Artifact Restoration By Electrolysis

Shown in the picture are all the things you need to get started. There are many different ways to do electrolysis but this is the way I (Brent) do it. You will need a plastic/non-conductive bucket (5 gal is perfect). A battery charger. Regarless of popular belief, bigger is not always better. Too many amps can "burn" your artifact up. A basic Shumacher 6 amp charger (24.99 at Northern Tool Suppy) is what I use and does a great job. If you use a large charger, pay extra attention. Make sure your charger is a Direct Connect and not one of those cheap, worthless "smart start" chargers. The computer chip in them will read short and it will not work. Next you will need something to make the water caustic. The best thing I have found to work is Arm and Hammer's Super Washing Soda but you can use any kind of baking soda. Next you will need is a sacraficial electrode. In theory, stainless steel works the best but is discouraged because of a toxic chromium reaction that is possible during the breakdown of the sacraficial electrode. Iron rebar or strips of thin regular steel is recommended. Use C clamps or vice grips to hold the saraficial electrode on the other side of the bucket from where your artifact is. MAKE SURE THE ARTIFACT AND THE SACRAFICIAL ELECTRODE DON"T TOUCH! Next you will need plenty of Copper Wire. It has to be flexible to wrap around the piece your cleaning, and make a good connection. 12-18 gauge is the best wire, but use whatever you feel works or is avaliable. Make sure to wrap it well but leave "naked spaces so the rust and corrosion can flake off. The last thing you will need is something to wrap the copper wire around to hook the Negative lead to. I use a copper pipe over the top of the bucket, but you can use a wood 2x4 if no copper pipe is avalible. Just make sure your Negative lead from your charger is connected good to the wire that is wrapped around your piece your cleaning. 

Mix 1/2 cup of soda (washing or baking) to 4 -4 1/2 gallons of water in 5 gal bucket. MIX WELL! Positve lead should be hooked on the electrode while the negative lead shoud be hooked to the piece that is being cleaned. While your artifact is being cleaned, you should see bubbles coming off of the water almost looking like the appearance of boiling soup. The more bubbles you see, the better (better connection). However, just like mentioned before, make sure you don't get your piece too hot (too many amps) or "cook" it for too long. A cannonball or Rifled shell can take from 24 hours to 2 weeks depending on the amount of rust and corrosion. A piece of a cannonbal/shell usually is done within 12-48 hours. You can do multiple items but allow extra time. Real small items take even less time. If your pieces are not getting done fast enough, take them out, unwrap  and take a wire brush to them, rewrap them and put em back in. Sometimes you need to do this to make sure you have good contact with the metal; this should be repeated when a piece is done to clear it of the flaked off corrosion.