Lye as an aluminum cleaner?

I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:
I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

Dunk it in a concentrated solution of lye, come back in a day, and you
won't see any corrosion!

OTOH, the aluminium will have totally dissolved.

Lye as a aluminium cleaner is possible, in some very few circumstances.

I'd suggest thin aluminium parts are not one.
You might find a wirebrush in a drill is a good idea.

And if they are in fact that corroded, consider if the strength has been
affected.

On 14 Oct 2006 13:25:41 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

Michael Horowitz wrote:
I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

Dunk it in a concentrated solution of lye, come back in a day, and you
won't see any corrosion!

OTOH, the aluminium will have totally dissolved.

Lye as a aluminium cleaner is possible, in some very few circumstances.

I'd suggest thin aluminium parts are not one.
You might find a wirebrush in a drill is a good idea.

And if they are in fact that corroded, consider if the strength has been
affected.


I've wirebrushed 'til everything is shiny and was looking for an
inexpensive cleaner prior to alodizing; maybe it is poor economy;
someone suggested I look for the PPG line of cleaner and alodiner -
that would help keep me from wrapping myself around the axle over
which way to go. Thanks, Mike

Phosphoric acid. Diluted about 50% with distilled water. apply with
brush. Leave on 3 minutes Rinse the hell out of it with fresh water and
neutralize with baking soda. Taste the rinse water. If it tastes like
acid, rinse some more. Dry, prime.

"Michael Horowitz" wrote in message
...
I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike


I assume that this person is not a friend...

I've used Drano to remove the remains of an aluminium piston from inside an
iron cylinder (it was already bored to the max). It worked great... bye-bye
aluminium.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

Michael Horowitz wrote:
I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

It's almost against the rules of this newsgroup to make a positive
suggestion, dedicated as we are to tearing one another down, but I'll
risk it ;-)

The Right Way to clean mild surface corrosion off aluminum is to soak
it in a mild solution of phosphoric acid, and scrub it with a
scotchbrite pad. Suitable solutions are sold as tile cleaners or
"metal prep".

Personally, I wouldn't use a stainless wire brush. It's a little too
aggressive, and the deep scratches it will leave are likely places to
start a fatigue crack.

If Jasco Metal Prep (a common West Coast brand) and a scotchbrite pad
won't take off the corrosion, you've got a Dead Part, IMHO.

On 14 Oct 2006 09:19:06 -0700, "flybynightkarmarepair"
wrote:


Michael Horowitz wrote:
I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

It's almost against the rules of this newsgroup to make a positive
suggestion, dedicated as we are to tearing one another down, but I'll
risk it ;-)

The Right Way to clean mild surface corrosion off aluminum is to soak
it in a mild solution of phosphoric acid, and scrub it with a
scotchbrite pad. Suitable solutions are sold as tile cleaners or
"metal prep".

Personally, I wouldn't use a stainless wire brush. It's a little too
aggressive, and the deep scratches it will leave are likely places to
start a fatigue crack.

If Jasco Metal Prep (a common West Coast brand) and a scotchbrite pad
won't take off the corrosion, you've got a Dead Part, IMHO.


Thanks; I have a similar product I used to strip zinc off conduit for
inexpensive tubing (for welding practice); I'll give it a whirl - Mike

In article ,
Michael Horowitz wrote:

I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

Yes -- lye is used as an etch prior to alodyning. I would, however, use
a mild phosphoric acid solution first to remove the corrosion.

The aluminum should be left in the lye solution (NOT Drano, as it
contains potassium hydroxide, in addition to the sodium hydroxide) for
no more than 5 minutes -- just enough to etch the aluminum.

The handbooks recommend a sodium hydroxide solution heated to 120 F for
best results.

In article ,
Orval Fairbairn wrote:

In article ,
Michael Horowitz wrote:

I've taken my aileron apart and notice corrosion on the thin aluminum
parts, so I'm reading around about cleaning prior to alodining. I've
taken a stainless steel brush to the surface and removed most of the
corrosion, but it's really a PITA.

Someone suggested using lye as a cleaner. Anyone have any experience
using supermarket lye in that role? - Mike

Yes -- lye is used as an etch prior to alodyning. I would, however, use
a mild phosphoric acid solution first to remove the corrosion.

The aluminum should be left in the lye solution (NOT Drano, as it
contains potassium hydroxide, in addition to the sodium hydroxide) for
no more than 5 minutes -- just enough to etch the aluminum.

The handbooks recommend a sodium hydroxide solution heated to 120 F for
best results.

Sorry -- I neglected to state that you have to rinse the metal
thoroughly after the lye etch, and before the alodine.

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news
In article ,
Orval Fairbairn wrote:

In article ,
Michael Horowitz wrote:

...
Yes -- lye is used as an etch prior to alodyning. I would, however, use
a mild phosphoric acid solution first to remove the corrosion.

The aluminum should be left in the lye solution (NOT Drano, as it
contains potassium hydroxide, in addition to the sodium hydroxide) for
no more than 5 minutes -- just enough to etch the aluminum.

The handbooks recommend a sodium hydroxide solution heated to 120 F for
best results.

Sorry -- I neglected to state that you have to rinse the metal
thoroughly after the lye etch, and before the alodine.

Well, I guess you learn something every day.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.