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Post by humpty2 on Sept 4, 2005 20:44:02 GMT 10
Is there a chemical available to clean (strip) aluminium prior to starting to polish it?  |
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Post by ron59 on Sept 4, 2005 23:36:52 GMT 10
Humpty I have been usin" Autosol metal polish", it cleans and polishes. You need a lot of elbow grease, something to clean first would be great. Im also keen to hear other recomendations.
Ron
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Post by retro1 on Sept 4, 2005 23:43:38 GMT 10
When I polished the portholes in my Castle caravan I stripped them with a paint stripper straight of the shelf (premixed). I watched it closely, then rinsed in water . I also used thinners on another porthole and this to worked a treat. I then gave them a light sand with sandpaper from 240 grit then made my way to 800 wetrub and then polished on an electrical benchgrinder/buffing wheel. This is one of the portholes before stripping.  And this is how they finished up. Sorry I haven't got a closer picture.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2005 7:30:14 GMT 10
Hi Humpty
I would be carefull using any sort of chemical on aluminium. I have mates in the trucking industry that have "Cleaned Up" alloy bullbars and destroyed the natural sheene of the aluminium. They have been left with a white powdery finish that took days to bring back to a reasonable shine.
If the alloy is covered in paint then use paint stripper. If is pitted and tarnished all it needs is a polish with a mild car polish then finish off with autosol or a product i use on the crankcases of my motorbikes called "Purple".
Purple is non abrasive . It lifts any rubbish that has contaminated the alloy. wipe on and wipe off with very little elbow grease required.
What are you polishing???. "Purple" is $25 for 250ml bottle. I shudder to think what it would cost to do a whole aluminium van !!
Reddo
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2005 11:39:24 GMT 10
G'day Dennis
Good to see someone else using "Purple" it is good stuff.
I have seen some motorbike parts that have been coated with a clear finish. Again they look great for a while until the bike is ridden hard and the heat sends the clear a foggy and eventually crazes.
Most of the mates that have tried this have stripped the part and repolished it. They are now resigned to the fact that there aint no substitute to sitting down the shed with a load of polishing rags in one hand and a stubby in the other and applying a stack of elbow grease, sweat and swearing to the shiney bits.
I hate cleaning spoked wheels and m/cycle hubs. ya need hands like steady Eddy to get in around the spokes.
Reddo - with shiney nuts
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Post by Roehm3108 on Sept 5, 2005 12:24:22 GMT 10
Hey Reddo
My daughter and her hubby use toothbrushes to get into the fiddly bits on their bikes - including spokes. You can eat your dinner off their bikes!!!!!
Ray
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Post by 22hope on Sept 5, 2005 16:37:05 GMT 10
Humpty 2,
I started with CT18 Truck wash first up on the "Classic" (in members Photo's) most of the Aluminium was black from being out in the weather etc. I mixed it up with water and applied with a soft broom and then let it dry. I did this a few times before I actually hosed it off. I then used Alushine put on by hand then buffed off with one of those el-cheapo polishers from Super Cheap. I also did the same with my porthole windows and they came up pretty good.
Vauxhall 62
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Post by humpty2 on Sept 5, 2005 19:54:09 GMT 10
Thankyou all for the replies and suggestions........no Reddo I haven't got another van!!!! This question was posed on behalf of a friend who has a 10ft Carapark Hunter Junior.........and no computer  I will pass the information on ( they also have the Carapark Zestline) |
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Post by fjboys on Sept 6, 2005 7:59:48 GMT 10
Hey Humpty, are they ready to park with the Zestline yet?? hehe  Cheers Matt |
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Post by humpty2 on Sept 18, 2005 20:46:07 GMT 10
Dunno how I missed your post Matt.........I will advise you when its ready to depart her company....hasn't touched it since she got it!.......its just a storage area at present.
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Post by santa28a on Sept 24, 2005 20:09:08 GMT 10
Humpty2,
Try "Reflection" metal polish. This is very popular with the truckies. I too have tried everything from Goddards glow ( remember that brand Dennis?) to Mothers metal polish on my hot rod. Reflection can be used by hand or with a buff and you can get it in a liquid or a paste. you can even buy it in 5kg and 20kg tubs just in case you have heaps to polish like Jailbar juice!!
I just do enough to make my hot rod "presentable". Ferro's Finnishing Pty Ltd make Reflection in Sydney give Mike Smith a call on 0417457906 and he should be able to tell you where you can get it in the Newcastle area, cheers!
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