How do I clean aluminium castings ?

[Melvyn Best]

A scotch pad cleans ally pretty well BUT do not use on ANY internal surfaces Apparently boiled rhubarb leaves clean ally

 

[arther dailey]

hmm rhubarb , that makes sence as it acidick(?), now just wondering where I could get some

 

[arther dailey]

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.

Ha, and I thought it was me who was king of of topic on this forum , think you take the cup there excellent

 

[Brad93]

If you want to weld the parts whatever you do don’t vapour blast first.

The part needs to be cleaned in a hot detergent solution, like a professional hot water parts cleaner, then rinsed and cleaned with a solvent, then you could bead blast it/vapour blast it.

If you bead blast or vapour blast first, it peens the surface of the aluminium, locking in the dirt and oil. The part appears visually clean but when you light up on it and form a puddle, it immediately becomes contaminated.

Aluminium has a surface oxide that is very tenacious and by vapour blasting again you are locking in this oxide.

This also occurs if using flap wheels, wire brushes that spin too fast or other abrasives that smear the aluminium.

 

[Brad93]

thanks guys ,all these sound very good, but I dont have a vapour blaster or soda blaster and the parts are to convoluted to use a wire wheel, hence the question is there any type of tank dip , although I do have a cheapo clarke type sand blast spray gun thing, tried it on a chassis , wouldnt peel dry mud off , so might be good on ali , Imight try some over cleaner foam spray , I do have some of that.

You can buy a product from AutoSmart. There’s two strengths, I’ve only used the weaker one as I don’t really like dealing with Hydrofluoric acid!
It’s called AluShine and AluBright.

it’s very powerful and does require agitation. Whatever you do don’t let it dry on.

 

[brightspark]

If you want to weld the parts whatever you do don’t vapour blast first.

The part needs to be cleaned in a hot detergent solution, like a professional hot water parts cleaner, then rinsed and cleaned with a solvent, then you could bead blast it/vapour blast it.

If you bead blast or vapour blast first, it peens the surface of the aluminium, locking in the dirt and oil. The part appears visually clean but when you light up on it and form a puddle, it immediately becomes contaminated.

Aluminium has a surface oxide that is very tenacious and by vapour blasting again you are locking in this oxide.

This also occurs if using flap wheels, wire brushes that spin too fast or other abrasives that smear the aluminium.

just sandblast then 1st it strips the surface and leaves a clean matt surface. as u say beads peen it and close the surface

 

[Al Strachan]

Phospho after a good detergent scrub is probably the best bet without blasting gear, but will leave a dull grey Matt finish and will be very suceptible for further corrosion (white crud) a light oiling or a dusting with a silver heat resistant rattle can could sort that.

all been said though.

I’ve tried the whole dishwasher thing, but always seemed to leave corrosion marks and just winds up the better half, it’s good for that!

 

[Brad93]

just sandblast then 1st it strips the surface and leaves a clean matt surface. as u say beads peen it and close the surface

Still at risk of embedding grit and pushing the dirt further into the part

 

[ronan]

Anyone tried Oxalic acid ?

 

[badabec]

Anyone tried Oxalic acid ?

That's the acid in rhubarb leaves

ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1KG-OXAL...hash=item2ad7ab8727:m:mZqMz72KZ-HHimPErGvfpiQ

Good for bleaching wood and taking water stains from oak

 

[Brad93]

Oxalic acid great for removing iron fallout from your cars paintwork

 

[arther dailey]

You can buy a product from AutoSmart. There’s two strengths, I’ve only used the weaker one as I don’t really like dealing with Hydrofluoric acid!
It’s called AluShine and AluBright.

it’s very powerful and does require agitation. Whatever you do don’t let it dry on.

Thanks @Brad93 , ordered some aluclean up , will see how it goes . And thank you to everyone for all replies

 

[Munkul]

You can buy a product from AutoSmart. There’s two strengths, I’ve only used the weaker one as I don’t really like dealing with Hydrofluoric acid!
It’s called AluShine and AluBright.

it’s very powerful and does require agitation. Whatever you do don’t let it dry on.

My cousin (car dealer) has started using the stronger one, it's LETHAL brought up the aluminium bed of his transporter like new with just a spray over and pressure wash... unbelievable stuff. Looked at the label... hydrofluoric acid... no wonder

 

[arther dailey]

ordered the alushine , will have full ppe and hose to hand.

 

[badabec]

My cousin (car dealer) has started using the stronger one, it's LETHAL brought up the aluminium bed of his transporter like new with just a spray over and pressure wash... unbelievable stuff. Looked at the label... hydrofluoric acid... no wonder

Don't transfer it to a glass bottle, hydrofluoric acid eats glass

 

[anjum]

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.

How do you get the bugger to hold still??

first time I cooked lobster I rang my sister to ask how to dispatch them as I didn't like the idea of boiling them alive, a minute later her and my two little nieces cried "set them free..." Made me laugh....but it was delicious!

 

[anjum]

Don't transfer it to a glass bottle, hydrofluoric acid eats glass

and skin and bone....bit like the aliens blood!

https://www.emsworld.com/article/10319665/hydrofluoric-acid-what-you-need-know

 

[marlinspike]

I was born and brought up near what is known as the Rhubarb Triangle in Yorkshire. As a child, if any aluminium pans got burnt food on them, it was common to boil up rhubarb in them to remove it. The leaves are poisonous though.

I got a load of cheap alloy wheel cleaner a few months ago with the intention of using it to clean engine parts, but was a bit wary of using it, so glad to read on here it should be OK.

 

[arther dailey]

rhubarb and apple crumble with custard Mmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[marlinspike]

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.