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PostPosted: November 22, 2014, 6:10 am 
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Location: Southern Ontario
Electrolysis works well if you clean the the steel electrodes occasionally while it's working. It's quite amazing to see the build up on the electrodes but it's more amazing to see the clean part.
I use 2/3rds of a plastic 45 gallon barrel with four 3x3 angle iron electrodes. Being Canadian, we get a lot of use out of it both for cars and around the farm.


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PostPosted: November 22, 2014, 12:59 pm 
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Do you have to degrease the parts before electrolysis?

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PostPosted: November 22, 2014, 1:11 pm 
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I hit the parts with the steam Jenny first, and then if needed, I throw them in the solution. It's better to keep the solution as clean as you can...

Sorry for the hijack.


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PostPosted: November 23, 2014, 8:24 am 
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On the electrolysis, the current should be controlled by the amount of sodium carbonate added to the water. If too much is added, reduce the amount of electrode exposed to the bath to reduce the current. If pulling more amps than the setting on the battery charger, the charger will be damaged.

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PostPosted: November 23, 2014, 9:09 pm 
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Thanks for all of the tips on electrolysis, I'll try to keep it all in mind as I go. Saturday after all of the house chores got done I was going to go out and buy the detergent and a plastic tub. While I was out I got the hot idea of using a storage bin I had in the garage attic. I returned with the Arm & Hammer and dragged out the ladder.

Attachment:
IMG_0407.jpg


My garage has a low roof so moving around up there is hands and knees stuff. Three hours later I had the attic rearranged, found the bin and made one contractor bag of trash. Unfortunately the bin was smaller than I remember. This morning my wife and I went shopping and one of the things we brought back was a larger size storage bin. While we were out my wife told me about her plan to take everything out of two of the bedrooms rearrange everything and put it back in. I did get a break to watch the grand prix but otherwise that was my day. I have a heating pad on my back and no energy to play in the garage other than to put the pieces out and take a picture.

Attachment:
IMG_0408.jpg


I still need to find some steel for the electrodes and put it together. Tomorrow is another day.


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PostPosted: November 23, 2014, 10:46 pm 
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Wow, never knew electrolysis was such a big deal... Aunt Nell had it done to get rid of that mustache she sprouted late in life, but Mama always told me not to ask her about it. Wonder how long she had to hold her breath in that tub of bakin' soda? :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: November 24, 2014, 12:18 am 
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now you've got this far, look up parkerizing to put a finish on cleaned bolts to stop them rusting.

all you need are some dry cell batteries or a marine zinc, steel wool, some ospho and a battery charger.

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PostPosted: November 24, 2014, 10:04 pm 
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We are makin' bubbles.

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I had to adjust the depth of the elecrodes. When they were all the way in, the charger maxed out. There is only about 2" of electrode in the solution to get it down to 4 amps which is the rated capacity of the charger. Rust colored stuff is floating on the surface and it has only been a few minutes.


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PostPosted: November 25, 2014, 11:49 am 
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I'm a little late (as usual) but you can also soak parts in apple cider vinegar. I've had great results with it. The trans mount below soaked for about 7 days. The black you see in the 'after' pic is original paint...



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Be sure the part is COMPLETELY submersed in the vinegar. Anything exposed to the off gassing will rust at a faster rate than whats being removed below the surface.

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PostPosted: November 26, 2014, 12:54 am 
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Hi Run87k,

So glad that I came across your build log. Quite a cool project that you've got started!

We have an uncanny number of things in common: I am also a Mechanical Engineer, 14 years and running at the same company (but a long ways from retirement). I also completed a Locost some time ago, and have started another home built car project. My new project is also going to be loosely based on a style of car from the 30's (in my case, a 1932 Ford Victoria), and my new project is also using a Miata as a donor! If you're interested, here are more details:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/ ... 396/page1/

I'll be watching your build with interest!

Mark

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PostPosted: November 26, 2014, 12:01 pm 
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The rust removal is going slowly. I used 20 gallons of water and added enough soap so not all of it will remain in solution. Maybe my charger doesn't put out enough power for that much water. I'll let it keep going for a few more days. When I get up in the morning the amps have dropped to zero because the electrodes need to be cleaned.

I looked at some videos on Parkerizing, which is also called phosphate coating. I'll keep that in mind for later. The vinegar idea sound great, no cleaning electrodes and no power. I'll have to look at the price of a gallon of vinegar to see if I want to buy 20 gallons of the stuff.

mainlandboy wrote:
My new project is also going to be loosely based on a style of car from the 30's (in my case, a 1932 Ford Victoria), and my new project is also using a Miata as a donor! If you're interested, here are more details:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/ ... 396/page1/

I'll be watching your build with interest!


I checked out your build. Nice subframe in the front. It does look like we are going down the same path. I'll be watching yours as well.

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PostPosted: November 26, 2014, 6:14 pm 
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Run87k,
Also just found your build.
About rust...Google "molasses rust removal". I think it's 1 part (feed store) molasses to 4 or 5 parts water cover and let sit for 2 weeks.

About the cars,you might be able to slip a modern drive train under this style body
http://astonmartins.com/car/international-fixed-head-coupe-headlam/
Jusy sayin'

Ron

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Last edited by STranger 7 on November 28, 2014, 9:52 am, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: November 28, 2014, 9:44 am 
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Run87k,
In this article Ron Covell talks about grafting the headlights from a '96-99 E320 Mercedes onto/into the round front of a '39 Ford Tudor sedan.

Read more: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/additional-how-to/1412-professor-hammer-december-2014/#ixzz3KMwKQrsU

Could work well in an art-deco style roadster.
Attachment:
Morgan_Aero_8.jpg

Attachment:
Deco style02.jpg

Attachment:
Deco style03sm.jpg


Ron


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PostPosted: November 28, 2014, 3:30 pm 
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Yeah that's the new-ish Morgan Aero. When it came out, I was surprised to notice that it had headlamps which were identical to those in the first generation new beetle I was driving at the time

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PostPosted: November 30, 2014, 4:39 pm 
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Location: Mount Airy, NC
CLEANING STUFF

Thanks for all of the cleaning suggestions. I think I've gotten off track with cleaning suspension parts. I really like working with clean parts and have a tendency to spend more time cleaning than is really necessary. I like to watch Wheeler Dealers and Edd drives me nuts by putting rusty parts back on the cars. But the basic idea on this project was to build a body an then tear it down for cleaning and paint if it turns out well. If I don't end up liking the car more than the Locost then I won't put anymore time into it. Anyway, after 3 full days in the tub I could see the rear subframe was going to take a long time to get clean so I literally pulled the plug. I was getting rust on the electrodes.

Attachment:
IMG_0411.jpg


That was about 3 hours worth. But it wasn't going fast enough. I'll spray the remaining rust with Extend and move on. I centered the front subframe on the base and raised it to ride height then held it down with wood screws.

Attachment:
IMG_0417.jpg


The engine and transmission in the picture are from a Miata I picked up that had ruined the engine because a lady drove it with a radiator leak. I'm using them as dummys to build the body.

STranger7s link to the Aston Martins has this picture which is about the size I'm looking for. The style is a little too blocky and I'll be using wider fenders.

Attachment:
timthumb.jpg


I've saved a bunch of the Morgan Aero pictures that I've found in searches. It is also about the right size and shape but too modern. I'm still thinking more like the Whatthehaye only in a smaller size.

Attachment:
Whatthehayside.jpg


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