Hey, this guy I know wants to make a cheap cell for sodium (maybe potassium) chlorate. He is planning on using a 5 gal. plastic bucket with steel for the cathode and carbon rods for the anode. Will this work? How much could it yield? thanks.

Ones success in electrolytic cells is more closely proportional to how much studying they have put into it... not so much the size of a bucket.

If they set up everything good, and run it with the right voltage and current range its entirely possible that they will make quite a bit. Their graphite anodes will corrode quite a bit, though the impurity from them shouldn't effect end compositions much at all. Its been a while, but IIRC there was a debate for a while as to if it was more efficient to just go for making a concentrated hypochlorite solution electrolytically and boiling to convert it to chlorate... or going straight to chlorate electrolytically. Going straight to chlorate would probably corrode the anode more, but thats not really a problem if you can get more graphite cheap/free.

They could succeed in making quite a bit.

I wish them the favor of the chemigods.

ps. If they are really serious about making lots of chlorate GSLD (Graphite substrate lead dioxide) anodes are generally where its at for hobby production. If your friend hasn't read pretty much everything over at Sciencemadness he should do so.

be sure to soak your anodes in some linseed oil for a good day, supposedly cuts down on corrosion rather well.