MGB GT Restoration

[Springerdinger]

Hi Angusdog

I am going to make a circular Anode to go round the smaller stuff using some 1.2mm sheet .

I am also going to have longer Anodes to line the full size vat for larger stuff.
I tested this yesterday to see if the charger can cope.

My vat is about 4ft long 2 ft wide and I now have two more smaller vats to set up
thanks to a generous benifactor with six wheel rangerover
Lots of bits to do

I have 3kg of soda crystals in the vat adding 1 1kg bag at a time - you can see the difference in conductivity as you add more - once they stop disolving that must be the limit. No sign of any precipitation after the hour

The crystals were 90p a bag from the stripy supermarket -
Can't wait to try again but it will be friday before I can run it for the day

I will make my new electrodes on thursday- I will post pics of the set up

 

[Norm]

Hi Springerdiger, I recently used electrolysis to clean up some lathe tools, made up a framework of 10mm square bar to line the tank so all sides were covered and the items were encased and left it running for 48 hours, a quick wire brush and a rinse off afterwards and they came up really well, leaving them in for that amount of time didn't seem to have any detrimental affects at all, seems to only attack the corroded areas.
Norm

 

[Springerdinger]

Thanks norm, Thats a great idea
what sort of ampage did you run for the 48 hours?

Cheers Chris

 

[Norm]

Hi Chris, I was just using an old 12 volt battery charger that indicated about 2 - 3 amps on the gauge, can't say how accurate that is but that increased a little if I made the solution stronger by adding more soda crystals, this was my first go at this so it was a bit trial an error, there may be more knowledagble members who know better but this worked for me without harming the items to be de -rusted
Norm

 

[Angusdog]

As an illustration, the attached pics show my results on a rusted rear mirror arm from a Commer van. Cheapo auto battery charger. The muck in the bucket was clean washing soda solution, the photo shows it after 12 hours.

 

[Springerdinger]

Great results Angusdog - The way the weathers going the welder/grinder will be quiet over Easter, so maybe some derusting is in order.


Cheers

Chris

 

[droopsnoot]

I've used this and the Citric acid method, I would agree that the Citric is pretty much the same as a brand-name product that someone else mentioned.

I read somewhere that the amount of soda you put in doesn't really make much difference - it's there to alter the acidity of the water (which alters conductivity) - once you hit the right combination, sticking a load more in won't help. I typically put about a tablespoon into a container that's around 18" x 36", I use one of those under-bed plastic storage boxes.

I also read somewhere that you can sometimes have problems with automatic chargers not giving enough current, so put the charger onto a dead battery, and then wire that to the workpiece - the load from the battery fools the charger into putting more current out.

I've had good results on a lot of items, and I can't say I've really noticed the line-of-sight thing very much. I have a piece of new steel U-section along one side of the box, and the workpiece on the other side, and generally don't have to move it around. That said, I'm usually doing quite thin pieces rather than stuff like brake drums, so maybe that helps.

I've used Citric acid over the winter - I don't like leaving electrical stuff switched on while I'm not at the shed "just in case" as it's some distance from home. One weekend I got there to find that my 3'x1.5' tub of water had frozen solid into a large ice-cube.

 

[Epicyclic]

I'm going to try this over Easter, sounds like it might be just the job for some fiddly brackets I've been putting of doing.

Thanks to all who have contributed, perhaps the topic should be a "sticky" in the forum? (if there isn't one already...)
Cheers, H.

 

[MG David]

It hasn't worked! (I don't see how soda electrolysis could remove rust chemically).

If you want to remove all the rust from those drums, get some citric acid from Ebay (rom a brewing or cosmetics supplier etc), make a 5% solution in an old washing bowl and leave to soak overnight- all rust gone!

Then rinse with water and to prevent flash rusting, brush the surface with 5 - 10% phosphoric acid solution.

Certainly do not buy any powders or solutions from well known manufacturers that I'm not allowed to mention on this forum. These are just citric and oxalic acid sold in a bottle with a fancy label.

For the citric acis is that 5% by weight or volumn?

 

[rtcosic]

I'm going to try this over Easter, sounds like it might be just the job for some fiddly brackets I've been putting of doing.

Thanks to all who have contributed, perhaps the topic should be a "sticky" in the forum? (if there isn't one already...)
Cheers, H.

Extensively covered in the past

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12686

links to deeper theory and to past threads on this forum

 

[droopsnoot]

Yes, we've dragged this thread far enough off-topic already from the original MGBGT rebuild thread.

 

[Springerdinger]

A bit more work on the the back of the car today
The rear light wing tips are real rust traps on MGB'S and both sides had gone on mine.
I did a partial repair on both sides a while back but wanted to tidy things up a bit more.
Both sides have been done today, A few more pics

 

[Springerdinger]

This was a real tight space but managed to lie in the car into the corner and do a bit of left handed welding.

Did a bit more remedial work on the outside of the light mount.

 

[Epicyclic]

I bet you were glad to get out of there, it looks a good fit to the light - nice one!

 

[KICKSY]

I take my hat off to anyone that has to work outside
I like a restored classic MG, nice work well done.

 

[Springerdinger]

Cheers KICKSY, enjoying your thread as well.
The pond liners have been a huge benifit.

Saturday was the day to start attacking the oil cooler tray. This is the area in front of the radiator where a small oil cooler sits.
The car had some damage to the support under the cooler tray possibly from being grounded in its distant past. The torsion bar is also a little curved in the middle- So maybe grounded or possibly jacked up under the tray and torsion bar.

 

[Springerdinger]

So the old cooler tray has been stripped out revealing the support tray.
The pictures are after some straightening.
I have stopped at this point while I decide wether to cut this support tray out and put a new one in instead, or stick with this one and clean it up.

the new tray cost about £20.00, the original is probably thicker metal and although rusty is solid - Its the restore or replace dilema. A new one will be easy to fit and will be nice and straight

The good news is the chassis rails are nice and solid and should clean up a treat.

 

[DaveB]

Check the anti roll bar mounts while the top is off the chassis legs, it would be a shame to find one of the nut inserts is coming loose after welding it all back together.

Dave

 

[Springerdinger]

Its a good point Dave, Thanks
I think I will upgrade the anti roll bar when I redo the front suspension and cross member, so those nuts will need to be properly fixed.

Cheers

Chris

 

[DaveB]

If your going to upgrade the bar then cut the nuts out of the chassis rail and weld in a piece of 1/2" thick bar with the threads cut in it. Covers you against the threads pulling out or the rail collapsing between them, also use decent polyurethane bar mounts instead of the original rubber.

Dave