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Thread: Quite pleased with electrolysis results

  1. #1

    Quite pleased with electrolysis results

    Too much of the white stuff on the ground to go detecting so I decided to build a 5 gallon electrolysis unit to start cleaning up some iron relics. I was happy with the results on my first attempt on a little hatchet I found last time out.

    Before:



    After:



    Here's my set up. I had everything I needed hanging around the house already. I had an old battery charger (manual kind, automatic chargers no good), and some rebar that I used for the sacrificial anodes.



    Below is another hatchet going in for treatment.

    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  2. #2
    Elite Member Digger_O'Dell's Avatar
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    Looks good!
    Equipment:
    Minelab: CTX 3030, GPX 4800, X-Terra 705. Whites TDI SL.

    2023 Silver: 1 Gold: 0

    Best finds: 28 silver dime spill, 1800s Dutch customs seal.
    Oldest/best coins: 1837 Upper Canada large cent, 1877 Seated Dime
    Oldest find: 1800 Sailors Luck token
    You Tube: Rediscovering America

  3. #3
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    I like it ! I really should make one this winter
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  4. #4
    Did you decide if that first hatchet is a colonial tomahawk or not?
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  5. #5
    That was an excellent job on the hatchet!
    XP Deus

  6. #6
    Full Member Robbie's Avatar
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    Here`s my set-up
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by DaddyDigger View Post
    Did you decide if that first hatchet is a colonial tomahawk or not?
    Hey DD, I haven't quite figured that out yet. I've looked at a thousand pics of axes, hatchets and tomahawks and really haven't found a match yet. The handle eye is oval and only like 5/8 by 1/2 inch. There are some tomahawks that have a very narrow haft like that. I might have to spend $20 and send pics and measurements to an expert if I want a definitive ID.


    Nice compact set up you have there Robbie.
    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  8. #8
    Global Moderator Ill Digger's Avatar
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    I'd be pleased with results like that too!
    Turned out good!
    Some days you get the corn, some days you get the cob
    ​Oldest coin: ​70 B.C. "Harlow Flyer" gold qtr. Stater
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1814 Capped Bust Dime

  9. #9
    Candidate Member
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    Can you share a link to the plans for one of these.
    It looks simple to build looking at the pics, not sure what the liquid is? What to set the charger at?
    How long for results?
    Thanks
    BT
    Last edited by bigdob; 02-11-2017 at 10:03 AM. Reason: Spelling
    Thanks BD


  10. #10
    Full Member Robbie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigdob View Post
    Can you share a link to the plans for one of these.
    It looks simple to build looking at the pics, not sure what the liquid is? What to set the charger at?
    How long for results?
    Thanks
    BT
    I read about this method a few years ago. I was a little nervous about it at first (not to get zapped) or fry my coin. The liquid is water, the higher the amps the faster it takes. I use about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water. At first I used a s.s spoon for the neg., but I ruined a lot of spoons that way. I now use a carbon rod. Using in a well vented area. You can use a phone jack adapter and metal alligator clips( not the copper ones)instead of a charger. Hope this helps.

  11. #11
    Full Member Robbie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lodge Scent View Post
    Hey DD, I haven't quite figured that out yet. I've looked at a thousand pics of axes, hatchets and tomahawks and really haven't found a match yet. The handle eye is oval and only like 5/8 by 1/2 inch. There are some tomahawks that have a very narrow haft like that. I might have to spend $20 and send pics and measurements to an expert if I want a definitive ID.


    Nice compact set up you have there Robbie.
    Thanks ,it`s like a science project

  12. #12
    I pretty much used this guy's design.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enymJGPbtf4

    Here are some of my iron relics after electrolysis. Wish I had "before" pics. Some relics like that horse were barely recognizable. I use sections of rebar for the sacrificial anode and 2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water. One very good tip I picked up from Aquachigger's video was to drill a hole into your large iron relics and insert a screw, then attach the alligator clip to the screw. Much better and faster results that way because you have a good connection. My charger has 3 settings. I usually use the highest (6 amp, 12 volt). Needless to say, you need to keep your head in the game and do things safely. Depending on the size of the relic and the amount of rust, it usually takes 2 to 5 days. I'll stop it once or twice to brush off loose rust and reposition the relic.

    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  13. #13
    That did come out really nice!
    -------------------
    Oldest coin: Roman Silver Denarius (Titus) 79-81 AD / Oldest US coin: 1786-1788 NJ Copper (x4)
    Best relics: Medieval lead seal matrix (1200s) / 1789 George Washington Inaugural Button (x2)
    Deus II / Equinox 900 - Personal website: www.Detectorist.com

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