. after a couple of hours, the water line at the top was nothing but a complete layer of rust ..

pulled it out .. the sole and sides all were clean, just black and dark colored like previously said .. and jappanned areas were all cleaned up ..

spent 1/2 hr lapping it on my belt sander and all looks brand new ..

especially now after i stripped it and re-japanned it :)

[Limey]

It was Livens..not me who suggested Baking Soda.
Washing Soda is sometimes difficult to obtain...so yes "Oxy Clean " is just an expensive way of buying Sodium Carbonate.
Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate and I'm not a chemist to be able to explain the difference but it is held that Carbonate works better than Bicarbonate....But both work.

Limey

[Livens]

Yep, I suggested the Baking Soda.

However, I have never tried Washing Soda so I can't say whether Baking Soda works just as well or less??? But I do use it and it works for me. I guess I'll have to break down and try Washing Soda just to see...

[BigDaddy]

ooops .. sorry Limey .. gonna have to check that when I reply :)

[cracker]

I went to three different stores looking for laundry soda and could not find any.
Everette

[deathwish2]

I had my wife get mine. ;)

The box looks just like a large box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda, except the package says "All Natural SUPER WASHING SODA".

Here's a place that sells it online . . . though the price is a little steep, it's probably cheaper than driving around with gas costing what it does. ;)

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/index.as...PROD&ProdID=12

[mosthumbleone]

I got the A&H washing soda at Walmart.