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I think that’s what they are called,the piece that hold carpet down as you open doors,is this aluminum mine are are scratched up,and would like to sand scratches out and polish on wheel,I started a small section and did remove the scratches and seems like as far as the metal,even though I haven’t polished them yet,it seems to be getting worst,so are the aluminum or something else. Thanks
Yes, they are aluminum but they are anodized or "bright dipped". Similar to a framed shower door. The coating is designed to prevent corrosion and provide a shiny/bright appearance. Sanding or polishing through this electroplate layer will get you back to the base metal but it will require regular maintenance since the protective layer is removed. Some will try to apply a clearcoat to the polished surface after the polishing but eventually white corrosion (aluminum-oxide) will start showing up under the clearcoat.
Good luck!
Once the coating is removed....yes corrosion "could" form.....but given the garage present nature of most of our cars.....I don't see it as an issue. All it would take is about 30 seconds, and some polish, and any corrosion that even begins would quickly be removed. Its a non-issue.
Once the coating is removed....yes corrosion "could" form.....but given the garage present nature of most of our cars.....I don't see it as an issue. All it would take is about 30 seconds, and some polish, and any corrosion that even begins would quickly be removed. Its a non-issue.
Yeah. My sill plates are all scratched up (no pitting or corrosion though), and with the new paint job being done here shortly at the paint shop, I need to refinish mine as they will look like crap when reinstalled on new paint on the sills.
Mine were pretty badly scratched and I thought if I polished them they would show scratches again fairly quickly. I sand blasted them which left a uniform matt finish and then put clear coat on to stop corrosion. They still look good (to me) 4 years later.
Mine were pretty badly scratched and I thought if I polished them they would show scratches again fairly quickly. I sand blasted them which left a uniform matt finish and then put clear coat on to stop corrosion. They still look good (to me) 4 years later.
Do you have any pics? I'm trying to figure out the best way to refinish mine.
On the subject of sill plates, I have a question. Taking these on and off more than a few times, the fiberglass is mostly stripped. I have two sorts of inserts and am wondering if one is more acceptable than the other? The eight pictured are kind of like a drywall fastener. They expand to remain in place and take a 6-32 bolt. The single on the Apple logo is I guess what is called a "rivnut" and would require a little apoxy to hold it in place, Sort of liking the eight as no fooling around. Both require considerable enlargement of the existing holes. Any opinion on these or any other solutions to a better grip?
Second, I once found these for my 69's sill plates. Thought they were attractive. Worth a while maybe for a search as I am not sure who sold them.
Six of one, half dozen of the other
If the "apple" one might be a nutsert or sometimes called rivnut
then they are installed like a pop-rivet and no epoxy or anything is needed. There is a tool but you can install them with a bolt and a spacer / washer stack. I like them in places were the material isn't really thick enough to get more than a couple of threads. Easily found in aluminum but stainless is available.
Six of one, half dozen of the other
If the "apple" one might be a nutsert or sometimes called rivnut
then they are installed like a pop-rivet and no epoxy or anything is needed. There is a tool but you can install them with a bolt and a spacer / washer stack. I like them in places were the material isn't really thick enough to get more than a couple of threads. Easily found in aluminum but stainless is available.
Thanks Mooser, but I don't think mine are supposed to install like that. Mine have a threaded front portion that is probably intended to screw in, although being aluminum, wood is all I can guess. Also they don't have a very big lip to engage fiberglass.
The deciding factor was I couldn't find a button head 6/32 black oxide bolt with a big enough head to not fall through the exising holes in the sill plate, whereas the single retainer pictured needs 10/32, which works. The stupid part is I got these at my hardware store and there is always some "don't give a sh*t" guy that puts a different thread back where it don't belong, so I've got 6 of 8 of what I need. Shoulda looked, this is not the first time this has happened.
My plumbing store had pencils with the logo ".... where every job takes three trips". Always that way with fiddly bits!
I didn't see the threads on the end there. Normally the wood ones are really coarse threads on the outside to cut and bite into the wood.
For the bolt with a larger diameter head, check for a pan washer head or button flange head (they call them all kinds of things but some version of that usually comes up with results.
Might be something you can work with
M
Sill plates
