what is electrolisis ??

[Green1]

how can i get 1 and about how much ?? what are the downfalls if any ?? thanks for any info

[cryptodave]

You can make one yourself.
Look for a topic by a Floater (WOULD YOU PLEASE COME BACK!?!?!?!), and he outlines how to make one very cheap out of mostly household goods. The posts would be listed under the cleaning and preserving forum, and the titles concern cookie coins from the shark pit.

[jeremiah212]

you build em yourself...now that i have had one for a while i could not imagine being without it..

i made mine from a car battery charger i got from a auto store..i like it cause you can change the current and amperage ...

[cryptodave]

OK, I'll make it easy for you.... Here is the link:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.p...c,10898.0.html

He made it out of a plastic folgers can.

[PBK]

Electrolysis or electrolytic cleaning is actually reverse electroplating. In other words, instead of adding material to the surface of a coin, you're taking it away.

It's easy to do, but also easy to overdo. Coins should be checked frequently during cleaning to avoid damage.

It generally works well on silver and copper.

Sometimes it does a good job on brass, and sometimes not— due at least in part to the metals (and their percentages) in that particular alloy.

As a rule it should not be used on nickels. (Nickels are actually 75% copper, and electrolysis can cause it to give the coins a pink or orange tint.)

Floater's rig, as mentioned in earlier posts, is a good one. Here are some links to other pages that will tell you how to build your own electrolysis cleaner at little or no cost:

http://www.mycoincollecting.com/coll...ctrolysis.html

http://www.tomstreasures.com/elec.htm

http://ighunters.net/metal/electrolysis/equip.htm

[Michigan Badger]

I've been using electrolysis for about 20 years now. It's super simple and the others above have posted all you need.

Just remember the DC (direct current) power source has two wires. One is negative and the other positive. Make sure you get the negative to the coin. The current will then flow from the coin to the stainless steel spoon.

Always use a stainless spoon, never any other metal. Other metals will discolor the coin.

So use a car battery charger, computer power supply, or whatever. You can often find these at thrift shops for 50 cents to $1.

If possible, buy stainless steel clips to hold the coin or whatever.

BAD SIDE: Too much electrolysis can ruin a coin or artifact. I've found that exposure to it for too long can eat away coin detail and it will weaken metal (makes it brittle).

Electrolysis is THE GREAT REVEALER. It reveals the true condition of any metal object.

It's only to be used when all other methods fail.

It should only be used long enough to bring out enough detail to attribute the coin or artifact.

It's one of many methods. It's not the whole ballgame.

Badger P.S. I've got a badly corroded iron relic in electrolysis at this very moment.