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JonL

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BeckyJC Contributor

BeckyJC

Posted
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Magnet fishing is great fun - interesting catches to date have included a very rusty tiller arm (I think!), an anchor with additional bricks attached, numerous windlasses and mooring pins, a friend's lump hammer which he had dropped in a year previous, a full-size shovel, a pub gas canister, and an old-style school chair. Oh, and my keys when I dropped them in.

 

One question though - what is the best way to "restore" rusty windlasses etc that have spent the last few years in the bottom of the cut? I was thinking wire brush and rust-killing hammerite, but never actually got round to trying it. Would be nice to actually make use of all the bounty without turning my hands rust-orange :lol:

 

Becky

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

Posted
Posted (edited)
Magnet fishing is great fun - interesting catches to date have included a very rusty tiller arm (I think!), an anchor with additional bricks attached, numerous windlasses and mooring pins, a friend's lump hammer which he had dropped in a year previous, a full-size shovel, a pub gas canister, and an old-style school chair. Oh, and my keys when I dropped them in.

 

One question though - what is the best way to "restore" rusty windlasses etc that have spent the last few years in the bottom of the cut? I was thinking wire brush and rust-killing hammerite, but never actually got round to trying it. Would be nice to actually make use of all the bounty without turning my hands rust-orange :lol:

 

Becky

Right, I am going to let you into an old Antique Tool Restorers trick that you will not find in many books. It is guaranteed to remove all the rust without causing any damage.

 

You need quite a lot of equipment, so here is a list:-

- A non metatic container large enough to contain the old windlass, (eg an old plastic wasing up bowl)

- A 6v or 12v battery charger (minimum 4amp)

- A strip of Stainless steel

- Sufficient Caustic Soda, or preferrably Sodium Carbonate solution, to fill the non metallic container (mix two tea spoons full to each quart of water)

- A wire brush

- Some soft rag or towelling

 

Method :- Fill the container with the Sodium Carbonate solution; Connect the negative cable from the battery charger to the old windlass and immerse it into the solution (the connecting clip must not be immersed so it may be necessary to do each end in two stages); Connect the positive cable to the strip of stainless steel and immerse that into the solution, taking care not to touch the windlass. Turn the battery charger on and try to achieve an ammeter reading of aproximately 2 amps (moving the stainless steel strip and the windlass closer together, or further apart will help to achieve this.

 

Within a couple of minutes you should be able to observe bubbing around the two pieces of metal, if not check the connections. Allow the process to work for a couple of hours, then switch the charger off and remove the windlass for inspection. It should now have a black residue on it which can easily be removed under a cold water tap. If there is still some rust remaining repeat the process, (it does not matter how long you actually leave the windlass in the solution as the electolysis action will not do any damage). If all the rust has been removed lightly brush the windlass (under water to reduce dust) with the wire brush to remove any black residue from pits, and dry it. The windlass can then either be painted, oiled with linseed oil or polished with beeswax to preserve the surface.

 

I have been using this method to de-rust iron objects for more than twenty years, including the two forged 19th century George Cooke windlasses, that I own, I can confirm that it works, Just one tip, do the job in the shed or the garage, not in the kitchen, it can produce a bit of a mess. Also wear some thin rubber gloves to avoid staining your hands. (that's two tips!!)

Edited by David Schweizer
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Chris Pink Veteran II

Chris Pink

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Posted
your going to need a lot of caustic soda :lol:

 

http://www.reagent.co.uk/sodium-hydroxide/...-pearl-lrg.html

 

 

so......

 

40g per gallon, 50,000 gallons = 2 tonnes of NaOH, at £38.00 for 25 kg is about £3k

 

pricey, though maybe with discount say £1,500

 

now how much stainless do I need or can i use a nearby moored boat with a crocodile clip attached?

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casper ghost Influencer

casper ghost

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The problem is what to do with all the junk that you find on the magnet, in my garage i've a pile of 20 windlasses and a dozen mooring pins. As i generally cruise single handed I can't see the need for more windlasses on my boat.. I keep trying to find that steel jewel chest that some robber must have one day hid in the canal but alas....

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Christine Proficient

Christine

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Posted
so......

 

40g per gallon, 50,000 gallons = 2 tonnes of NaOH, at £38.00 for 25 kg is about £3k

 

pricey, though maybe with discount say £1,500*

now how much stainless do I need or can i use a nearby moored boat with a crocodile clip attached?

 

*Pick some up on the way past Runcorn on the Manchester Ship Canal :lol:

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Slightly Grumpy Gongoozler

Slightly Grumpy

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Posted (edited)
Just as an aside, I use Rare Earth Neodymium Magnets bolted to a plastic plate. You get them out of old computer hard drives. They are about the size and thickness of a 50p piece, but will pull out stuff that weighs 3 times that of a windlass.

:lol:

I got curious about this and found a video showing you how to salvage them from old hard drives

 

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2301828/how_...deopatent_info/

Edited by Slightly Grumpy
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tomandsophie Rising Star

tomandsophie

Posted
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The problem is what to do with all the junk that you find on the magnet, in my garage i've a pile of 20 windlasses and a dozen mooring pins. As i generally cruise single handed I can't see the need for more windlasses on my boat.. I keep trying to find that steel jewel chest that some robber must have one day hid in the canal but alas....

 

You could always leave them at a lock on your local canal - I've lost a couple of windlasses and mooring pins over the last 4 years and would welcome a replacement!

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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Posted
You could always leave them at a lock on your local canal - I've lost a couple of windlasses and mooring pins over the last 4 years and would welcome a replacement!

 

slightly dodgy idea. I see empty pounds all over the place if windlasses are left at locksides...

 

If you find something you don't want to keep it goes back in the cut.

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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:::heaves mattress, moped, and three shopping trolleys into the cut:::

good point.

 

I have to admit when I once got 3 Vespas out I did leave them on the towpath :lol:

and shopping trolleys yes they should be left out too or preferably returned to the shop where they escaped from.

I've not had a mattress out with the magnet so that problem has not presented itself. I think on balance I would leave it on the tow path rather than heave it back in.

 

Leaving windlasses on locks is too risky though.

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pquinn Rising Star

pquinn

Posted
Posted

swiss army knife,windlass,mooring pins,necklace with a love pendant that i threw back in to the lock,piles of hand made nails,in fact i allways wonder why there are so many nails of every shape and size in irish locks,i suppose the really small ones are from old boots/shoes.lump hammer that i dropped in,chains and various odd shaped old things that i cant describe and am to lazy to post pics of.

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JonL Collaborator

JonL

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Thanks for everyone input, I will post a list of my finds next week after my 4 day adventure over the weekend.

Would be great to return a hire boat with more windlasses (plural ?) than I set out with for once !

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  • 5 months later...
Hairy-Neil Veteran

Hairy-Neil

Posted
Posted
Right, I am going to let you into an old Antique Tool Restorers trick that you will not find in many books. It is guaranteed to remove all the rust without causing any damage.

 

You need quite a lot of equipment, so here is a list:-

- A non metatic container large enough to contain the old windlass, (eg an old plastic wasing up bowl)

- A 6v or 12v battery charger (minimum 4amp)

- A strip of Stainless steel

- Sufficient Caustic Soda, or preferrably Sodium Carbonate solution, to fill the non metallic container (mix two tea spoons full to each quart of water)

- A wire brush

- Some soft rag or towelling

 

Method :- Fill the container with the Sodium Carbonate solution; Connect the negative cable from the battery charger to the old windlass and immerse it into the solution (the connecting clip must not be immersed so it may be necessary to do each end in two stages); Connect the positive cable to the strip of stainless steel and immerse that into the solution, taking care not to touch the windlass. Turn the battery charger on and try to achieve an ammeter reading of aproximately 2 amps (moving the stainless steel strip and the windlass closer together, or further apart will help to achieve this.

 

Stainless steel is not a good choice of material for the cathode as, when it degrades, it contaminates the electrolyte with heavy metals such as chromium, making it illegal to dispose of down a drain or watercourse and an offence to transport without a waste carriers licence. Ordinary mild steel works just as well as the stainless without the contaminent problem, though degrades and will need replacing occasionally.

 

The process also only works on line of sight with the cathode, so the parts will need moving about periodically.

 

A solution of Molasses works well too, and doesn't need the battery charger. You just chuck the windlass in and return a month later

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twocvbloke Rising Star

twocvbloke

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Stainless steel is not a good choice of material for the cathode as, when it degrades, it contaminates the electrolyte with heavy metals such as chromium, making it illegal to dispose of down a drain or watercourse and an offence to transport without a waste carriers licence. Ordinary mild steel works just as well as the stainless without the contaminent problem, though degrades and will need replacing occasionally.

 

The process also only works on line of sight with the cathode, so the parts will need moving about periodically.

 

A solution of Molasses works well too, and doesn't need the battery charger. You just chuck the windlass in and return a month later

 

Or just chuck it into a tub full of coca cola, the Phosphoric acid in that is a great metal cleaner, just don't drink it when you're done using it... :lol:

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