JCinNJ
Full Member
Works great for those "uncleaned" roman coins you can get on EBAY, beach finds, heavily corroded items etc.
All you need is a low voltage transformer, two alligator clips, a glass or plastic container, water, an electrolyte (salt, baking soda, lemon juice etc.) a stainless steel spoon and you are ready to go. Solder or twist each wire onto an alligator clip, fill your container with water and electrolyte, attach one clip to the anode (spoon or carbon brush) and one to the item to be cleaned (cathode) and plug it in. Lower voltage transformers will take longer but are less apt to damage an item. I use a 9 volt. Be careful not to have the anode and cathode touch while plugged in or you will trash the transformer. You can even use a car battery charger in a bigger setup to clean much larger items.
The most important things to know are that the coin or the object to be cleaned should be the one fizzing once you plug it it. This should be done either outdoors or in a well ventilated area as the process releases oxygen and hydrogen (think Hindenburg) and the process does release heavy metals into the water so if you are going to do it on a regular basis, a much more eco friendly way to do this is by using carbon brushes. Check out Tom Ross' setup here. He does twenty items at a time.
http://tomross.ancients.info/Electrolysis/Carbon Electrode Zapper.htm
I really don't know much more than that but it works, it's fun and it's neat.
Warning! Do not use on a coin you may think is valuable. It works great on silver but apparently may occasionally leave microscopic bubble on the surface. Still, it will leave it better looking than baking soda or toothpaste without the scratches. It will strip the patina off a copper coin so I only use it on those that are so encrusted with corrosion that you can't identify or read the dates. I discovered I had a couple of IHs with dates that I thought were Lincolns using this process.
Also, do this at your own risk and I strongly suggest you read up on the process before proceeding.
HH
- joe
All you need is a low voltage transformer, two alligator clips, a glass or plastic container, water, an electrolyte (salt, baking soda, lemon juice etc.) a stainless steel spoon and you are ready to go. Solder or twist each wire onto an alligator clip, fill your container with water and electrolyte, attach one clip to the anode (spoon or carbon brush) and one to the item to be cleaned (cathode) and plug it in. Lower voltage transformers will take longer but are less apt to damage an item. I use a 9 volt. Be careful not to have the anode and cathode touch while plugged in or you will trash the transformer. You can even use a car battery charger in a bigger setup to clean much larger items.
The most important things to know are that the coin or the object to be cleaned should be the one fizzing once you plug it it. This should be done either outdoors or in a well ventilated area as the process releases oxygen and hydrogen (think Hindenburg) and the process does release heavy metals into the water so if you are going to do it on a regular basis, a much more eco friendly way to do this is by using carbon brushes. Check out Tom Ross' setup here. He does twenty items at a time.
http://tomross.ancients.info/Electrolysis/Carbon Electrode Zapper.htm
I really don't know much more than that but it works, it's fun and it's neat.
Warning! Do not use on a coin you may think is valuable. It works great on silver but apparently may occasionally leave microscopic bubble on the surface. Still, it will leave it better looking than baking soda or toothpaste without the scratches. It will strip the patina off a copper coin so I only use it on those that are so encrusted with corrosion that you can't identify or read the dates. I discovered I had a couple of IHs with dates that I thought were Lincolns using this process.
Also, do this at your own risk and I strongly suggest you read up on the process before proceeding.
HH
- joe
