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TOPIC: Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted
Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53710
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I'm deep into working on my aluminum rubrail and trim pieces for my 59 Wacanda. I have been sanding it - steel wooling it - polishing it - buffing it. When I'm done it looks great but I wonder how I can seal it so it doesn't get dull and when I polish the boat the black stuff that comes off the aluminum doesn't get on the boat. Is there a sealer I don't know about or should I just keep polishing. When I'm sanding there seems to be a sealer on the trim. What is that stuff??
Tom |
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Re: Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53715
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Hi Tom,
I used Penetrol... recommended to me by one of my buddy engineers. It's readily available at the local hardware store. Brush or wipe it on... then wipe it off with a clean rag and let dry. After it was well cured then I used paste wax on it. I am very happy with the shine and ease. www.flood.com/paint-additive-solutions/products/view-product.jsp?productId=11 Dean |
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Bandit - 1959 Glasspar G3
See more G3s at www.g3owners.com |
Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53719
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Re: Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53725
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I'll be at my local Priest River, ID ACE in the morning and try it out.
Thanks Dean !! |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53745
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I would try Dean's stuff first Tom, but I've also heard good things about "Sharkhide". (Watched an episode of Ship Shape TV where they did the logs on a pontoon, really turned out nice. Didn't realize the stuff was so pricey!)
www.eastwood.com/sharkhide-aluminum-protectant-quart.html?srccode=ga130110&gclid=CNXPvuqStq0CFcOP7QodnTDTkw
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Mark
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53750
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What do the Airstream guys use?
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53756
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Mark
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53760
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I use Mother's Mag and aluminum Polish. Made my Non-anodized aluminum shine like chrome. Rub on Rub Off Polish with Drill Buffer Wheel. Not sure how long it will last but I figure at the most 1 hr per season to shine everything back up. $2.50 @ WalMart.
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53762
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Just an FYI for others and the next time.
Do not use Steel (carbon) Wool on aluminum, or even Stainless steel. It will leave small bits of carbon steel in the metal and will discolor it later Best if you go to a stainless pad...many stores now carry them in the kitchen area. and any restaurant supply outlet will have them www.amazon.com/3M-214-Scotch-Brite-Stainless-Scouring/dp/B000I1AEUW |
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CAVU
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53769
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Good to know on the steel wool TT, thanks for sharing that info.
Mothers is great stuff MF, as is Flitz polish, and much cheaper than Sharkhide. I would hit it with some good quality paste wax after to help prolong the shine. Just old habits I guess. Tom, we kinda skipped the part about the anodized, sorry. I've heard Easy Off Oven Cleaner (soak for about 15 min) will take it right off, anybody have any experience with that? |
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Mark
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53772
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MarkS wrote:
Yes Mark, I did an anodized aluminum 65 ford pickup grill with red devil lye soap and water. Made a pool out of plastic sheeting to submerge it in. I've also heard about using easy off.jim |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53774
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Here is what I did to remove my annodizing from the rub rails and extruded aluminum pieces, it worked REALLY well:
I made a shallow pool like Jim suggested (out of visqueen and some 2x4 on edge), then I used a bath of warm water with Draino (1 tbspn/gallon i think) and soaked the parts for 30 minutes or so... the parts bubble in the solution... every 10 minutes you need to wipe the gray goo off the parts (use rubber gloves) so the solution can get back to the surface... (and FOR SURE, do it outside, the process gives off toxic and hydrogen gas!) After 30 minutes, i rinsed off the parts and all the annodizing was gone, lightly sanded the nicks/scratches (220 then 400 grit) and buffed.... then I did the Penetrol treatment. Dean |
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Bandit - 1959 Glasspar G3
See more G3s at www.g3owners.com |
Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53778
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Well I tried the oven cleaner method and it dulled the annodizing but that was about it. Not strong enough. Too bad I don't have an old oven to use the rest on.
I like the Drano idea. - That's next. So far my best method seems to be sanding and buffing with buffing compound and then the Mothers Aluminum polish and then Penetrol and a final Paste waxing. Whew I'm worn out just thinking about it. Tom |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53861
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Maybe a bit late to this post, but, when doing over my aluminum rub rails, [which had been painted over] I started with paint remover, and sandpaper, from medium right up to 1000 grit. Then various grades of compounds on a wheel. The final buffing was done with BUSCH aluminum cleaner. Shines like chrome. You are correct that it will re-oxidize, but BUSCH makes an aluminum sealer to seal and protect the aluminum. I imagine most automotive waxes will seal the aluminum, and protect it from the elements.
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53862
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jim bart is right on about the Busch polish. It works great.jim
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53930
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And now for the obvious segue.....
Once you clean them up so they look real spiffy, how do you maintain that shine once installed and used? It is not going to be as easy or probably look as good as when you polish on the hull as off. |
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Todd (aka thetudor)
1964 Custom Craft Aqua Ray 1959 Glastron Seaflite 1959 Tomahawk Spirit |
Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #53940
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This is what my original thread was intended to find out and now it looks to me like you can't unless you annodize it all. I'd still rather be polishing my aluminum at the lake than mowing the grass.
Tom |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #54028
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Tom, from my original post "You are correct that it will re-oxidize, but BUSCH makes an aluminum sealer to seal and protect the aluminum. I imagine most automotive waxes will seal the aluminum, and protect it from the elements."
To be honest, I use the polish then sealer once in the spring, and it maintains the shine. If heading to a show, I may redo it, for max impact, not because its needed... but its all you need, not anodizing. |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #54037
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Thanks All !! I just ordered some Busch.
Tom |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #54039
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Thanks All !! I just ordered some Busch.
Tom |
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #54354
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I have my own system. I remove all the anodizing with a fine stainless steel wire wheel and then wet sand to 400 grit. Then I buff on a good buffing wheel using whatever the brown buffing compound is called. (Too lazy to go down two stories and read the label.) Anyway, the results are very close to chrome and most think it is. I always coat with a good quality car wax. If/when it begins to dull, I just re-buff.
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Re:Restoring Aluminum Trim - Suggestions Wanted 14 years 2 months ago #54617
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Anodized aluminum has increased durability because the process of anodizing actually makes the surface of the metal much harder than non anodized aluminum. I have no idea why it does that, as I'm no chemist
 Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) (also called caustic soda) will remove anodizing & I believe that is the active ingredient in Draino and most oven cleaners. The stuff is bad news to the skin and is VERY corrosive. I soaked a bunch of anodized aluminum in a solution of Sodium Hydroxide many years ago. Left it in a little too long and the surface of the metal looked lightly frosted - the Sodium Hydroxide etched it. Had to sand & buff it all out. You could have the polished trim parts powder coated clear - which would probably make them pretty durable. |
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