OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Idle Chatter Molasses tubs

Well today guys I started my war on rusty parts, first up I went to Roberts and bought a 20L tub of Molasses $39 and cut the top off a Blue drum then screwed some white food grade rubber around the lid so it would seal and not blow off, run out the hose from the hot tap and 1/3rd filled it and sat the 20L tub of Molasses in it to get it a bit runny, then poured the tub in leaving about 1 1/2L in the small tub, then some hot water in there as well and mixed up both drums to get the Molasses mixed well, topped up both drums with cold mixing as I went, bent up a couple of bits of round to sit across the top to hang the parts on. One drum for the big stuff and one for the small stuff, now full of parts so sit back and wait for the magic

hey jonesy .i use electrolysis as its much quicker. a rotomo base being transformed

Ha, see my next post, im giving it a go as well, just you dont have to keep watch on the Molasses and there are no running costs.

Apple Cider Vinegar works wonders..

I've used it do De-Rust every thing from electric motors to kitchen forks..

I'll Find a link to information about ACV At a later date..

Kori

Kori, how long had your Rotomo base been in when you took that photo? Your anode set up seems to work well also, good work with the wheel barrow, thats damn near Aussy right there

I'm not sure who you are addressing.. I've never put a Whole mower base in ACV and I don't think I've ever posted any pictures..

On Another Note, I found the links to ACV Restoration.. They are Here

Kori

Apolagies Kori, I ment Gizmo got the posts mixed up, yes I went looking for the ACV after you mentioned it and the use of baking soda after wards to nutralise the acid of the vinigar

I have used electrolysis for many many years. I use a 1000lt tank and a old type battery charger About 12 years ago I put it 10kg of washing soda and add nothing since
'on going cost??' all but nothing * less than buying Molasses * it only uses 12volt and the time taken maybe up to 6/8 hrs small objects only a few hours and the power meter hardly moves
You often can't pull things apart, put in the electrolysis bath with a few leads on at different spots run it at 8/10amps for 3 to 4 hrs and then you will find most parts will come apart
The BIG thing with electrolysis over molasses (which works) is time, is it is done today not in 3/4 weeks time
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm
My set up

gday jonesy .thats only 12 hours.very fast. i used a pc pwr supply using the 5 volt 16 amp output. seemed to work way better than the 12 volts for me.my anode is a cast bbq plate that worked extremely well. actually the cast iron has been the best anode so far

IanOZ, i did not say I was an expert at this stuff as I have only started off, I will say it is easy to judge people on what they are doing wrong rather than post what is a proven method over 12 years of experience, thanks for your input I will take note of your advise, but some things you dont have to hurry so the molasses works for me in some cases, I did not stipulate this was the best way of going about rust removal but just what I have set up as well as an experiment electryolis bath, any further info on the subject would be most welcome.

Gizmo, a PC power supply OK will give that a go as I have a couple kicking around.

Hi jonesy
I did not mean to step on anybody's toes and I don't think I called any body a expert, sorry
YES I have used Molasses did so for about two years and with a number of sugar mills just down the road and up the road got it for free
It was not until I put a job in with some alloy on it and 'oops' the alloy vanished
also I was starting to have containers all over the place forgetting what was it what bucket. The Molasses does not last long before it goes of???
I know one thing when you tip out the Molasses and water it into the grass does it turn real green and grow fast
Does electrolysis attack alloy YES but slow I have put in a alloy mower base to remove all the old paint and other crap and checked it every 1hr and about 4hrs latter after a jet blast of water all clean like new
Ian

well I got some of the parts out of my tubs the other day and they were better than I thought, as I did not clean any oil or paint off berore putting them in, I had herd the molasses does not work well for removing paint or oil etc but after a wire brush and a hose down 98% of the paint was gone and the areas were there was oil all cleaned up well, I had put the parts in on thw 2nd Jan so they were in there for a while, but thats fine I have not needed any of the parts before now, so if anyone is considering a molasses tub or two I can recomend it, I have also been useing the electrolysis tub flat out as well and that works great also but I think they both have their uses. hope this helps someone else.
I would love a set up like yours IanOz as my small tank is fairly limited by size so now I know what they can do I will think about a bigger set up.

Hi Jonesy, you didn't happen to take any before and after pictures did you?

I've been using molasses on my lawn and garden for a while now and I've been curious about trying it for rust removal. I'll have to give it a go. Cheers