Restoration Progress On My 1952 ER10

[mickyd]

Here's my second attempt at electrolysis on an aluminum part. So far, my conclusion is it definitely makes the wire wheel brushing easier.

On the part I did today, I intentionally left a few inches out of the bath to be able to compare treated vs. untreated surfaces. I'll tell you what I did wrong later in this post.

Here's my setup. The procedure used was my modified version from this website. This photo is from the first piece I did. The solution in the bucket is the standard washing soda / water mix, concentration 1/2 cup per 5 gallons water. The anode (+) material is the piece of sheet metal. The cathode (-) material is the part with the steel threaded rod firmly attached to it.
.
.
[ATTACH]6746[/ATTACH].
.
.
This is the part I did today (table insert). It shows the top and bottom surface combined into one pic. It's a part that I needed to either repair with JB Weld or replace so I thought it would be a good guinea pig. It had a good amount of the white aluminum oxide corrosion on it.
.
.
[ATTACH]6748[/ATTACH]
.
.
The sheet metal is clamped to the bucket, the part is suspended inside the U shaped sheet metal, and the battery charger is connected, positive to the sheet metal and negative to the threaded rod holding the part. The charger is set on the lowest 2 amp trickle charge setting.
.
.
[ATTACH]6752[/ATTACH]
.
.
This shows the process 5 minutes after turning on the charger (see bottom display on the timer). Just seconds after I turned on the charger, there was a lot of activity in the solution. LOTS of small bubbles rising, indicating the process is working.
.
.
[ATTACH]6754[/ATTACH]
.
.
I would turn off the charger every 10 minutes and inspect the part to make sure that it wasn't pitting (the negative effect of over "cooking" aluminum). I would also try wiping the surface just to see what was going on. Nothing much started happening until about 40 minutes. A gray sludge began for form on the outside of the part. You can see it on the bottom part of the next picture. When wiped, you could start to see the base aluminum. The white corrosion (aluminum oxide) was going away.
.
.
[ATTACH]6750[/ATTACH]
.
.
continued in next post.

[mickyd]

continued from previous post.

I decided to take that part out at 45 minutes and see how the wire wheel brushing went. I used an 8" fine brass wire wheel on the bench grinder. I brushed straight up the length of part starting at the end that went through electrolysis. There was a noticeable difference in the "feel" when I got up to the section that was above the solution (no electrolysis). The brush dragged across the surface as compare to the electrolysis section. It also smeared the aluminum oxide and even though it cleaned off, it took a couple passes to get it to look the same as the section with the electrolysis. The smearing didn't photograph well so you'll have to use your imagination.

Here's where my experiment was lacking. I have no way of knowing if the ease of wire brushing was due to the electrolysis OR, the fact that the part sat in the solution for 45 minutes. (I didn't use a "control" part where it just sat in the solution). Oh well, next time. Based on the gray sludge that was on the part after the electrolysis, I'm pretty sure that the electrolysis had a positive effect.

Here's what the part looked like after wire wheel brushing. Guud-N-Brite!!
.
.
[ATTACH]6751[/ATTACH]
.
.
Next time, I am going to leave it in the electrolysis bath longer. (if the 10 minute frequency visual inspections allows naturally). It was to the point where the aluminum oxide was wiping off with just a cloth. Going to also try just using Scothbrite instead of wire brushing.

That's all folks.

[mickyd]

My name is Mike. I am a ShopSmith restorer and a finishaholic.....

I just got done scratch sanding my 10th coat. Eleventh goes on tonight. Help me please.

Finally done. Coat #11 just felt like the one to end on.
.
.
[ATTACH]6755[/ATTACH]. . . [ATTACH]6756[/ATTACH]

[mickyd]

"Here" where??? No links. No pictures.

He did say we would 'have to use our imagination'!:D

You guys have to lower your standards. (thanks for the heads up. fixed)

[JPG]

You guys have to lower your standards. (thanks for the heads up. fixed)

For You we will lower our Expectations, but not our standards!:D As time has passed, we have noticed the need!:eek:

[etc92guy]

Finally done. Coat #11 just felt like the one to end on.

The finish on those boards caused my first smile of the day (yep, it was a rough day, and no it wasn't gas ) I'm definitely going to look at that process when I get the boards for my 10E. Have the legs, will have to paint them though. And I don't have an excuse, got two regular spray guns and a detail gun for $4.00 at a rummage sale ( Farmer would be proud )

[mickyd]

[quote="etc92guy"]The finish on those boards caused my first smile of the day (yep, it was a rough day, and no it wasn't gas ) I'm definitely going to look at that process when I get the boards for my 10E. Have the legs, will have to paint them though. And I don't have an excuse, got two regular spray guns and a detail gun for $4.00 at a rummage sale ( Farmer would be proud ]
Glad I got your pearly whites to bear themselves!! I'll let you know how the finish holds up. Remember, I made an error in the recipe recommended by Nick. Instead of 1C tung oil to 2T spar, I mixed at 1/2C tung to 2T spar in error.

[mickyd]

I am planning on "modifying" the inside of ER's headstock tonight by adding an 8-32 x 1/4 blind hole to be used to mount a cable clamp that secures both the incoming power cord AND it's ground wire. The original ER design method for securing the power cord was to wrap it around the motor bracket as shown and, there was no ground wire. I just can't do it that way, original or not!!
.
.
[ATTACH]6863[/ATTACH]
.
.
Any of you other ER owners done anything similar or are you loose and groundless.

[JPG]

Ground the MOTOR not the headstock. If ya don't, ya should add a jumper from headstock to motor. KISS!:D

I am planning on "modifying" the inside of ER's headstock tonight by adding an 8-32 x 1/4 blind hole to be used to mount a cable clamp that secures both the incoming power cord AND it's ground wire. The original ER design method for securing the power cord was to wrap it around the motor bracket as shown and, there was no ground wire. I just can't do it that way, original or not!!
.
.
[ATTACH]6863[/ATTACH]
.
.
Any of you other ER owners done anything similar or are you loose and groundless.

[mickyd]

Ground the MOTOR not the headstock. If ya don't, ya should add a jumper from headstock to motor. KISS!:D

Por qué? I was thinking that because the entire headstock / motor assembly is connected and it's all metal, it wouldn't matter. Lay it on me.