Hi,
I decided to try a new combination for restoring a saw plate. I posted a while back on my discovery using autosol and aluminum foil to bring a saw plate to a high polish without having to rely on abrasives. The caveat was that this method only worked on saw plates that weren't badly rusted, but what about the saws that have been very neglected? I still don't want to rely on the heavy use of abrasives on a saw plate, but to remove heavy rust, that's pretty much what you have to rely on, or electrolysis. The problem with electrolysis is that it leaves a dingy gray layer of steel that you have to abrade to get through. So life went on, but one day, I read about someone who used graphite rods for their electrolysis set up, because it is much cleaner and efficient, and the poster specifically mentioned that you don't get a dingy gray layer like when you use steel electrodes. I created an electrolysis tub using carbon electrodes and tested it out on a saw plate. I then proceeded to "foil" the plate. Here are my results on a saw plate that had a very stubborn layer of rust, black rust.
IMG_20140706_174258768 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140706_205755069_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140706_205820446_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
Here is how I created my "ultimate" electrolysis tub using
a 27 Gallon tough plastic tub
Galvanized Wire rope ties
3/4" Carbon Gouging
14ga stranded wire
3 Hanger Bolts, washers and nuts
Rebar Wire ( which will tie into the hanger bolts and hold the item being derusted)
IMG_20140705_165942657_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140706_165912172_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140706_173145304_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
And only Hand tools were used in the construction:
IMG_20140705_154938826_HDR by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140705_154951644 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140705_155528999 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr
IMG_20140706_170102717 by Christian Castillo1, on Flickr