Re: Weathered aluminum

Hello,

Maybe everyone already knows this, but Caustic soda is LYE. Sodium
hydroxide. Drano.

Works well for "hot-tanking" parts (to clean them), and the water
heats up as you add the lye...

Hope this helps.

Ballendo

P.S. Wear OLD clothes... And the acetic acid mentioned earlier in
this thread is vinegar.


-- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "John H." <johnhe-uk@s...> wrote:

> Caustic Soda will tear into aluminium at high concentrations quite
> literally. Make up a solution and keep dissolving until you can't

get

> anymore in. When you put your aluminium in the will actually start

to bubble

> and hiss, depending on how strong it is. I have a bin full of some

weak

> solution I just dunk stuff in when I want it cleaned. It's

brilliant stuff,

> absolutely nothing better for cleaning things, I've used it to do

the

> dishes. I've also used it on steel plates to clean off the oil they

put on

> them in storage and it makes them a dull 'weathered' grey colour.

It RAPIDLY

> rusts if left outside or even a little damp because the surface is

etched.

>
> I'm sure it's common sense but take a good deal of care around it

if you

> make it real strong and in quantity. The bubbles that come away

burst and

> liberate caustic vapour into the air. It doesn't do anything really

but if

> you breath it in it gives you a slight cough and it stings a bit.

Probably

> worse over time. Wear gloves and goggles because it will give your

caustic

> burns (red itchy patches) where it splashes on you. I have a friend

on

> Hobbicast who told me he was once pouring out the concentrated oil

form and

> had it splash into his eye. He didn't sound like he enjoyed it

much! :)

>
> Regards,
> John H.
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Acetic Acid works but it will take a very small amount of the

material off

> > with the crap, this will probably not be measurable. Lemon juice

also

> works
> > but it isn't as strong.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Terry
> >
> >
> >
> > | Some time ago ago I was building a CNC machine which I had to

stop on

> > | and place in the shed out back where it sat neglected for a few

years.

> > | Now the aluminum parts are weathered and I wonder if anyone

knows of a

> > | method to clean it?
> >
> >
> >
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