How do I clean aluminium castings ?

[Brad93]

With the lethal AutoSmart aluminium cleaner. Do yourself a favour and buy a tube of the hydrofluoric antidote cream.
Water does nothing.

 

[Brad93]

https://www.spservices.co.uk/item/HFHydrofluoricAcidAntidoteGel-25gTube_102_0_4111_1.html

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Slightly different , but off the same thought
Lobster cooks really well in the dish washer ,,, no soap etc of course ,
wrap it up in silver foil ,, and run the washer , steamed to perfection.

That has to be one of the greatest thread diversions yet......

 

[Munkul]

Brad, your comment made me have a quick google, I actually didn't understand how bad it was!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4116323/

Pain out of proportion to physical examination is a hallmark finding in HF burns. Clinically, the morbidity of the burn is directly proportional to the concentration of HF, the duration of exposure, and the immediacy and adequacy of first aid measures (eg, copious irrigation). In the industrial setting, concentrations can reach levels >20%; however, the majority of patients are burned at 1% to 3% concentration, more commonly present in cleaning solutions and solvents (4–6). It is useful to categorize exposures based on the concentration of acid. Higher concentrations of acid results in more immediate pain and visible burn, followed by the development of grey areas, necrosis or ulceration, and possibly tenosynovitis and osteolysis, which can present as late manifestations. Lower concentrations (<20%) could result in delayed symptoms up to 24 h postexposure and, if left untreated, could progress through the same sequence as the high-concentration burns.

So basically, the autosmart stuff at up to 10% can still give some significant burns, but due to the mechanism of HCL it's much much worse at lower concentrations than the equivalent nitric/sulphuric, or even caustic.
I may have to get my cousin to get some of that burns stuff. Pain out of proportion sounds nasty, and in contrast, 1% sulphuric acid barely burns at all.

 

[500e]

Oxalic acid in dilute form removes Iron stains from sailes\ fabric

 

[Melvyn Best]

We grew rhubarb at the bottom of our garden so often had rhubarb pie and custard. Fallen out of favour with most folk though now. On a still slightly relevant point, the great cyclist Beryl Burton was born a few miles away from me, and through much of her remarkable sporting career still worked on a rhubarb farm.

Now that’s a name I remember from my youth

 

[arther dailey]

hmmmm, used to using brick acid to clean moulds , but the more I read about this makes me dubious !

 

[Big_B]

I've heard about boiling carburetors in lemon juice for 15 minutes to clean all the old muck off. This may work for you too.

As mentioned in the previous threads, soda blasting is another way. You can make a cheap soda blaster from an air gun attachment and a piece of hose. I did this years ago and cleaned off muck with bicarbonate of soda. When everything was clean, it rinsed of with water.

BTW this is a pic off the interweb, not mine

 

[arther dailey]

https://www.spservices.co.uk/item/HFHydrofluoricAcidAntidoteGel-25gTube_102_0_4111_1.html

Thanks @Brad93, ordered alucleen(differant firm than you stated due to min.order) yesterday ,came today , I emailed the firm to check it had chem sheets with it , and they confirmed this version has hydrochloric acid in it , and definately no hydroflouric acid content .
will check it out tomoz , confirm and let everyone know how it works.
Appreciate everyones advice , must admit really like the idea of ruhbarb leaves boiling in a pot so will also try that when I get some . As like a lot I have time on my hands there is no rush so thought it worth while to clean the ali castings before re fitting. cheers Arther

 

[marlinspike]

I've watched a few of those home made soda/sand blaster videos on You Tube. Some of them are very impressive. What size compressor, and cfm, would you need to use the small soda blasters they make out of a small water bottle?

 

[brightspark]

just buy a cheap shuts gun ready made put a flexible dip tube on it https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=schutz+gun&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=zQs5rmXU0gBCcM%3A%2C9ruSIocJdwiVmM%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQ3_jkB4vfUjg04zcfATxFl6ynTqQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwig1Pv-h-bpAhXGasAKHYtWC98Q9QEwBnoECAYQIA#imgrc=zQs5rmXU0gBCcM:will work ok on less than 14cfm no probs

 

[Melvyn Best]

The soda blasters are good for cleaning corroded car electrical connections even in multi plugs

 

[Brad93]

Brad, your comment made me have a quick google, I actually didn't understand how bad it was!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4116323/



So basically, the autosmart stuff at up to 10% can still give some significant burns, but due to the mechanism of HCL it's much much worse at lower concentrations than the equivalent nitric/sulphuric, or even caustic.
I may have to get my cousin to get some of that burns stuff. Pain out of proportion sounds nasty, and in contrast, 1% sulphuric acid barely burns at all.

Yeah Nitric, Sulphuric and Hydrochloric acid are all pretty much what bleach is to normal acids, when compared with Hydrofluoric (HF).

A tiny tiny exposure can manifest as necrosis and decalcification of the bone, damage to all of the nerves and soft tissues, after a few days.
Usually HF exposure that isn’t treated pretty quick results in amputation or at least removal of all the damaged area, requiring skins grafts etc.

Not for me, I don’t mind HCL and 70% Nitric. Set of gloves and a visor and you’re fine as long as you’re sensible.
HF though, I’d want a Chem suit on and an emergency shower nearby.

 

[Brad93]

Thanks @Brad93, ordered alucleen(differant firm than you stated due to min.order) yesterday ,came today , I emailed the firm to check it had chem sheets with it , and they confirmed this version has hydrochloric acid in it , and definately no hydroflouric acid content .
will check it out tomoz , confirm and let everyone know how it works.
Appreciate everyones advice , must admit really like the idea of ruhbarb leaves boiling in a pot so will also try that when I get some . As like a lot I have time on my hands there is no rush so thought it worth while to clean the ali castings before re fitting. cheers Arther

The normal alucleen, I have got some on me, just rinse off with water it doesn’t burn. I did wear gloves and eye protection though.

I used a car washing brush on a short pole to agitate and rinsed off with the pressure washer

 

[arther dailey]

Yeah Nitric, Sulphuric and Hydrochloric acid are all pretty much what bleach is to normal acids, when compared with Hydrofluoric (HF).

A tiny tiny exposure can manifest as necrosis and decalcification of the bone, damage to all of the nerves and soft tissues, after a few days.
Usually HF exposure that isn’t treated pretty quick results in amputation or at least removal of all the damaged area, requiring skins grafts etc.

Not for me, I don’t mind HCL and 70% Nitric. Set of gloves and a visor and you’re fine as long as you’re sensible.
HF though, I’d want a Chem suit on and an emergency shower nearby.

Agree, wouldnt want to use the hf without full and total industrial grade ppe and people around who know the proper exposure procedure . not a job I would be looking for thats for sure

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Try spray oven cleaner but only leave on for a couple of minutes then wash off with loads of water.

 

[marlinspike]

I've used Fairy Power spray to clean metal stuff before. It's usually £2 a bottle. I have also read of people using it to gently strip paint from plastic. Not sure if it would be OK on aluminium though.

 

[arther dailey]

Try spray oven cleaner but only leave on for a couple of minutes then wash off with loads of water.

thankyou,tried that , didnt work, good for cleaning carbon out of manifolds though !

 

[arther dailey]

I've used Fairy Power spray to clean metal stuff before. It's usually £2 a bottle. I have also read of people using it to gently strip paint from plastic. Not sure if it would be OK on aluminium though.

interesting ,never heard of fairy power spray , will look out for it. cheers

 

[Brad93]

All of them type of things are on the same basis as the aluclean. Strong Alkaline cleaners, like caustic soda.