Official Luthiers Forum!

I want to clean up some old rusty hand planes, and I've read about the electrolysis method using a battery charger and a washing soda solution. My questions for anyone who's done this are: How long should I leave the charger On? And what is the procedure to remove the electrolysized rust?

CrowDuck

_________________
Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Leave your rusted part a few hours and have a look see, the rust will covert to iron oxide the majority of which will easily scrub off. You can leave stuff over night if you wish, no big deal.

If your part has has paint or japanning such as a plane body, just be aware that prolonged submersion in the electrolyte solution will remove this as well. If you wish to save any painted surface, only treat for 1 or 2 hours at most.

Cheers

Kim

I've used electrolysis on 2 of my planes. and it worked like a charm. The length of time you need to leave it is proportional to the amount of rust on the tool . Just remember, as Kim said, electrolysis will remove all jappaning if left long enough. If it's a collectable (non user) you'll want to keep the japanning. another thing to remember is that electrolysis will NOT remove the pits. If there are pits rusted into the tool they're there for good, well, unless you know how to weld.

_________________
nay

My blogs
Hand Made Gutar
Woodworker++

Chris, If you're at all like me, once you get it set up and running you'll be
finding lots-o-things to de-rust. It's kind of addictive..   especially if
you've got a lot of junk laying around.   Fun with science!!

Long

_________________
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus