Cleaning coins and small finds

[SPWalker]

idea To all

What you need is an electrolysis system. You can make your own and here is how.

1. Find in your house a transformer says 6 watt or so. This is the type of thing that we use on plug-ins for calculators. I use a T.I. CLASS 2 TRANSFORMER. The output is DC 6V and Input is AC 120V 60Hz 6W. They are common and are DC units so no 110 volt stuff.
2. Get a small plastic or glass container like a cooking cup.
3. Baking soda.
4. Take the transformer, cut the wires at the end, and strip the wire back.
5. Note that one end will be positive and the other negative. The one with the stripe should be the positive end. But you will want to check it to be sure.
6. Mix two teaspoons of baking soda in a cup of water, (This is non corrosive un-like salt). This is your conductor.
7. Place a stainless steel spoon or knife in the solution with the negative wire clipped to it. I use a steel clip for papers like you get at the office.
8. Place the object you like on the positive clip. This will clean the object by way of an ionic method. Keep the object in the solution and not the clip holding it. You must have a metal to metal connection to the wire
9. Watch the object closely, after a time go to the sink, and brush it with a toothbrush. This will lift off the scum.
10. Start with an item you can stand to damage to verify you have the polarity correct (copper penny). The positive end should be the one that bubbles. The gas is CO2.

You will find that this work very well with scum and actually re-builds the object back by forcing the separated atoms back onto the object that has corroded off. The system acts like a car battery in reverse. It is safe and will not scare the object.

You will learn how to do it better when you work at it. It turns the solution black so do not get it on the carpet or the wife will beat you for it.

After a hunt I look forward to the cleaning to see what I really have.

Let me know how it works. Or if you have questions.

Later

SWalker

 

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[dodgers11]

I've tried this and it works really well. It's a bit slow if you have a lot of stuff to clean but does a good job. One word of caution, look on the transformer and check its amp rating. It should say something like 600mA, 900mA, etc. etc. I wouldn't recommend anything over 11-1200mA because it tends to start depleting the object being cleaned.

 

[Chiz]

Yipper.... here are some before and after pics.... click on "metal detecting" on the top right.....

http://thegenerationrocks.net/treasure/index.htm

 

[dalef]

I've tried this method on a few coins (clad quarters) and wind up with a copper color on the coins that is hard to remove. What am I doing wrong? I usually let them go for 5-7 minutes. Too long?

Thanks.

 

[Kent]

I've tried this method on a few coins (clad quarters) and wind up with a copper color on the coins that is hard to remove. What am I doing wrong? I usually let them go for 5-7 minutes. Too long?

Thanks.

Are your clips copper? Try the chrome clips. And don't mix coins while doing this. Keep pennies separate from silver/clad.

 

[lab rat]

I did this once with a Mercury dime and regretted it, so I've never done it again. The coin had been exposed to ocean salts for decades, but when I found it it would have graded XF to AU, even though it was a solid grey-black color. After zapping it it rapidly went to a G-AG condition as the oxidized silver fell off the coin, leaving plenty of deep pits. I hope you guys are having better luck.

 

[Chiz]

One thing you need is an adjustable arm or stay. if the coin and the power source ( anode / cathode ) are too close together, then you will fry the coin. Just move the arm until the coin starts to "fizz". wait a couple minutes, take the coin out, rinse it with fresh water ( clean stuff off by rubbing between your fingers ), flip it around and do everything again. at the end i normally put a little baking soda in the palm of my hand, slightly wet, then rub the coin on both sides. Some of them come out looking brand new!

HH
Chiz
8)

ps. you can do more than one coin at a time but you need a little more amperage ( which is a lot more dangerous ).

 

[Chiz]

Forgot about this one..... Just made kind of a tutorial on my site, no external link yet but here it is!

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

HH
Chiz

 

[jeff of pa]

Nice Link Chiz, Thanks

 

[zommbee]

According to Garrett's book, you should NEVER mix coin types in the same
solution. Use one bath for copper, one for nickel, one for silver, one for
gold, etc. And that means separate electrode clips for each type. Otherwise
you're cleaning process will DEPOSIT dissolved metal on your find. Your
nickels will turn reddish from copper, etc. Haven't tried any of this myself,
but it makes sense and I've read this caution several places.

Zommbee

 

[Chiz]

According to Garrett's book, you should NEVER mix coin types in the same
solution. Use one bath for copper, one for nickel, one for silver, one for
gold, etc. And that means separate electrode clips for each type. Otherwise
you're cleaning process will DEPOSIT dissolved metal on your find. Your
nickels will turn reddish from copper, etc. Haven't tried any of this myself,
but it makes sense and I've read this caution several places.

Zommbee

Yip you are right!!! and thanks for bringing up a point that I didn't put in my steps (now to be added)! you don't have to have different clips for the different coins, BUT, I do clean them off after one or the other and so should you! I mixed them on purpose a couple times and now have a couple rose collored nickels and copper tinted dimes... lol... that's how you learn!

8)