Home galvanisation

[Joey Shabadoo]

A neighbour has asked me to restore some garden tools that used to belong to her father. Most were no problem but the lawn rake has had it. I went to give her it back but she's asked me to clean it up and she'll use it as a garden ornament. It's heavily rusted and parts are quite fragile, so vigorous wire brushing is out. I can get the rust off by electrolysis but then a coat of Hammerite will look a bit yucky. So I was thinking of galvanising it. A quick google says I need Zinc Sulphate but this looks to be a bit difficult to get in powder form in a decent quantity as it's a health supplement. However, I can get Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164997828003?hash=item266aa30da3:g:evkAAOSwgZ1XtEi2 Is this ok to use in a tank with a battery charger to galvanise steel? If it works with the rake, I might try galvanising some of the metal roses I make.

 

[figbat]

Assuming you’ll be dissolving it in water then it should be fine, as the heptahydrate is just some water bound up in the crystals. Once dissolved in water it’ll be no different than if you’d used the anhydrous powder.

 

[classic33]

They say they have it in stock.
https://sourcechemicals.com/product/zinc-sulphate-heptahydrate-99-0-102-0-acs-usp/pack/sczsulph-1kg

Or if you need a bit more, there's
https://www.platergroup.co.uk/zinc-sulphate

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Might not need that much. Ordered some off eBay so I'll have a go later this week.

 

[Milkfloat]

Might not need that much. Ordered some off eBay so I'll have a go later this week.

Let us know how you get on please, would be interested to see the methodology and results.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Let us know how you get on please, would be interested to see the methodology and results.

Wouldn't have worked. Need the surface to be pristine and there's no way I can do that with a heavily rusted old lawn rake. Got all the stuff now though so might find a wee project.