Looking for Cast Iron Advice
- Thread starter pmad
- Start date
bschoen
Babbling Farker
16adams bait, well played.
Try the vinegar first. No joy try the lye. Still no joy I'd try sand blasting with, hell brain fart - what is the more mildly abrasive material, walnut shell or something?
Try the vinegar first. No joy try the lye. Still no joy I'd try sand blasting with, hell brain fart - what is the more mildly abrasive material, walnut shell or something?
Is it Glass media blasting like they use for powder coating?
SmokeOCD
is one Smokin' Farker
Electrolysis looks like a fun/easy way to clean off the rust.
Brief snippet and link at the end...
For our purposes, electrolysis cleaning works somewhat like chrome plating in reverse. By connecting the positive and negative wires the opposite of the plating process, you get crud and rust removal.
The most common set up for an electrolysis iron cleaning tank involves a plastic storage container or the like, sturdy enough to be capable of holding eight or more gallons of water, and a car battery charger. You'll need a piece of metal, either iron or steel, that will serve as a "sacrificial anode" to which the electrical current will flow from the piece being cleaned.
You'll also need turn the water in the tank into what's called an electrolyte, making it more conductive so the current will flow more readily through it. For this, we use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda™ (not baking soda), available in the laundry additives section (medium size yellow box), at the rate of 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water. Washing soda is primarily sodium carbonate, whereas baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Some people use a swimming pool water conditioner called pH+, which consists of sodium carbonate. Some advanced hobbyists use sodium hydroxide aka lye to achieve a double-acting electrolyte/cleaning solution, but for most, the simpler and less-hazardous washing soda will do.
Gallons of Water --------------Washing Soda
05-------------------------5-10 T. -----1/3 - 2/3 C.
10-------------------------10-20 T.-----2/3 - 1-1/3 C.
15-------------------------15-30 T.-----1 - 2 C.
20-------------------------20-40 T.-----1-1/3 - 2-2/3 C.
25-------------------------25-50 T.-----1-2/3 - 3-1/3 C.
To properly connect the voltage source, you just have to remember the blacK (negative) wire goes on the sKillet. Also, the battery charger you use must be a manual one, or have a manual charge mode. An automatic charger will see the electrolysis tank as a charged battery and shut itself down.
https://www.castironcollector.com/electrolysis.php
Brief snippet and link at the end...
For our purposes, electrolysis cleaning works somewhat like chrome plating in reverse. By connecting the positive and negative wires the opposite of the plating process, you get crud and rust removal.
The most common set up for an electrolysis iron cleaning tank involves a plastic storage container or the like, sturdy enough to be capable of holding eight or more gallons of water, and a car battery charger. You'll need a piece of metal, either iron or steel, that will serve as a "sacrificial anode" to which the electrical current will flow from the piece being cleaned.
You'll also need turn the water in the tank into what's called an electrolyte, making it more conductive so the current will flow more readily through it. For this, we use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda™ (not baking soda), available in the laundry additives section (medium size yellow box), at the rate of 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water. Washing soda is primarily sodium carbonate, whereas baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Some people use a swimming pool water conditioner called pH+, which consists of sodium carbonate. Some advanced hobbyists use sodium hydroxide aka lye to achieve a double-acting electrolyte/cleaning solution, but for most, the simpler and less-hazardous washing soda will do.
Gallons of Water --------------Washing Soda
05-------------------------5-10 T. -----1/3 - 2/3 C.
10-------------------------10-20 T.-----2/3 - 1-1/3 C.
15-------------------------15-30 T.-----1 - 2 C.
20-------------------------20-40 T.-----1-1/3 - 2-2/3 C.
25-------------------------25-50 T.-----1-2/3 - 3-1/3 C.
To properly connect the voltage source, you just have to remember the blacK (negative) wire goes on the sKillet. Also, the battery charger you use must be a manual one, or have a manual charge mode. An automatic charger will see the electrolysis tank as a charged battery and shut itself down.
https://www.castironcollector.com/electrolysis.php
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Lye bath wont touch rust. Lye only attacks organic matter. Works well to remove old built up seasoning and crud.
Electrolysis is the way to go but if you're only doing one piece then the vinegar bath is the way to go. 50/50 white vinegar is the way to go but only for short periods since the vinegar is an acid that can eat into the iron.
The next concern is lead. It looks like a smelting pot. I passed on two such pots today.
Oh, I see you want to use it for smelting pot. No concern what it was used for before.
A great source of information is https://www.castironcollector.com/
Have fun and good luck.
Electrolysis is the way to go but if you're only doing one piece then the vinegar bath is the way to go. 50/50 white vinegar is the way to go but only for short periods since the vinegar is an acid that can eat into the iron.
The next concern is lead. It looks like a smelting pot. I passed on two such pots today.
Oh, I see you want to use it for smelting pot. No concern what it was used for before.
A great source of information is https://www.castironcollector.com/
Have fun and good luck.
Itsdone
is Blowin Smoke!
If you have a air compressor you can get a cheap sand blaster for $20 at harbor freight and a 50lb bag of Black Diamond blasting abrasive at Tractor supply for $12.99. Just make sure you do this away from your house because that stuff will be all over the place, don't ask me how i know, lol.
cliffcarter
is one Smokin' Farker
Use a wire wheel and an electric drill, simple and inexpensive, then season it. Speaking from experience
Please don't sandblast it. Wire wheel is the most aggressive thing you should ever consider.
Also, no self-cleaning ovens and especially DO NOT throw it into a fire.
Itsdone
is Blowin Smoke!
Why? I have restored a bunch of cast iron pans with a sand blaster. You can buy 3 grades, Fine, Medium, and coarse. You can also adjust your Air compressor to the right PSI. I would like to hear your reason, because if not, im going to assume user error.
GammaRei
Full Fledged Farker
Thank you so much for sharing this. There is so much out there that is utter bull poo. I had given up on cast iron for a while. Ive gone back to it, but it can be a pain in the boot. . .
- G
I deal in collectable vintage iron. Period. Anything that changes the face of the iron itself is strictly off limits. That includes wire wheels that are aggressive enough to leave scratches and also blasting of any sort.
Plain and simple. There are better ways to take a vintage pan back to bare iron that don't affect the integrity of the piece. It is, after, a piece of history in your hands.
Now if you're talking about modern cast iron, do whatever makes ya happy. You can't lessen the value of that crap.
However you do it, can't wait to see the finished result. I would have thought a wire wheel as well, but aparently not.
toys4dlr
is one Smokin' Farker
Electrolysis cause it is cool and it works extremely well on rust
Juggy D Beerman
Full Fledged Farker
If you use a wire wheel with a drill, on anything, wear eye protection! Wear eye protection! I cannot stress this enough. Those wire bristles will fly off and they can penetrate skin. So wear a heavy long sleeved shirt too. I have pulled stray wires from my arms when using a drill powered wire wheel even though I was wearing a long sleeved shirt. A wire bristle that hits you in the eye is a guaranteed trip to the hospital! Be careful!
^^^^ Build's yer character.
And gives you a very bushy set of eye brows.
And gives you a very bushy set of eye brows.
seattlepitboss
is one Smokin' Farker
That is a lead melting pot which can never be used for food.
You can derust with vinegar and salt.
You can derust with vinegar and salt.
I do not
I will test it for lead but do not plan on using it for food.
I have no interest in selling, etc so I will wire brush it as I don't have the equipment for the electrolysis.
I'll post when complete.
I have no interest in selling, etc so I will wire brush it as I don't have the equipment for the electrolysis.
I'll post when complete.
rm41400
Full Fledged Farker
I understand the worry of altering the surface profile of an ancient ware. However, in theory, I’m somewhat confident you can use a lye bath and measure the surface profile of the existing metal.
Blast off the rust with a mild abrasive.
Measure surface profile.
If you’re really concerned about maintaining the original profile you can adjust that up or down with more aggressive or less abrasive media in your blaster.
This is a big deal in commercial blasting and coating as each coating system requires a specific surface profile for optimum protection.
Also, you won’t meet project specifications or get paid if your surface profile is not per the coating manufactures recommendation. This can cost you substantially on a large federal contract.
This link talks a little about that
https://www.defelsko.com/product-categories/surface-profile
Not arguing but I love the wealth of information from various prospective being shared here.
What’s your thoughts?
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