Thanks for your great video! Have and awesome day! I recently purchased a lot of very rough season cast iron pans at an auction that everyone thought were rusted. But it is just layer and layer of seasoning. I spent $2 for the lot and the first pan I ceaned with elbow grease revealed a Griswold large logo #5! I am a very happy camper, even more so, now I know how to clean these gems more easily! Thanks again!
From Australia....Not scary until you mentioned DENTIST! Seriously , this man was the first American in a few videos we searched, who pronounced (in English, not American) the word 'Cast Iron', so we could actually understand the word. We've taken a while to understand some 'Americanisms' like 'soder' which the rest of the English speaking world pronounces as SOL-DER...But as a bonus an articulate presenter with an intelligent sense of humor, and didn't ramble on unnecessarily. Thank you Richard and yes we're jealous of the great score in the shape of the Exide battery charger ^_^ So nice to listen and watch something out states that dosen't involve hating Russians and Chinese. You made our morning mate.
@Darryl Hetherington 🤡 You poms are one to talk, aren't you? 🤣 Lets look at the ways you people speak. 'Cloze' instead of Clothes. 'Ast' instead of Ask. 'Ig-za-kly' instead of Exactly. 'Pro-ply' instead of Properly. 'Pro-bly' instead of Probably. 'Li-be-rry' instead of Library. Shall I go on? 'Fe-bew-ry' instead of February. 'La-bre-to-ry' instead of Laboratory. 'Cah-bed' instead of Cupboard. 'Cho-klet' instead of Chocolate. It seems it has been an ideological campaign to shorten every word in the English language, so if you're finding new longer words, you are subversive and anti-Australian. So many yobbos seem to be in love with America. Wearing clothes with the names of American cities on them, seeing and hearing australians pretending to be American, seeing American articles in your newspapers and on your TV's. It seems to me you're supposed to be australians but that no one in your country is truly proud to be australian because you're constantly comparing yourselves to Americans. LOL. Some Americans might be offended by your comment if they knew that australia even existed in the first place.
I have a muffin pan almost exactly like yours that I dug up 45 years ago. You motivated me to see if it could be cleaned up. Followed your video almost exactly and wow. The results are most impressive. Thanks for posting this. A little clean up and seasoning and look out muffins. FYI used a precision regulated DC power supply set to 14.5 volts. The bath drew about 8 amps. It later dropped to around 5 amps. At these levels I suspect a cheapo battery charger should work fine.
thanks for sharing your great idea I give to your video a thumb up. I am an inpatient person but you knew how to waste 12 minutes of my time well wasted. Thankyou again it worked out for me. Just ignore the 30 welders who dislike the video.
Hi Richard, Nice video on electrolysis cleaning. I have a nice battery charger similar to yours currently in storage. I did not even think to do this until you were kind enough to show this process to us. Definitely will do some cleanup of some very old cast iron fry pans and dutch ovens. Thank you,Thank you, Thank you!!!
ive got some a old half rusty fridge from the 50s and its got alot of small rusty parts in it and ive seen a couple of electrolisys videos and this is the most easy and simple barney level videos ive seen so far really dummy proof thanx alot dude
Hey Richard.. Great job with the videos and the restorations. I got into cast iron restoration a few years back and haven't done any in a while. I just cranked up my tank again after watching your inspiring videos. Last night at a thrift store I found a Wapak 9 that has the ERIE ghost logo across the top, I'm rather excited about this rare piece. I feel like you said in your video that we are merely caretakers of these relics let behind... so here we go again..! Steve
Thanks for the video. I had set my skillet up with my battery charger as per another site, but it didn't work. Sanding the steel piece AND the handle of the skillet got it bubbling away!
electrolysis... and to think I've just been using elbow grease all these years. As a fellow cast iron lover, this is fantastic. I love seeing science do our work for us
**Proceed at your own risk.** Greetings everyone and thank you for taking the time to comment. Lots of great tips and input! I'm using hot water now and perhaps 2 cups of washing soda for a stronger electrolyte solution. Also, the battery charger is set at 40 amps BUT if I recall correctly it's only drawing 10 or so (according to the beat up old gauge). The closer together the positive and negative are, and the stronger the solution, the more amps it will draw. Yes, only use clean mild steel or cast iron for the sacrificial. Never stainless or anything else. **Proceed at your own risk.**
Just don't stand over top while doing it with galvenized. You''ll end up with "brass chills" if the gas is concentrated enough. "brass chills" is a flu-like condition from inhaling zinc. Awful. (got a dose from gas cutting door track on steel building)
Awesome Video! Thanks for posting! I have amassed quite a collection of cast iron cookware myself. I've always used peanut oil to season my stuff and been very happy with the results. Thanks again for for the video!
Good question. Like basement shop guy says, pour it on (an out of the way corner of) the lawn. Soapy, greasy water with a little iron in it hasn't caused the lawn any trouble.
Great vid! A couple of precautions though: make sure never to have the positive electrode clamp immersed in the solution. Not sure I'd want the negative clamp immersed either, just as a precaution for food related stuff. Also, I'd be careful what kind of steel I used for the sacrificial anode: stainless steel has cadmium and other nasty stuff in it that might not be desirable with cookware; an iron anode might be altogether preferable to steel, at least when de-rusting cookware.
is there another way to clean and restore cast iron b/c I don't have the battery charger. Is there a way to clean the cast iron waffle maker with a plastic handle
Fun video. Nice job. Just missed the part about how to properly attach terminals/clamps to sacrificial plate and cast iron. .. which one positive and which one negative. 50-50 chance -- as I found out.
Jay Mann Positive on the sacrificial plate. Probably doesn't matter? I'd like to know what amperage is needed. He has a good batter charger that goes way up to 200Amps it looks like. My home style only goes to 10 amps.
Absolutely awesome video. So many how-to videos leave something out, or don't adequately cover a process. You covered all the bases, and made it entertaining to boot. I have often felt that something as timeless as cast iron isn't owned either. They last so long and are such a primitive creation. I have always thought of them as artifacts of the past. Thanks again.
No it's not. He leaves.out tons of pertinent information. Never said how much washing soda per gallon. Never said how many amps. It could be much more detailed to alleviate questions.
I have cast iron that doesn't have much rust, but has a bunch of gunk.... over seasoning and improper cleaning. I got it at a garage sale. Will this method work? Or should I just put it in the oven on self clean? I've done the oven method before and it works ok. Just looking for another option. Also, for the electrolytic solution, can I use rock salt? I know that Sodium Carbonate is not Sodium Cloride, but I have the salt on hand. I don't have the Washing Soda and my local grocery store doesn't carry it. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment. I've tried Flax oil for seasoning, it works okay, but Crisco works just as well, if not better. But it's really just an initial seasoning anyway, or for a touch up here and there. It's using the pan over time, the build up of polymerized oils, that really makes the pan.
Well done video! Just so you know, you can greatly reduce the amount of reddish sludge floating on the top of your water if you won't put the copper charger cable clamp into the water. Try hanging your piece from a short steel chain and hooking the charger cable clamp to the chain above the water line.
I dont mean to be off topic but does anyone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any tips you can offer me.
@Jonas Kenneth I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Do you let the muffin pan touch the positive metal or is it just sitting in there I just got battery charger at yard sale and nervous about the electricity and water thanks
+Travis Hunt ~ That is exactly my question. I have no idea about this stuff and would love to have an answer as well. Thanks for asking this one...for all of us!
NO, if they touch you create a short circuit. If your lucky you will only pop a circuit breaker on the charger. You'll destroy your battery charger if your luck runs out.
Do you have to let the pan cool completely between seasoning coats, or can you take it out and spread the next coat on once it gets down to say 200 degrees surface temp with a non contact infrared thermometer?
Depends. If all your cleaning is rust it can last a long time. But if your cleaning grease and grime the solution can get nasty fast so I change it out. Tip: if the piece you're cleaning is gooey or greasy open all the windows (because it will smoke) and bake it in the oven at 400 F for an hour or so to dry and harden the gunk first (then let it cool back down) before electrolysis. Dry hardened gunk comes off easier than greasy gooey gunk. Also, cleaning the sacrificial back to bare metal (or flipping it around to expose a clean side to the piece you're cleaning) can perk things back up a bit.
Richard Gessford Thanks. I just finished my Buster and Tige waffle iron cleanup. Looks great. The concern about using stainless steel in the water bath prompts another question. Should the tempered steel handles on many of these antique waffle irons be kept out of the bath, or are they safe to put in. Any thoughts?
This is great, thanks! I had a chance to get a large 40 amp battery charger last year for free, but I couldn't think of a use for it because I already had a small one. Now that I see this, I'm going to see if its still available. . Thanks again. There is one question I had about the seasoning. When you say cool down, was that completely cooled down or back to 200 for the other coatings of Crisco?
Does the size, shape, and/or mass of the sacrificial piece make a difference? Would a stick of rebar work just as well as a broad, flat plate? What would happen if you put two sacrificial pieces (wired together with copper wire) on both sides of the piece being cleaned? Could you clean both sides simultaneously? Would that have ramifications for the amount of current required?
devolve42 I think the surface area of the sacrificial makes a difference. Bigger might be better. That said I have used rebar and used multiple sacrificial pieces wired together to good effect.
Great video! really helped me restoring an old vise. One thing though just a little safety tip for ya, Don't wear gloves when using a grinder. I've worked in many weld shops and have yet to meet anyone that does, and have unfortunately seen the results of someones glove getting caught by the wheel.
Very cool video! So the sacrificial steel is the anode and the pan is the cathode in an electrolyte solution of A&H washing soda with a 12 volt current at 40 amps draw ? I appreciate the disclaimer "proceed at your own risk" - duly noted! Thank you for the information- I learned a lot here!
12 volt automotive battery charger set to 40 amps. However it will not draw that many amps. Amp draw is typically closer to 5 or 10. Depends on the concentration of washing soda solution and how close (but NEVER touching) the item your're cleaning and the sacrificial are.
Hey Richard, quick question again..lol What type of charger should I be looking at? the big wheeled one like in the video or a small, box like one. Amazon has a few that are 50 - 100 Amp but im not sure if they will handle that draw for any length of time as they are for jump starting cars so they are designed to be used for 5 - 10 seconds at a time..i think. Any ideas? looking for the 40 Amp range. Preferably under $100.00
What brand is it? And how bad is the cracking... I have a LeCreuset that has crazing in the enamel but it isn't chipping off....I am not sure stripping it would work out well.
I'm using a piece of diamond deck plate in the video. I've also used rebar and broken cast iron. Nothing fancy, just mild steel. I WILL NOT use stainless for fear the stainless will leach chromates into the electrolytic solution.
I love it .... safety dog inspected and Okay'd the setup & Richard missed & overlooked the broken/missing ground prong on the charger plug @ 8:23...Yup, that's safe!!!
Loved the vid, I have a question however, can enamel be removed from a cast iron Dutch oven? I purchased a Dutch oven last year and the enamel is already cracking inside of it. I do not want to get rid of it as it cost me a pretty penny to begin with. Plus I love my Dutch oven, it's very upsetting that with all the technology we have today, things of new do not last as long as things of old.....any help would be highly appreciated.
I have put my pans through electrolysis and when i wipe them dry (after scrubbing with green pad and rinsing with water) there always seems to be some black stuff that shows up on the white rag i wipe with. Will that ever go away? The electrolysis worked great otherwise.
Yes to the person that said you really should hang your item to be derusted by a chain or something more solid than your little bent wire then hook your negative clamp to the chain or whatever to keep it out of the soup. Some of that crud on top of the water came from your charger clamp.
I think just about any DC power source should work. I started out with a smaller unit, perhaps 2 to 5 amps, and it got the job done. Just took a little while longer.
I assume you are using 12V since it's a battery charger, but how amps are you using? What kind of steel is the "sacrificial steel" and more importantly, why did you have to sand it down? What exactly do you mean by "seasoning'? Are you supposed to bake Crisco into cast iron pots/molds etc? Does the cast iron actually absorb this stuff? Why do you have to do it 3 times? Are you wearing pink finger nail polish right at 11:02?
Could you substitute common rock salt for the washing soda? the Na will increase the conductivity of the water? How much amps do you estimate your charger is sourcing to create the electrolysis?
Washing soda is sodium carbonate and, if I recall correctly, there's something about the electron balance of the molecule that makes it ideal for creating the electrolyte solution. It also works well as a laundry detergent booster.
Did some reading after my last reply...Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and it will release chlorine gas if used as an electrolyte. Bad stuff. Better to use washing soda aka sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) which is Sodium, Carbon, Oxygen.
Good idea, but geeze it's like watching paint dry. Sorry. Also, apply lard/crisco with artist's bristle brush like you'd use for oil paints. Works like a dream.
Interesting you'd say that, I'm working on a little bean pot right now that indeed came with a couple inches of lead in the bottom. Once I'm done with the electrolysis I'll be checking it with lead test swabs, to verify it's clean, before bothering to seasoning it. Guess I'll find out soon...
I have a question about cast iron... Can you cook things that are acidic or will it react..I see The Pioneer Woman make tomatoe sauce in her cast iron skillet...
warmer water means more current. Running current through the cold solution will still heat it up on its own, but starting out with hot water certainly shortens the time to get to decent currents. Additionally, current likes to take the path of least resistance. That is, if some parts are closer to positive plate, current will favor those paths, thus the reason why some places are not getting as clean.
Everybody has their own take on seasoning. 300, 350, 400 works very well for me. Applying Crisco to a hot (200 degree F) pan is, IMO, the way to go. Makes it easy to get a THIN even coat.
I've got a cauldron I need to clean that's pitted on the inside and painted black on the outside. Will electrolysis still be a good option? I've never restored old cast iron before
I use a hot lye solution soak for half an hour to shift all the burned on crud and that use electrolysis with washing soda, This method will shift oils and paint far more efficiently
what's the smallest amp charger you can use? I don't think mine has a 40 Amp output like yours...its one of those small, little square ones from Sears. it does cars, motorcycles, lawn tractors and such.
is there a substitute for the arm adn hammer washing soda? i am really having alot of trouble with finding it without having to have it shipped? thanks
Thanks for your video. I have tried to set up the system, using your information and others from the Web and I can't get the solution to activate. I bought a new Schumacher 6 amp/2 amp (SE-82-6) Manual auto battery charger, but nothing happens. Zip. I have a stainless steel piece about 12 X 12, the washing soda (about 3/4 cup for 8 gallons), and my cast iron pan. The red battery clip went directly to anode and black to pan. Any ideas? Thank you.
Hard to believe that's the same pan! What are the risks involved with your electrolysis method; when power is plugged in, the bucket should not be touched, correct? Also, I have what appears to be an old cast iron pan; the only identifier is a 1 inch high #8 on the bottom...Any ideas who the manufacturer may be?
I have a question: Did it happen that a kind of green-looking alga build up on your sacrificial steel plate shortly after powering on your charger? I'm asking this because it happened to me and I was somehow worried having chosen the wrong type of steel! Of course, I would never use stainless steel!
is there a rule of thumb for sizing current need for various objects by size? also, should the anode and cathode parts be kept as close as possible (without touching)?
Richard that was excellent! I'm breaking out my moms old rusty cast iron and borrowing the charger from my ex (she's the gear head in the family and has a roll away like yours). I'll have to go to Home Depot to find a suitable piece of steel. What if any kind of steel should I look for when I'm there or does it really matter? Asking cause this will be my first adventure with electrolysis.
Can I use EMT steel pipe as my sacrificial piece of steel? The pipe when removed is covered in the white dehydrated washing soda but not much rust!!!! 3 TO 4 times in electrolysis setup per piece to get the piece half way decent, is this common or normal? I get some bubbling and a white thick surface crud on the water but not a lot o rust on top. Thanks Richard please let me know.
I Googled EMT pipe and it looks like it's galvanized with chemicals and zinc to prevent rust and corrosion! I'm guessing that's your problem. I also wonder if the galvanizing on the pipe will release toxic fumes or poison the water! The sacrificial needs to be "mild" untreated steel. I've also started using hot water and maybe 1 or 2 cups washing soda per 5 gallon bucket to make a stronger electrolyte solution. Personally I WILL NOT use stainless or anything fancy for the sacrificial. I only use bare, untreated, mild steel. Proceed at your own risk. .
Richard Gessford When you heat galvanized steel it can off gas and it can and will kill you. So I'm thinking it will do the same here. If it off gasses that is very bad.
Thanks =- Lucky I was not inside the shed smokin a ciggy as I looked over the bucket from a foot distance. Did feel weird as I tried EMT pipe a few times. Never did find the perfect bit of steel, But finished 7 or 8 pieces. and all came out great.
My buddy died from welding galvanized (scarfing) without the proper breathing protection. A slow death. Took about 4 months after the lung damage-heart failure then stroke. He was only 50 yrs old.
hi friend, my attempt at electrolysis didn't seem to work. The clamps from my battery charger are copper and they seem to have left a blue residue on the sacrificial steel, as well as the piece i was trying to salvage. any idea what's going on?
11 years on and still the best cast iron video on UA-cam. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your great video! Have and awesome day! I recently purchased a lot of very rough season cast iron pans at an auction that everyone thought were rusted. But it is just layer and layer of seasoning. I spent $2 for the lot and the first pan I ceaned with elbow grease revealed a Griswold large logo #5! I am a very happy camper, even more so, now I know how to clean these gems more easily! Thanks again!
From Australia....Not scary until you mentioned DENTIST! Seriously , this man was the first American in a few videos we searched, who pronounced (in English, not American) the word 'Cast Iron', so we could actually understand the word. We've taken a while to understand some 'Americanisms' like 'soder' which the rest of the English speaking world pronounces as SOL-DER...But as a bonus an articulate presenter with an intelligent sense of humor, and didn't ramble on unnecessarily. Thank you Richard and yes we're jealous of the great score in the shape of the Exide battery charger ^_^ So nice to listen and watch something out states that dosen't involve hating Russians and Chinese. You made our morning mate.
@Darryl Hetherington 🤡 You poms are one to talk, aren't you? 🤣 Lets look at the ways you people speak.
'Cloze' instead of Clothes.
'Ast' instead of Ask.
'Ig-za-kly' instead of Exactly.
'Pro-ply' instead of Properly.
'Pro-bly' instead of Probably.
'Li-be-rry' instead of Library.
Shall I go on?
'Fe-bew-ry' instead of February.
'La-bre-to-ry' instead of Laboratory.
'Cah-bed' instead of Cupboard.
'Cho-klet' instead of Chocolate.
It seems it has been an ideological campaign to shorten every word in the English language, so if you're finding new longer words, you are subversive and anti-Australian.
So many yobbos seem to be in love with America. Wearing clothes with the names of American cities on them, seeing and hearing australians pretending to be American, seeing American articles in your newspapers and on your TV's. It seems to me you're supposed to be australians but that no one in your country is truly proud to be australian because you're constantly comparing yourselves to Americans. LOL.
Some Americans might be offended by your comment if they knew that australia even existed in the first place.
I have a muffin pan almost exactly like yours that I dug up 45 years ago. You motivated me to see if it could be cleaned up. Followed your video almost exactly and wow. The results are most impressive. Thanks for posting this. A little clean up and seasoning and look out muffins.
FYI used a precision regulated DC power supply set to 14.5 volts. The bath drew about 8 amps. It later dropped to around 5 amps. At these levels I suspect a cheapo battery charger should work fine.
Best guy ever to clean a skillet with electrolysis. Best video, best muffins. Cool cat!
thanks for sharing your great idea I give to your video a thumb up. I am an inpatient person but you knew how to waste 12 minutes of my time well wasted. Thankyou again it worked out for me. Just ignore the 30 welders who dislike the video.
Hi Richard, Nice video on electrolysis cleaning. I have a nice battery charger similar to yours currently in storage. I did not even think to do this until you were kind enough to show this process to us. Definitely will do some cleanup of some very old cast iron fry pans and dutch ovens. Thank you,Thank you, Thank you!!!
I love the triumphant music that comes in at the end when the muffins are being removed from the pan. Great video! Thanks!
ive got some a old half rusty fridge from the 50s and its got alot of small rusty parts in it and ive seen a couple of electrolisys videos and this is the most easy and simple barney level videos ive seen so far really dummy proof thanx alot dude
Great video. I have two pieces of old cast iron I am looking to salvage and this explained how very well. Thanks a lot.
Thanks from the look of the crud floating after 5 minutes I think I'm going to love this method.
Can you use the seasoning for other foods? Or just muffins?
Hey Richard.. Great job with the videos and the restorations. I got into cast iron restoration a few years back and haven't done any in a while. I just cranked up my tank again after watching your inspiring videos. Last night at a thrift store I found a Wapak 9 that has the ERIE ghost logo across the top, I'm rather excited about this rare piece. I feel like you said in your video that we are merely caretakers of these relics let behind... so here we go again..! Steve
Great video! I loved your closing statement.
Bob Love
I. Q15715445
Thanks for the video. I had set my skillet up with my battery charger as per another site, but it didn't work. Sanding the steel piece AND the handle of the skillet got it bubbling away!
electrolysis... and to think I've just been using elbow grease all these years. As a fellow cast iron lover, this is fantastic. I love seeing science do our work for us
Your Lucky to have a Safety Dog. Safety Dog looked like a expert.👍Safety Dog Should get a treat. Great Video!!!!! Thanks.
Glad I saw this video! You inspired me to save my rusty old Dutch oven
Great video! You make cleaning and restoring cast iron look fun!
**Proceed at your own risk.** Greetings everyone and thank you for taking the time to comment. Lots of great tips and input! I'm using hot water now and perhaps 2 cups of washing soda for a stronger electrolyte solution. Also, the battery charger is set at 40 amps BUT if I recall correctly it's only drawing 10 or so (according to the beat up old gauge). The closer together the positive and negative are, and the stronger the solution, the more amps it will draw. Yes, only use clean mild steel or cast iron for the sacrificial. Never stainless or anything else. **Proceed at your own risk.**
+Richard Gessford so i take it galvanized steel is not a good sacrificial material?
+Matthew McGinity Most people I have seen do this method with rebar. Galvanized is a no-go.
distilled water would work better
Just don't stand over top while doing it with galvenized. You''ll end up with "brass chills" if the gas is concentrated enough. "brass chills" is a flu-like condition from inhaling zinc. Awful. (got a dose from gas cutting door track on steel building)
Richard Gessford how much does amperage affect the function of the electrolysis? I have a manual 6 Amp, think that will work?
idk why but the closing statement made me smile.
Awesome Video! Thanks for posting! I have amassed quite a collection of cast iron cookware myself. I've always used peanut oil to season my stuff and been very happy with the results. Thanks again for for the video!
Good question. Like basement shop guy says, pour it on (an out of the way corner of) the lawn. Soapy, greasy water with a little iron in it hasn't caused the lawn any trouble.
Great vid! A couple of precautions though: make sure never to have the positive electrode clamp immersed in the solution. Not sure I'd want the negative clamp immersed either, just as a precaution for food related stuff. Also, I'd be careful what kind of steel I used for the sacrificial anode: stainless steel has cadmium and other nasty stuff in it that might not be desirable with cookware; an iron anode might be altogether preferable to steel, at least when de-rusting cookware.
Thanks Richard. Hoping a good rinse will clear off the toxic stuff.
Fun presentation and serious all at once. Thanks for the info.
Awsome. Thanks for the tip about the firebricks on the oven floor. Problem solved.
"Safety Dog" is my new hero. Very cute. Nice vid and thanks for the tips.
Semper Fi
is there another way to clean and restore cast iron b/c I don't have the battery charger. Is there a way to clean the cast iron waffle maker with a plastic handle
I came here looking at cleaning bike parts.. I enjoy cooking and science.. I found a great vid! Thank you!
Fun video. Nice job. Just missed the part about how to properly attach terminals/clamps to sacrificial plate and cast iron. .. which one positive and which one negative. 50-50 chance -- as I found out.
Jay Mann Positive on the sacrificial plate. Probably doesn't matter? I'd like to know what amperage is needed. He has a good batter charger that goes way up to 200Amps it looks like. My home style only goes to 10 amps.
Thanks a lot, this is a great video. Love your attitude. And by the way great information.
Thanks,
Doug
Absolutely awesome video. So many how-to videos leave something out, or don't adequately cover a process. You covered all the bases, and made it entertaining to boot. I have often felt that something as timeless as cast iron isn't owned either. They last so long and are such a primitive creation. I have always thought of them as artifacts of the past. Thanks again.
No it's not. He leaves.out tons of pertinent information. Never said how much washing soda per gallon. Never said how many amps. It could be much more detailed to alleviate questions.
I have cast iron that doesn't have much rust, but has a bunch of gunk.... over seasoning and improper cleaning. I got it at a garage sale. Will this method work? Or should I just put it in the oven on self clean? I've done the oven method before and it works ok. Just looking for another option. Also, for the electrolytic solution, can I use rock salt? I know that Sodium Carbonate is not Sodium Cloride, but I have the salt on hand. I don't have the Washing Soda and my local grocery store doesn't carry it. Thanks.
I have all the tools but lack a safety dog. My chihuahua barks at everything.
I have, in fact, seen her bark at her own tail. Can I still proceed?
hulk hogan7.
Nice work! Curious, does the partial submerging of the negative clamp do any damage to it?
Thanks for the comment.
I've tried Flax oil for seasoning, it works okay, but Crisco works just as well, if not better.
But it's really just an initial seasoning anyway, or for a touch up here and there. It's using the pan over time, the build up of polymerized oils, that really makes the pan.
Well done video! Just so you know, you can greatly reduce the amount of reddish sludge floating on the top of your water if you won't put the copper charger cable clamp into the water. Try hanging your piece from a short steel chain and hooking the charger cable clamp to the chain above the water line.
I dont mean to be off topic but does anyone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any tips you can offer me.
@Casey Aydin Instablaster ;)
@Jonas Kenneth I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Jonas Kenneth It worked and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy!
Thanks so much you saved my account :D
@Casey Aydin you are welcome :D
Do you let the muffin pan touch the positive metal or is it just sitting in there I just got battery charger at yard sale and nervous about the electricity and water thanks
+Travis Hunt ~ That is exactly my question. I have no idea about this stuff and would love to have an answer as well. Thanks for asking this one...for all of us!
NO, if they touch you create a short circuit. If your lucky you will only pop a circuit breaker on the charger. You'll destroy your battery charger if your luck runs out.
Do you have to let the pan cool completely between seasoning coats, or can you take it out and spread the next coat on once it gets down to say 200 degrees surface temp with a non contact infrared thermometer?
it is working well on my old waffle irons. How often should the electrolyte solution be changed?
Depends. If all your cleaning is rust it can last a long time. But if your cleaning grease and grime the solution can get nasty fast so I change it out. Tip: if the piece you're cleaning is gooey or greasy open all the windows (because it will smoke) and bake it in the oven at 400 F for an hour or so to dry and harden the gunk first (then let it cool back down) before electrolysis. Dry hardened gunk comes off easier than greasy gooey gunk. Also, cleaning the sacrificial back to bare metal (or flipping it around to expose a clean side to the piece you're cleaning) can perk things back up a bit.
Richard Gessford Thanks. I just finished my Buster and Tige waffle iron cleanup. Looks great.
The concern about using stainless steel in the water bath prompts another question. Should the tempered steel handles on many of these antique waffle irons be kept out of the bath, or are they safe to put in. Any thoughts?
This is great, thanks! I had a chance to get a large 40 amp battery charger last year for free, but I couldn't think of a use for it because I already had a small one. Now that I see this, I'm going to see if its still available. . Thanks again.
There is one question I had about the seasoning. When you say cool down, was that completely cooled down or back to 200 for the other coatings of Crisco?
Does the size, shape, and/or mass of the sacrificial piece make a difference? Would a stick of rebar work just as well as a broad, flat plate? What would happen if you put two sacrificial pieces (wired together with copper wire) on both sides of the piece being cleaned? Could you clean both sides simultaneously? Would that have ramifications for the amount of current required?
devolve42 I think the surface area of the sacrificial makes a difference. Bigger might be better. That said I have used rebar and used multiple sacrificial pieces wired together to good effect.
Thank you ... I hope to make one of these electrolysis tanks soon. Beautiful muffins & tin btw :)
Lbethke - pour it on your lawn. Grass LOVES iron. Electrolysis leftovers - especially with organic gunk is 100% biodegradable and great for your lawn.
Great video! really helped me restoring an old vise. One thing though just a little safety tip for ya, Don't wear gloves when using a grinder. I've worked in many weld shops and have yet to meet anyone that does, and have unfortunately seen the results of someones glove getting caught by the wheel.
Very cool video! So the sacrificial steel is the anode and the pan is the cathode in an electrolyte solution of A&H washing soda with a 12 volt current at 40 amps draw ? I appreciate the disclaimer "proceed at your own risk" - duly noted! Thank you for the information- I learned a lot here!
Great video , Thanks for sharing. but what voltage did you set that at ? and amps.
12 volt automotive battery charger set to 40 amps. However it will not draw that many amps. Amp draw is typically closer to 5 or 10. Depends on the concentration of washing soda solution and how close (but NEVER touching) the item your're cleaning and the sacrificial are.
Hey Richard, quick question again..lol What type of charger should I be looking at? the big wheeled one like in the video or a small, box like one. Amazon has a few that are 50 - 100 Amp but im not sure if they will handle that draw for any length of time as they are for jump starting cars so they are designed to be used for 5 - 10 seconds at a time..i think. Any ideas? looking for the 40 Amp range. Preferably under $100.00
What brand is it? And how bad is the cracking... I have a LeCreuset that has crazing in the enamel but it isn't chipping off....I am not sure stripping it would work out well.
Great video thanks for posting it.
how many amps are you using?
Would a cycle in a self cleaning oven do the same job???? Just throw it in the oven???
Thanks
Good video. Enjoyed it !
So you're using a piece of regular steel plate and not graphite plate?
I'm using a piece of diamond deck plate in the video. I've also used rebar and broken cast iron. Nothing fancy, just mild steel. I WILL NOT use stainless for fear the stainless will leach chromates into the electrolytic solution.
I love it .... safety dog inspected and Okay'd the setup & Richard missed & overlooked the broken/missing ground prong on the charger plug @ 8:23...Yup, that's safe!!!
so are the pan and steel touching under the water?
You have the negative cable inside the water, is that safe?
Loved the vid, I have a question however, can enamel be removed from a cast iron Dutch oven? I purchased a Dutch oven last year and the enamel is already cracking inside of it. I do not want to get rid of it as it cost me a pretty penny to begin with. Plus I love my Dutch oven, it's very upsetting that with all the technology we have today, things of new do not last as long as things of old.....any help would be highly appreciated.
Thanks for the primer on electrolysis, I have a half dozen derelict cast iron pieces that will benefit from this video.
I have put my pans through electrolysis and when i wipe them dry (after scrubbing with green pad and rinsing with water) there always seems to be some black stuff that shows up on the white rag i wipe with. Will that ever go away? The electrolysis worked great otherwise.
Thank you!! You answered all of my questions!!
Does it have to be mild steel or can I use cast iron (e.g. a brake disc from a car)?
Yes to the person that said you really should hang your item to be derusted by a chain or something more solid than your little bent wire then hook your negative clamp to the chain or whatever to keep it out of the soup. Some of that crud on top of the water came from your charger clamp.
I think just about any DC power source should work. I started out with a smaller unit, perhaps 2 to 5 amps, and it got the job done. Just took a little while longer.
Thank you! Very instructable.
I assume you are using 12V since it's a battery charger, but how amps are you using? What kind of steel is the "sacrificial steel" and more importantly, why did you have to sand it down?
What exactly do you mean by "seasoning'? Are you supposed to bake Crisco into cast iron pots/molds etc? Does the cast iron actually absorb this stuff? Why do you have to do it 3 times? Are you wearing pink finger nail polish right at 11:02?
Could you substitute common rock salt for the washing soda? the Na will increase the conductivity of the water? How much amps do you estimate your charger is sourcing to create the electrolysis?
Washing soda is sodium carbonate and, if I recall correctly, there's something about the electron balance of the molecule that makes it ideal for creating the electrolyte solution. It also works well as a laundry detergent booster.
Did some reading after my last reply...Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and it will release chlorine gas if used as an electrolyte. Bad stuff. Better to use washing soda aka sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) which is Sodium, Carbon, Oxygen.
The washing soda can be hard to find in some markets. As an alternative, swimming pool PH increaser is PURE sodium carbonate.
Good idea, but geeze it's like watching paint dry. Sorry. Also, apply lard/crisco with artist's bristle brush like you'd use for oil paints. Works like a dream.
If you don't have a battery charger, what else could you use?
Awesome tutorial and you are funny too
Interesting you'd say that, I'm working on a little bean pot right now that indeed came with a couple inches of lead in the bottom.
Once I'm done with the electrolysis I'll be checking it with lead test swabs, to verify it's clean, before bothering to seasoning it. Guess I'll find out soon...
Can I use a 12 volt 6 amp battery charger?
I have a question about cast iron... Can you cook things that are acidic or will it react..I see The Pioneer Woman make tomatoe sauce in her cast iron skillet...
A friend of mind told me to use copper because it's more conductive. Can you get a copper bar that can be cleaned the same way with an andle grinder?
warmer water means more current. Running current through the cold solution will still heat it up on its own, but starting out with hot water certainly shortens the time to get to decent currents.
Additionally, current likes to take the path of least resistance. That is, if some parts are closer to positive plate, current will favor those paths, thus the reason why some places are not getting as clean.
GREAT video, and cute dog too :) Wife would like your muffin recipes
Everybody has their own take on seasoning. 300, 350, 400 works very well for me.
Applying Crisco to a hot (200 degree F) pan is, IMO, the way to go. Makes it easy to get a THIN even coat.
I've got a cauldron I need to clean that's pitted on the inside and painted black on the outside. Will electrolysis still be a good option? I've never restored old cast iron before
Meagan Mullins Should work fine. to clean the inside submerge the cauldron and hang the sacrificial inside in the center.
I use a hot lye solution soak for half an hour to shift all the burned on crud and that use electrolysis with washing soda, This method will shift oils and paint far more efficiently
What type of steel did you use for your sacrificial anode?
what's the smallest amp charger you can use? I don't think mine has a 40 Amp output like yours...its one of those small, little square ones from Sears. it does cars, motorcycles, lawn tractors and such.
Gate marks. Its most likely 1800s for sure. Im jealous. For your cast iron, keep a roll of Scott Shop Towels (the blue ones).
is there a substitute for the arm adn hammer washing soda? i am really having alot of trouble with finding it without having to have it shipped? thanks
I'm not sure about a substitute but I find mine at Walmart or family dollar in the laundry aisle.
Thanks for your video. I have tried to set up the system, using your information and others from the Web and I can't get the solution to activate. I bought a new Schumacher 6 amp/2 amp (SE-82-6) Manual auto battery charger, but nothing happens. Zip. I have a stainless steel piece about 12 X 12, the washing soda (about 3/4 cup for 8 gallons), and my cast iron pan. The red battery clip went directly to anode and black to pan. Any ideas? Thank you.
Joan Chomak don't use stainless! Use carbon steel. You are going to make some toxic shit with stainless. Do some research.
Hard to believe that's the same pan! What are the risks involved with your electrolysis method; when power is plugged in, the bucket should not be touched, correct? Also, I have what appears to be an old cast iron pan; the only identifier is a 1 inch high #8 on the bottom...Any ideas who the manufacturer may be?
I have a question: Did it happen that a kind of green-looking alga build up on your sacrificial steel plate shortly after powering on your charger? I'm asking this because it happened to me and I was somehow worried having chosen the wrong type of steel! Of course, I would never use stainless steel!
Just curious, how did you dispose of the spent water? I'm assuming it's caustic. Great video and thanks.
Impressive use of technology! The ghosts of muffins past are singing your praises in appreciation!
Terrific video! I'd love to know the provenance of that cast iron muffin pan. You should take it to Antiques Roadshow!
I have a suggestion, replace the end on the charger cord, it needs the ground to be safe, especially around water
is there a rule of thumb for sizing current need for various objects by size? also, should the anode and cathode parts be kept as close as possible (without touching)?
That was a great video! I see 'safety dog' didn't spot the missing ground on battery charger cord! OSHA would be very upset. Keep up the good work!!
Great Job. Good info.
How much time do you ussally take?
question please when you go to season it how long do you cook each coat? thanks dave
Richard that was excellent! I'm breaking out my moms old rusty cast iron and borrowing the charger from my ex (she's the gear head in the family and has a roll away like yours). I'll have to go to Home Depot to find a suitable piece of steel. What if any kind of steel should I look for when I'm there or does it really matter? Asking cause this will be my first adventure with electrolysis.
Can I use EMT steel pipe as my sacrificial piece of steel? The pipe when removed is covered in the white dehydrated washing soda but not much rust!!!! 3 TO 4 times in electrolysis setup per piece to get the piece half way decent, is this common or normal? I get some bubbling and a white thick surface crud on the water but not a lot o rust on top. Thanks Richard please let me know.
I Googled EMT pipe and it looks like it's galvanized with chemicals and zinc to prevent rust and corrosion! I'm guessing that's your problem. I also wonder if the galvanizing on the pipe will release toxic fumes or poison the water! The sacrificial needs to be "mild" untreated steel. I've also started using hot water and maybe 1 or 2 cups washing soda per 5 gallon bucket to make a stronger electrolyte solution. Personally I WILL NOT use stainless or anything fancy for the sacrificial. I only use bare, untreated, mild steel. Proceed at your own risk. .
Richard Gessford When you heat galvanized steel it can off gas and it can and will kill you. So I'm thinking it will do the same here. If it off gasses that is very bad.
Thanks =- Lucky I was not inside the shed smokin a ciggy as I looked over the bucket from a foot distance. Did feel weird as I tried EMT pipe a few times. Never did find the perfect bit of steel, But finished 7 or 8 pieces. and all came out great.
My buddy died from welding galvanized (scarfing) without the proper breathing protection. A slow death. Took about 4 months after the lung damage-heart failure then stroke. He was only 50 yrs old.
hi friend, my attempt at electrolysis didn't seem to work. The clamps from my battery charger are copper and they seem to have left a blue residue on the sacrificial steel, as well as the piece i was trying to salvage. any idea what's going on?
will it remove paint? engine (high temp) paint?
I've not tried using oven cleaner, but I've heard about it. If you do try it, let us know how it works!