Aluminum Around Door and Windows

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Hi All,

Can anyone give me a tip on what to use to bring the aluminum around the windows and door of my little baby back to looking good. Is there a product out there that will clean it up to look good for a while or to I have to put up with blah looking aluminum. Any advice would be most appreciated.

Jody

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Hi Jody
On My Boler , I used some fine steel wool.I used it on belly band and other metal areas and I am pleased with results.:wave

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Yep, fine steel wools my choice too. I sprayed with Simple Green and scrubed, then sprayed with water to rinse. shines really nice now.

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I used fine steel wool and a metal polishing paste from Canadian Tire. My aluminum is now almost mirror-like.

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Sounds like neat ways to clean it up. Once done
how do you keep it from oxidizing and returning to
the old dull way?

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I took the opposite approach -

The aluminum around the windows I painted silver. Restores the 'look' of the aluminum but without the hassles.

For the belly band - I painted it black. I chose to paint all the external hardware one way or another. Just gives you a chance to play around with how things look for the sake of fun. :)

mkw


Oh - before I decided to paint though, I'd scraped off the OLD paint job and used a wire brush mounted in a power drill. Gave it a nice 'brushed' metal look. The decision to switch and go with paint was purely preference.

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Tamid: I didn't do anything to prevent it from oxidizing but I briefly thought I would spray it with Tremclad Clear to protect it... It only took me about 2 hours to do from its fully oxidized (30 years worth I'm sure) state to shiny. If I have to spend 2 hours every few years, it's not going to kill me.

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I would not use steel wool to polish aluminum. I hear that bits of steel wool get embedded in the aluminum and, over time, rust. Which leads to the paradox that you have rusty aluminum.

-- Dan Meyer

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Thank you to all with the help to get my aluminum back to a shine. I haven't got it started yet but intend to get at it this week and I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

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Dan;

Maybe because I used paste, but I didn't find that. We just had 4 days of solid rain and no signs of rust yet. I did it a few months ago but nothing...

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Same here Herb, but I didn't use paste with mine. probably should have, bet your shines better. :) I ran out and looked, and no rust. ran my hand around on the window, no metal splinter either. still looks good.

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Hi All
I did my Belly band with steel wool and i went and looked and no sign of rust.I do give my unit a wipe over once a week or so.Hope this helps.:wave

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Hi All
Some info given to me.


Aluminum Polishing and Finishing Tips

Aluminum Polishing - The clear coating used on bare aluminum parts like engine side covers and fork sliders yellows and peels. At some point it becomes better to polish the aluminum rather than put up with the unsightly, cracked, yellowed coating.

I take it off by using steel wool and polishing compound. Use 000 steel wool and lots of Simoniz Chrome Cleaner, which is available at auto supply stores. This stuff has an abrasive in it, so it does cut fairly quickly. By glopping the compound either on the wool or the part, and then rubbing with a circular motion, the coating, corrosion and dirt can be cut using moderate elbow grease. It takes a little time to get into tight corners. After a consistent finish is achieved with the steel wool, I then go back with more compound and a soft, damp cloth and repeat the process. The steel wool gives the aluminum a matte finish and the final buff with a cloth brings out a little shine. This process doesn’t give a high shine, but produces a finish similar to the factory. As a final step, use a high quality auto wax. The polish protects the bare aluminum from quickly corroding. For a high polish, I use a cotton buffing wheel on a power tool, but that’s another discussion!

If the aluminum is badly corroded, start by using a wet/dry 400 or 600 grit sandpaper and generous amounts of water. The sandpaper (3M Brand) can be purchased at the local hardware store. Depending upon the depth of the pitting, it may take quite a bit of sanding before the surface is smooth and pit free. Don't skip work at this step as it will only lead to disappointment at the finishing step. When the surface is smooth, go to the steel wool as described above. Good luck! Randy Steinmeyer

Copyright 2000 - 2003 - Yamaha 650 Society

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Ches. thanks for that information.
sounds like Herb had the right idea to use polish with the wool.

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One note about aluminum: Unlike steel/iron where the corrosion is making holes in the surface, eventually leading to material erosion and failure, aluminum's oxidation process actually expands to seal and protect the underlying metal, so when you remove the oxidation, you remove the protection it furnishes.

The exception (there are always exceptions) to the above is that some alum alloys in constant saltwater exposure do corrode internally and waste away.

The later models of Hehr windows have a black anodized finish of some sort that seems to hold up quite well.

Pete in the RatHaus, parked for a while at SoMineral Creek, near Silverton Colorado, where it's very cool

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Try this: http://www.nomma.org/support/finishing/Alu...0Polishing.html

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Oh, Owen. You just reminded me of a formula my dad said worked on aluminum trailers. kerosene and wax. supposedly wax will melt when it is in kerosene so leaves the aluminum shinny. never tried it, because I forgot it. :wak

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:wave Hey everybody, here's the post that Jana was responding to:

Originally posted by Owen Lindsay:

Making a paste of kerosene and Dutch cleanser and apply with a damp cloth. polish off the residue with a piece of soft cloth. Very shiny.

Cheers
:E

Note from Mary F and Ches, dueling moderators: accidentally deleted Owen's post. Operator error. Apologies everyone!

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Oh thank you, I thought I had done something. :wak (wiping hand over brow)

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Ooop, perhaps that apology should be from Mary F, Ches, and Janifer Journeycake! Ever vigilent, we all saw a problem and way over-compensated!!

:o

This thread is acting peculiar. I'm going to lock it. Y'all feel free to continue this discussion by starting a new thread on the same subject.

Thanks! :wave