Electro question

[Scott Ryan]

Ok, end of season, getting cold. I got 4 pieces dirt cheap. Dropped one in the electro that was totally crud city, the others in Lye until freeze hits. BUT, After 3 hours I looked at the one I put in the electro and wow, no lye needed and near done. Ok, the bath is crap, I can see that. But the question would be this. Is there any reason other than trashing the electro tank that we don't just drop them in? I mean why put them in lye for a couple days if the electro will wipe it in hours? The only reason I can think of is how it trashes the electro. BUT, this is end of season so I'm not caring cause it's getting dumped. Anyone?

[Paul Beer]

Scott, I live in Arizona so don't have the problem with the freezing, but I never use lye...just put it in the electro and it takes care of it. Doesn't bother the electro...I just have to add water every so often due to evaporation. My set up is a plastic garbage can with a stainless steel liner insert and hook the positive clamp on the top edge of the liner and the neg on the item and hang it on a piece of PVC pipe across the top....

[Scott Ryan]

.... but I never use lye...just put it in the electro

This is really what I'm considering for next year. I got 4 Sidney O's dirt cheap, thought with the cold coming I might not have enough time to do them all. Wow, all 4 in the electro in 24 hours. Now they are all in my oven waiting to cook. I've also realized you don't have to season them all right away. I've cleaned them, washed them, and got them ready. I'll do them tomorrow even though I know in this coated state they are good for a week or more, and if stored in the oven, most likely someone will try to bake and help it alaong.

[James Wilson]

I use caustic as a first step in the process because, often the electro is not required as a follow-on step. Also I like to keep my electro reasonably clean of food, fat and other crud.
When the electro is getting too murky I let it settle then decant off the majority of liquid. The remaining liquid with its oxides is poured into a shallow tray then placed safely in the sun and allowed to evaporate, leaving the residue behind. The remaining clean liquid is reused and strengthened with washing soda as need.

[Duke Gilleland]

Scott, I live in Arizona so don't have the problem with the freezing, but I never use lye...just put it in the electro and it takes care of it. Doesn't bother the electro...I just have to add water every so often due to evaporation. My set up is a plastic garbage can with a stainless steel liner insert and hook the positive clamp on the top edge of the liner and the neg on the item and hang it on a piece of PVC pipe across the top....

DITTO! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] I hang mine off an old single tree across the top ;D

[Clay Coppage]

I see no reason to do anything with them before the electro tank. I've put semi-clean skillets, and extremely gunked up skillets in the tank, and they both come out the same. I just replace water due to evaporation and skim off gunk from the top after a skillet. I started off with the self cleaning oven to clean my skillets, but after having one crack, I prefer the electro tank.