Farmall Cub

I just finished setting up my tank a few minutes ago. I am using a manual charger from sears it is selectable slow charge 2 amps or fast charge 10 amps. I am using the 10 amp side. I am using TSP. My tank is a 60 gallon Pickle Barrel I have 4 electrodes. They are 1/2" Rebar. All 4 elecrodes are wired together using 10 gauge solid copper. When I put my fender in and plugged in charger. The Meter on the front of charger jumped to 8 and is staying there. The Fender started bubbling immediately. I used about 2 pounds of TSP. The Bubbles are tiny like soda fizz. Am I doing anything wrong.

No. You may not have needed that much TSP but the solution will saturate and you can't get more than that. Pulling 8 amps on a large surface area would not be out of line. If you are concerned, you could disconnect an anode or two. You're not hurting anything as it is. It will taper off as the job completes.

WOW!

Works slick huh? Like I said, don't mess around with reading the directions on how much TSP to use. In a 60 US Gal barrel, 2 lbs is about right.. you should see good activity immediately upon the charger getting up to scratch.

You got here nailed. 8 amps is about perfect... That is what happens for me everytime I have clean re-bar and a good connection.. just zings along.

Now.. hope you got pics and stuff of your pickle barrel electrolysis tank

I am glad I am doing it right. Working on pictures. I have a question though. I have seen before and after shots on the forum. The parts are clean perfect to the metal. Does this mean it is removing the paint to as part of the process. Any info would be appreciated.

All,
I have the same question on paint removal with this process.
I am going to set a small tank up also. Wish I knew about this about 2 years ago when I started a frame up restoration on a 73 land rover.

I just finished my "big tank" in a 55 gal plastic drum. Cleaned the rear wheel weights and it pulled the paint off in big strips....right down to bare steel.

My question was answered 5 minutes after I posted. I went out to the Barn. And sure enought the Paint was bubbling up and the tank looked like a big glass of club soda. Fizzing away and pulling 8.5 amps. The Craftsmen Charger I sprang for was worth it. The Tank is Awesome. I am going to start on my C-22 now. Then start dipping stuff for my 54 Beetle.

Pics, Pics, Pics

The more converts we have the better

Pretty amazing ain't it

Rudi I had a brain fart the other day. I have access to all kinds of used lawn mower blades. My thought was to tack weld a blade to each of the 4 rebars when I set up the tank we built at Cubfest NE. That would increase the surface area on each rod a lot. Plus when they become eaten away you just cut them off and replace them with another. We now have 4 barrels for next year. At this rate maybe 6 or 8 by the time we need them.

Cecil (53 Cub) wrote:Rudi I had a brain fart the other day. I have access to all kinds of used lawn mower blades. My thought was to tack weld a blade to each of the 4 rebars when I set up the tank we built at Cubfest NE. That would increase the surface area on each rod a lot. Plus when they become eaten away you just cut them off and replace them with another. We now have 4 barrels for next year. At this rate maybe 6 or 8 by the time we need them.

The fart was a good thing Cecil. I think tacking the used blades to the rebar would work nicely.. plus they will probably get eaten first...... a good use for old blades..

Hmmm, sounds like it could be a lot of fun making electrolysis tanks.. have to do em in an assembly line fashion.... with pre-orders I think.. that way no one gots to worry about it

I too would like to see some pics of your setup. When you mention you are using a "60 gallon Pickle Barrel" as the tank, I'm wondering if your tank has a wider opening than a normal plastic drum?

The Pickle Barrel Unfortunately has a slightly narrower opening then a standard 55 drum. But it was what I had access too.

Could you use a metal drum and just connect your charger to the side of that? Might take a flap disk to the inside of it just to clean it up some.

kinelbor wrote:Could you use a metal drum and just connect your charger to the side of that? Might take a flap disk to the inside of it just to clean it up some.

Would work, but you would be looking for another drum before too long.

Just to add, be careful of that foam bubbling at the top of the tank as those bubbles are full of hydrogen...very flammable. Sounds like it working great.