Shopsmith Forums

I received a free Mark II that has some very rusted wheel carriages (the headstock quill was frozen and thus scrap).
The whole carriage assembly will not move or rotate due to the extreme rust. I was think of putting the whole assembly in an electrolysis tank since I cannot remove the aluminum bracket.
My question is what effect does the electrolysis process have on aluminum?

Thanks

BTW - I have a spare Mark V headstock so this will be a Dedicated Drill Press / Mortising Machine project. And, the way tubes polished up very nicely as well as the table ;-)

IIRC MickyD tried that with less than satisfactory results.

Now I am confused as to what assembly you are asking about.

Carriage (that positions the main table along the way tubes).

Caster (that which allows easy movement of the entire SS around the shop).

If the caster, I would suggest submersion in evaporust one end at a time.

Probably right about the Evaporust.

It is the carriage for the ''wheel castors bracket''.

The Evaporust is probably the safer alternative.

I looked online to see if there were any other thoughts about the "electrolysis effects on aluminum" but I could not find anything.

Thanks again for your suggestion!

bob84 wrote:Probably right about the Evaporust.

It is the carriage for the ''wheel castors bracket''.

The Evaporust is probably the safer alternative.

I looked online to see if there were any other thoughts about the "electrolysis effects on aluminum" but I could not find anything.

Thanks again for your suggestion!

When one is not sure of what another is speaking, having the speaker respond with the same words does little to improve understanding.

I am going to guess you are referring to the caster assembly that mounts to the legs and has a three position foot pedal that raises/lowers the legs off/onto the floor. That allows rolling the SS around.

My recollection re MickyD's using electrolysis on aluminum is that the chemistry just was not cooperative. Aluminum oxide and iron oxide have different characteristics most notable is the aluminum oxide being a barrier to further chemical reaction.(a problem with the sacrificial anode).

On Aluminum I am partial to Marvel Mystery Oil.

Everett