E - Tank Question

[stevasaurus 22,683]

Well stated Kasey.  My ACE hardware carries the washing soda, and like I say...if you do not mess with the solution your shrubs or trees will love the solution when you decide to dump it.  Remember you do not have to immerse the whole part in the solution, so your E-Tank may work if you can at least get 1/2 of a part in.  That link I put up there puts a 55 gal tub on it's side and cuts a 1' stretch from top to bottom so you can work larger parts.  I will be doing a little E-Tanking myself, when it warms up a bit.  I have a rusted casting for a 3 piece transmission that I am going to E-Tank before I try to force the shift rails.  This will be in a thread I have in Transmissions.  Of course, I will get all the oil and goop out of there first.    This will fit in a 5 gal bucket...1/2 at a time.

[kasey54 305]

Wow, that looks like a challenge! How will you pre clean it? Some good cleaning solvent? I hope you post the results, I'll be following this.

[woodchuckfarmer 333]

I use a Rubbermaid 120 gallon stock watering tank. Works great, can do a 48 inch deck in two shots.

[stevasaurus 22,683]

kasey...I will scrape as much out as possible.  Then a bit of diesel fuel in a bucket will get the rest of the gunk and oil.  The gunk tank with a spray nozzle will get the rest of the oil and slop that is left.  Then the E-Tank will eat all the rust in about 2 days and free up the shift rails and the casting will look like brand new.

Boom-Sha-Ka-lac-a...a good casting again and the start of a RJ trans re-build.    I've seen worse and ended up with a good transmission.  E-Tanks work great on cast iron. 

 

Here is the thread where the results will be posted...

 

 

[formariz 11,987]

Something else to keep in mind is that after process is complete and parts are washed off, the rusting process starts again immediately. You need to dry all parts completely right away or they will be covered with light surface rust . In the case of cast iron this is even more important since it is porous and moisture is embedded in it. Most of the time I dry them on top of a kerosene heater being careful to turn them often and removing them before they get too hot.You don't want anything to warp or crack from too much heat.

 

It may be wise to start with a smaller container to get the "hang to it". It is a very simple process but there are many "tricks" to learn such as anode type, area, and placement to learn along with the amount of voltage applied. Many complicated parts need clever anode placement to be cleaned efficiently. Many times we are looking for fast quick results but get nothing but frustration and bad results in the very least. It takes common sense, time and knowledge of any process to get consistent predictable results, all things we so often avoid.

[WNYPCRepair 1,897]

5 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

Well stated Kasey.  My ACE hardware carries the washing soda, and like I say...if you do not mess with the solution your shrubs or trees will love the solution when you decide to dump it.  Remember you do not have to immerse the whole part in the solution, so your E-Tank may work if you can at least get 1/2 of a part in.  That link I put up there puts a 55 gal tub on it's side and cuts a 1' stretch from top to bottom so you can work larger parts.  I will be doing a little E-Tanking myself, when it warms up a bit.  I have a rusted casting for a 3 piece transmission that I am going to E-Tank before I try to force the shift rails.  This will be in a thread I have in Transmissions.  Of course, I will get all the oil and goop out of there first.    This will fit in a 5 gal bucket...1/2 at a time.

 

 

Who put peanut butter in your tranny?.  

Edited January 18, 2016 by WNYPCRepair

[JPWH 6,032]

I built a box and lined it with a heavy mil plastic to do a 5' long glider swing. Just have to be careful not to drop pàrts and puncture lining. 

Hank

[WHX?? 48,738]

17 hours ago, kasey54 said:

I should also be ready with some primer to stop future rusting.

 

Or just oil the parts down till you can get around to paint.. will keep the flash rust down.

17 hours ago, kasey54 said:

but hey spring is on the way . It would be nice to be able to wash the parts off out side with a hose and scrub brush

 

I hear ya on that kasey !

[stevasaurus 22,683]

Things that work for anodes that you may have laying around...I have and have used these...Garden tractor and lawn mower blades, the scraper blade off of a snow blade, any flat scrap iron or steel.  Re-bar works good, but flat stock works better (more surface area).  Another nice trick...I end up doing a lot of gears in the transmissions...clean off a spot on the piece, clamp a "C" clamp on it, and hang the "C" clamps on a piece of re-bar across the tank...clamp the black clip from your charger to the end.  You can hang many parts and the continuity is there...plus you can hang the parts so the "C" clips are a little in the solution.  It will not harm the clips, but it will clean them if they start out a little rusty. 

[kasey54 305]

Ok , good  I wondered about connectivity on what's hanging in the tank. 

 Off hand I can't think of much I have in the line of flat stock, but I have lots of rebar .

I could put 6 or eight pieces on the perimeter of my plastic barrel. While on this idea

I have a 24 volt charger I could fix good enough for this project. Would it be significantly better

than a 12 volt?

[WNYPCRepair 1,897]

Does the e-tank remove paint?

[kasey54 305]

I have read that it does at least to some extent but I haven't built or tried mine yet. I hope so!

[WHX?? 48,738]

Yes it will guys. If there is rust under the panit it wil pull the paint off. I wouldn't use a 24v charger things might get a little scary. It's been said that more electrodes the better up to a certain point. This process works on line of sight between the part and the electrodes so odd shaped parts may need more electrodes

[DennisThornton 4,769]

You can think if these E-tanks as de-platers, the opposite of plating.  And they will remove plating so keep that in mind!  Brian, the washing soda ( at low temps as least) will leave solid paint intact, but any paint that has been undermined by rust is likely to fail just as though you were sanding or wire brushing, which is not a bad thing since that paint has already failed anyway.  I'm a fan of more aggressive removal and the use of or addition of lye which is more likely to remove paint but also is MUCH more aggressive on oil/grease and I think makes the whole process much more aggressive, including the removal of some layers of skin if you aren't taking precautions!  As Steve and perhaps others has/have mentioned, the washing soda is less hazardous.

 

My comment about "de-plating" might need further consideration.  Hex a-valent chrome is frowned upon and "might" be created if you happen to be "de-plating" something that has been chromed!  I've read conflicting comments and I don't know.  Perhaps others will chime in.  Not a concern for ordinary sheet metal but perhaps if your part has been chromed...  Might not want to pour that on your tomato plants...  Or in your drain... Or anywhere!

Edited January 20, 2016 by DennisThornton
d

[kasey54 305]

Good food for thought. How much lye , and in what form do  you add I?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

One can of lye to a 5 gal bucket is what I use.

[stevasaurus 22,683]

I think you should just try the washing soda first and see how it works for you. This is in a 2 gallon pail.  Parts are hanging by the "C" clamps.  The anode is a piece of black pipe.  As you can see, things are bubbling very nicely...parts cleaned in a day.  Using 10 volt charger. 

 

[can whlvr 993]

heres a pic of my set up,works really good and I run it with a normal cheap charger,it seems to remove all the paint when ive used it,but if the parts are going in the tank then they are rusty also,but ive never uysed it in the winter,it would freeze solid in no time,but e tanks work great

[Racinbob 11,030]

 

 

For the most part, yes. There's lots of talk about that but I've done it for years. Sometimes the original paint puts up a fight but it makes it easier to scrape, sand, wire wheel, etc. off. 

[oldredrider 2,548]

To remove paint, I use this stuff called "paint remover". Seems to work pretty well too!

[WNYPCRepair 1,897]

1 hour ago, oldredrider said:

To remove paint, I use this stuff called "paint remover". Seems to work pretty well too!

Yes, but if you can remove the rust and paint in one easy step, why not?

 

[stevasaurus 22,683]

I suppose it would be fair to say now...there is another way to get rid of rust.  It is called "paint". 

[Racinbob 11,030]

 

 

[WNYPCRepair 1,897]

9 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

I suppose it would be fair to say now...there is another way to get rid of rust.  It is called "paint". 

That just covers it up for a while. It will be back, like Arnold.

 

 

[kasey54 305]

Ok , today I checked on my barrels etc. .I  had one with the top cut out I had planned to use  ,but it is on it's side and frozen to the ground to the point I fear it will break to try and remove it . I have another I was able to break free of the ground and tomorrow I may cut the top out and prepare it  for use. I have received my washing soda and plan to set up a five gallon pail tomorrow and see if it will freeze or not. I believe if it don't freeze it will do its job even in below freezing temperatures. Next week end looks pretty busy but the following one maybe the one I set up and try . I have also found a 10 foot piece of heavy (2.5 inch x 2.5 inch by .250 inch angle iron.) steel to use in place of the rebar I had planned on using. I'm undecided as it's pretty handy for other things. So now I just need to remove the bearings and grease from the wheels I want to strip the rust from and paint. I should have some rust colored primer by mid week  to use to keep that quick setting surface rust away.  I plan on setting them on top of a wood stove to dry them after I rinse and clean them . I'll keep you all posted and thanks for the thoughts and advice.