HELP used the wrong cleaner on aluminum

[Kpaige]

Ok
This is 100% my fault. I used zep purple industrial degresser in a heated ultasonic cleaner on some carbs. Well it turned all aluminum parts a gark grey and it will not wire brush off or polish off at least easily.
The pic below shows the result on the left and the one on the right is after an hour with aluminum weld cleaner.
Any thoughts on a chemical that I can soak that will remove this?

 

[maxpat82]

the left one is the regular aluminium gray.

the one on the right is a "painted flat black"

the one on the left have been kinda stripped of it's paint

 

[Kpaige]

the left one is the regular aluminium gray.

the one on the right is a "painted flat black"

the one on the left have been kinda stripped of it's paint

Incorrect these were raw dull aluminum. I put them in the ultrasonic cleaner and it turned them thatvblack color! The one on the left is after an hour of brass brush with welding oxide cleaner.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Glass bead and wet sand it ?

 

[Old Man Roger]

Wow!

 

[maxpat82]

sorry misunderstood

glass bead or steel brush wheel on a grinder.....hand brass brush is way too soft and would take forever(as you see it)

 

[bochnak]

Do not dry glass bead them. Instead, send them out for VAPOR BLASTING.

 

[bochnak]

Here is a guy that does vapor blasting in MN:

https://www.facebook.com/HydraMoto/

 

[toplessHO]

unless they are made of unobtainium I would look for others to rebuild
and sell those to someone that wants that look. Says right on the container
not to use on aluminum.
I did a small part made of aluminum with the purple cleaner and freaked when it immediately foamed up.Its etched the finish similar to a dyeing process

 

[OccupantRJ]

Depending on the look you are after, I have bead blasted aluminum parts and then sprayed a coat of clear on them for a rather unusual look. As far as what you have, the pro truck fleet pressure wash guys use an aluminum brightener on aluminum truck surfaces. Some of that might help, not sure at this stage.

 

[bochnak]

unless they are made of unobtainium I would look for others to rebuild
and sell those to someone that wants that look. Says right on the container
not to use on aluminum.
I did a small part made of aluminum with the purple cleaner and freaked when it immediately foamed up.Its etched the finish similar to a dyeing process

Paying someone to vapor blast them would cost $100, and he will have brand new looking carbs. No one is going to want carbs lookin like that.

Depending on the look you are after, I have bead blasted aluminum parts and then sprayed a coat of clear on them for a rather unusual look. As far as what you have, the pro truck fleet pressure wash guys use an aluminum brightener on aluminum truck surfaces. Some of that might help, not sure at this stage.

Paint or even powdercoat will not last on carbs. It will eventually bubble off.

 

[njhoudini]

Have you tried putting one under a buffing wheel?

 

[rq375]

do you reload? throw them in the case tumbler with some walnut shell media.

 

[Mark_17]

Don't use a regular steel wire brush or wire wheel. Use stainless steel.

 

[MoonRise]

You used an alkaline cleaner on aluminum.

The cleaner has etched the aluminum and turned it a dark grey.

Luckily you took the parts out of the alkaline cleaner before they were completely dissolved!

There is no chemical that will make the aluminum shiny and bright.

You would have to remove the grey aluminum oxide layer mechanically (grind, buff, polish, media blast, etc) to get back to shiny aluminum.

Or just go with the grey anodized look. Take the grey aluminum parts and simmer them in water for an hour to really 'set' the grey color (look up anodizing for specifics on the 'boil in water' stage).

At least the grey came out pretty uniform.

 

[ilovevocs]

90 deg die grinder; maroon 3m rolock disk.

Use a hand pad on all of them to put in a linear grain.

 

[brownbagg]

that not aluminum, thats magnesium

 

[Kpaige]

Ook
To all yes I screwed up! I admit that right in my post! I was not paying attention and put the wrong cleaner in. So I suffer the results.
Yes I could run them that way but they are my sons so really want to get them close to start.
I will check into the vapor blasting that sounds promising!

 

[killahog]

I like the Black.

 

[Steveodle]

Ok
This is 100% my fault. I used zep purple industrial degresser in a heated ultasonic cleaner on some carbs. Well it turned all aluminum parts a gark grey and it will not wire brush off or polish off at least easily.
The pic below shows the result on the left and the one on the right is after an hour with aluminum weld cleaner.
Any thoughts on a chemical that I can soak that will remove this?

I used a lye soak to take the **** off of an S+S carb one time.
However sodium hydroxide is dangerous and will burn you and destroy any AL
That is left in it!
Test piece only, first!

If you do nothing right,you'll do nothing wrong!

 

[Kpaige]

Here is a guy that does vapor blasting in MN:

https://www.facebook.com/HydraMoto/

Thank you vary much
Got ahold of him and he has seen this alot and can take care of it!

 

[The Cobbler]

X2 on "I like the look"

 

[Bruhntune]

Baking soda with a cheap hand held sand blaster ,that got them at harbor freight

 

[mcbane]

X3 on “I like the look”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GMCGarage]

that not aluminum, thats magnesium

Says in the OP its AL??

 

[LS6 Tommy]

that not aluminum, thats magnesium

Could be. Many Mikunis were. You could try Aluminox:

http://www.orisonmarketing.com/alum...MIouqxiOza3AIV3LfACh0twQTEEAAYASAAEgL-_fD_BwE

Tommy

 

[Kpaige]

Going with vapor blasting.

And mukinis are a combination of magnesium and aluminum. Which one is more prominent depends on who was mixing the compounds back then and what what forge was running.

 

[bochnak]

Thank you vary much
Got ahold of him and he has seen this alot and can take care of it!

No problem. In the future, try cleaning carbs with soda blast and sharpertek 1220 in the ultrasonic.

Here is a video on how I clean carbs:

Matt

 

[bochnak]

Going with vapor blasting.

Do us all a favor and post some before and after pics.

 

[Kpaige]

Absolutely wonderful

 

[73surffisher]

Very nice finish !

 

[bochnak]

Nice!