Questions about lye tank

T

Tony Gilliam

Member
Not being happy with results from spray oven cleaner, I finally got all my bits and pieces together to make a lye tank and electrolysis tank.
I have reread this sites directions on the use of lye but still have some questions.
For the lye tank I got a 5 gallon plastic bucket with an airtight Gamma seal lid, I cant find pure lye so I got some Great Value drain cleaner. It is 2.5 quarts.
My questions
#1 How much of this stuff should I put in about 4 gallons of water?
#2 Is it going to build pressure under the Gamma lid?
#3 Is any off gas produced flammable?

E tank to be put together soon, I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions then.

Tony
 
No to 2 and 3 if using pure lye, but you really need to find a product that is 100% sodium hydroxide crystals. That product contains chlorine.
 
Not sure why you can't find lye/sodium hydroxide. Lowes carries it, but it's in the plumbing section and not in the household cleaner section. Home Depot and Ace Hardware also have it. If push comes to shove, you can order it on line on ebay.
 
There is a heavy drug problem in my community, I think that is a reason for the total absence of pure lye. I have checked all of the above mentioned stores and pure lye is not available here.
The drain cleaner that I have purchased already, has sodium hydroxide as its first ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, then sodium silicate. It doesn't list at what percentage each ingredient is.
I guess my next questions are,
#1 are the above listed chemical going to be detrimental to my CI?
#2 can I put too much of this 2.5 Qt. bottle in 4 gallons of water?
#3 Is it flammable?

I gotta work with what is available to me. I don't want buy On line cause I'm scared of getting ripped off, Yea I'm old.

I may throw some of these foreign make pans in it as a test, just to see how it goes.

Tony
 
Doug, I have checked my local store. They say they have it on line but when I go and try to get it at the store they look at me like I'm a drug lord. I have tried to get pure lye.

In all of our surrounding counties it is legal to own a hedge hog but not Richland county. I don't know why?

I think the drug problem has the surrounding stores trying to help or afraid to carry pure lye.
Tony

---------- Post added at 03:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:59 PM ----------

I appreciate all your help, but I can't get pure lye, I have been looking for 6 months locally. So I have to try this inferior product. I will start with 1/2 a bottle with some junk pans. Guess it will give me some practice with seasoning. Thanks for all your comments
Tony
 
I would check the aisle location at Lowe's shown online. It says they have 9 in stock. If it's not there, go to customer service, explain what you are looking for and why, and see if they keep it in a lock-up or something.

Sodium hypochlorite is chlorine bleach, and there will likely be noxious gasses. There is no certainty that putting it in a tightly sealed container will not pose a hazard. There is also no way to tell you how much of the stuff you have is too much (or too little).
 
I guess I will go check tomorrow to see if I can get it, Thanks Doug and everybody for your input.
I have been really eager to get some pans in the bucket, but it is my thoughts to error on the side of caution and wisdom.

I'm just really frustrated that I can't find what I need to clean a frickin pan and enjoy my hobby
Thanks Tony
 
I found it at Lowes. They kept it in the back and I had to show my ID to buy it, but I finally got it. :icon_thumbsup:
 

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Tony looking forward to seeing your pans finished. Post up a few pictures when you get them done. I have a few here myself Ive picked up last few months and thought about doing a lye tank for myself. I'm looking to find a few more this year and in the long run it would be better than oven cleaner.

Happy holidays all
Steve,
 
Prepare to be amazed! I'm on my fourth batch and I'm still amazed at how quick and well it removes so much gunk! It's so black you can't see anything under the surface. The 50/50 vinegar bath is equally amazing if you rinse the pieces first so you can watch the entire item change colors right before your eyes!
 
My daughter is a Asst Manager at Lowes and I just asked her if she could get me lye. She said her store carries drain cleaner also but not straight lye. Our area code is known for meth and you have to have a script for some over the counter cold meds, can't buy Iodine (farmers use it on animals cuts and scrapes) and it looks like Lye.

I'm getting my e tank set up soon so I'm not concerned but I was curious as if the 417 area of the country can get it.
 
Just a thought Carmen. When ever the assistant manager tells me what I don't want to hear, I go to the manager and 90% of the time get what I want.

Hilditch
 
Carmen Kuhn said:
My daughter is a Asst Manager at Lowes and I just asked her if she could get me lye.
Click to expand...
The first mistake lies (no pun intended) in asking for lye. You're looking for a drain cleaning product you happen to know is 100% sodium hydroxide (aka lye). I looked online at 5 different Lowe's in different towns in your area code. All have the product referenced in my reply above showing in stock now.

Also, sodium hydroxide is a white crystal. Not sure how it could be confused with iodine.
 
4 days in the lye tank, 1/2 hour in vinegar, very minimal scrubbing and the pans look great. Now I want to redo all my pans. Thanks Doug.
Tony
 
Tony,

I'm tuning in a little late in this discussion, but my 2 cents worth…

I've been using food grade 100% sodium hydroxide beads since I started cleaning iron two years ago. I get mine online from Essential Depot and they have different deals at various times. Right now, a 2 lb bottle is about $12.50 with free shipping. It's worked well for me, with 3+ pounds in a 15 gallon tank.
 
Doug, I was just stating different things we use that we can't purchase easily or at all because of the darn meth makers and dealers in our area. Iodine is a great product for taking care of our farm animals if they get a wound or to dip navels in etc. other products have been made but they don't work as well.

As for asking my daughter, she was home so I just asked her and she looked it up. She wouldn't with hold something. I obviously didn't give her the proper name to look up.
 
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