Shopsmith Forums

JPG40504 wrote:My 'washing soda' has a caution on the side of the box that says 'CAUTION contains sodium carbonate . . .

Does yours have a similar warning? If so, what says it!

BTW It resembles simmering rather than 'boiling'. Once the precipitate starts floating on the electrolyte, you will have no doubt something is happening!

Do not expect to see shiney metal. It will be dull black oxide with darker splotches where pitting was.

There is a foam collecting on top that is flecked with what could be loose rust particles (based on appearance). It seems to be working.

The laundry soda box does contain a warning. It reads:
CAUTION: Contains anionic and non-anionic surfactants, sodium carbonate and enzymes.

I don't know what "activated" baking soda is, but regular baking soda can be turned into "washing soda" by spreading it on a cookie sheet and baking it. I forget the time and temperature right now.

dusty wrote:The electrolysis process is underway. Pictures will have to come later. I was too anxious to see something happen to take pictures....BAD.

I am waiting but with lower expectations than I had thought. The soda that I am using is Arm and Hammer from the laudrey section at the grocery store but it is NOT label "Laundry Soda". It is called "Activated Baking Soda". We'll see..........

Read the last paragraph of this link. It talks about how to convert baking soda chemically to washing soda. Not being a chemist, I can't vouch for the accuracy but I followed it when I created my broth.

I've seen other sites that say using 'uncooked' baking soda is OK.

Electrolysis is a robust process that is not sensitive to much of anything.

Since we are on the subject of baking soda (among other things) I thought I would let you know that I personally use baking soda to clean my saw blades.

I use 1/4 cup of baking soda mixed in a quart of water. Soak the blades for 8 hours and then rub away the gunk with one of those green pads, then rinse with clear water, dry and then I put on some blade lubricant.

If you are a Sam's Club member they sell a large bag of baking soda (like 10 pounds) for less then $7, no idea how many 1/4 cups that is but it is a lot. Got to be a pretty cheap way to go as I do two blades at a time with the one quart of mix.

For those of you who burn your own CD's and DVD's and get the big stack of them on a spindle keep the blank one off the top and bottom and use them between the blades so the teeth don't hit each other if you do two at a time.

I'm having great luck using a 40 year old battery charger on my tank. I'm looking forward to May when I can fire up my tank again. I have it outside when I'm using it and don't want to deal with a chance of it freezing and cracking the plastic (our last frost date is around Mother Day so I might be save even now). I've got a pile of things to do, been stacking them since last fall.

Ed

Many times, after a few hours of operation, the electrolysis process slows down. This is due to rust and gunk buildup on the previously clean anode (or was it cathode? I forget). The rust comes off the rusty part, and does travel through the water, onto the other part.

Just reverse the current for a few minutes to knock the rust off and get it going fast again. That, or pull it out and wipe it off.

For electrical shock fun, place your hand in the solution between the the anode and cathode. You can feel the current. Place your hand closer to one or the other, and you will feel it much more strongly.

foxtrapper wrote:Many times, after a few hours of operation, the electrolysis process slows down. This is due to rust and gunk buildup on the previously clean anode (or was it cathode? I forget). The rust comes off the rusty part, and does travel through the water, onto the other part.

Just reverse the current for a few minutes to knock the rust off and get it going fast again. That, or pull it out and wipe it off.

For electrical shock fun, place your hand in the solution between the the anode and cathode. You can feel the current. Place your hand closer to one or the other, and you will feel it much more strongly.

This process sorta worked so I think I understand the basic concept. I am not certain that I have the correct soda. Like so many items we purchase, this has been modified so that it smells good and with those modifications may have come other changes that make it less appropriate for this process.

I'm going to rework my set up so as to get good mechanical connection throughout and to incorporate my metering system (voltage and current).

The conductivity of the solution seems to be the controlling factor and I don't know what constitutes "good conductivity". By calcualtion, this solution offered 4.54 ohms of resistance. That seems like alot and may explain the minimal effects that I witnessed. I expected 8-10 amps of current draw and only had 2.8 amps.

Reference box of what I use:
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Questions?
1 800 524 1328 (New Jersey 1 800 624 2880)

Just dried this off! It was painted over rust(2 coats/colors). Took a couple of days(could only immerse half at a time). Frequent removal/scrubbing during that time. The paint really stuck to the rust. It wrinkled and sloughed off quickly on the smooth(non rusted) areas.

The darker areas are where the rust pitted it slightly.

The part was gone over slightly with an old dish washing pad(abrasive plastic). It removed all 'stubborn spots' quickly.

It is ready to paint(primer first).

BTW natural sunlight really gives the correct color in pix!!!(white balance set to auto) Pix taken under incandescent lighting looked 'rusty'!:eek:

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beeg wrote:AH did ya mean to post a pic ??

Uh Huh!:o SABT! Tis 'fixed'.