Aluminum Brightener?
Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
Aluminum Brightener?
Is there a solution or solvant that will brighten up old dull grey cast aluminum parts without damaging them? I could bead blast some old aluminum engine parts (brackets & braces), but I don't particularily want to etch them. Any suggestions for what works well?
Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 610
Likes: 1
NAPA sells a product which is based on phosphoric acid. I tried it on some different things, not just car parts. Didn't seem to do a whole lot.
I have used a janitorial product (floor wax stripper) to clean all different kinds of metal. This is pretty potent stuff. The fumes will choke you and you don't want to get it on your skin. Apply, work in with a brush, let soak for a while, rinse. May blacken aluminum if left on too long.
I've had good luck with a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder, followed up with brillo pads.
I have used a janitorial product (floor wax stripper) to clean all different kinds of metal. This is pretty potent stuff. The fumes will choke you and you don't want to get it on your skin. Apply, work in with a brush, let soak for a while, rinse. May blacken aluminum if left on too long.
I've had good luck with a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder, followed up with brillo pads.
Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
NAPA sells a product which is based on phosphoric acid. I tried it on some different things, not just car parts. Didn't seem to do a whole lot.
I have used a janitorial product (floor wax stripper) to clean all different kinds of metal. This is pretty potent stuff. The fumes will choke you and you don't want to get it on your skin. Apply, work in with a brush, let soak for a while, rinse. May blacken aluminum if left on too long.
I've had good luck with a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder, followed up with brillo pads.
I have used a janitorial product (floor wax stripper) to clean all different kinds of metal. This is pretty potent stuff. The fumes will choke you and you don't want to get it on your skin. Apply, work in with a brush, let soak for a while, rinse. May blacken aluminum if left on too long.
I've had good luck with a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder, followed up with brillo pads.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
http://www.popularaviation.com/docs/DX533.pdf
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
I used the Aluminum Brighter NAPA sells on my suspension parts when doing a gear change. It works great. Just spay it on and rinse it off. You cannot use it on cast pieces though. The aluminum has to be pure or as mentioned it will blacken the part.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Oceanside Ca.
I used the Aluminum Brighter NAPA sells on my suspension parts when doing a gear change. It works great. Just spay it on and rinse it off. You cannot use it on cast pieces though. The aluminum has to be pure or as mentioned it will blacken the part.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
over the years, i have (glass) bead blasted many aluminum components on my corvettes without any showing signs of etching. on my 85, i bead blasted the parts, followed by an aluminum cleaner (dx533) and an aluminum (chem-film) conditioner (dx501). the parts looked factory new, and the chem-film sealed the surface form the effects of oxidation. my 85's engine looked great - even after 12 years. the ppg products are available from most major automotive paint suppliers.
http://www.popularaviation.com/docs/DX533.pdf
http://www.popularaviation.com/docs/DX533.pdf
Thank you for the information
Last edited by pmihaltian; Aug 11, 2009 at 08:19 AM.
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Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
I used the Aluminum Brighter NAPA sells on my suspension parts when doing a gear change. It works great. Just spay it on and rinse it off. You cannot use it on cast pieces though. The aluminum has to be pure or as mentioned it will blacken the part.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
There was a thread not long ago about polishing cast parts such as the alternator.
Thanks for your valuable recommendation. Too back I did not listen to you
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
I guess I don't listen too well after all. I just bought some of the NAPA stuff and tried it on my cast A/C and alternator brackets and the damn stuff turned them black. Now I will have to glass bead or soda blast them to get them back to something that looks like aluminum.
Thanks for your valuable recommendation. Too back I did not listen to you
Thanks for your valuable recommendation. Too back I did not listen to you
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
This was it. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...ternators.html
And this is the link to the process of polishing. http://www.gmtips.com/3rd-degree/dox...ff/alt/alt.htm
And this is the link to the process of polishing. http://www.gmtips.com/3rd-degree/dox...ff/alt/alt.htm
