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I found this post pertaining to automotive alumium

Posted By: STeveZ
Date: Saturday, 13 May 2006, at 6:38 p.m.

In Response To: Aluminum cleaning / polishing (STeveZ)

Here's the post:

First of all, Anodizing is the second hardest substance known to man. You can sand on it for hours and not make a dent. Anodizing is VERY vulnerable to acid. Simple oven cleaner has a high enough acid content to remove anodizing.

It works fast, so be careful not to get any on aluminum parts you do not plan on polishing. Mask off with masking tape and plastic which ever parts you DO NOT want the anodizing removed from. DO NOT spray the oven cleaner, it is too hard to control. Use a cup, spray the oven cleaner into the cup, and then brush it on in heavy coats. You will see the anodizing bubble up, then, just simply wash it off of the frame, This will save you days of sanding time.

NOTE: your frame will look VERY bad when the anodizing comes off, it is normal, don't freak out and think you ruined it. Once you start sanding it cleans up very fast.

If you plan on doing the "Mat finish" part of your frame, you will need to start with a very rough paper. On the smooth parts of the fame, you can start with about a 300 grit, move to a 400 grit..then 600, 1000, 1500, 2000.

If you have a 1/4 sheet palm sander it will greatly reduce sanding time.

You will know when you have sanding enough for each grade, when you get through the 2000 grade paper, the aluminum will be like glass. You will need at least two VERTICAL buffing pads. and a small hand held grinder ( the pads are 4 inch pads, the type made of strings tied together) You will need bars of brown Tripoli, and bars of red Rouge.

Start with the brown Tripoli, turn the grinder on, with the buffing pad on it, and run it across the bar. go WITH the grain of the aluminum and polish until it shines. When you have a pretty good shine, thoroughly clean the aluminum with a cleaner made for it. Switch pads and repeat using the red rouge. Recently I have started using a white jewelers rouge, it colors a little better.

Don't cheat on the sanding, be thorough. Or else the result will be what looks like a shiny and dull finish...you will see spots not sanded well enough when you start polishing.

Also, ONLY remove the anodizing and polish the aluminum you can see, this way you can keep wax on it. Unprotected aluminum will oxidize.

Hope this helps.

Steve Callen
- Walton, KY, USA

400 grit seems to be doing the trick, I also picked up some 600 (the finest they had at Home Depot.

Messages In This Thread

Aluminum cleaning / polishing
STeveZ -- Saturday, 13 May 2006, at 12:24 p.m.

I found this post pertaining to automotive alumium
STeveZ -- Saturday, 13 May 2006, at 6:38 p.m.

Re: I found this post pertaining to automotive alu
Ron Cahoon -- Monday, 15 May 2006, at 11:07 a.m.