stevebubs
|
| posted on 26/1/05 at 10:43 PM |
|
|
Cleaning Aluminium...
ok...my car's near as dammit 10 years old and (prior to me) had a bit of a hard life at times.
As I'm putting a sparkly new engine in, I'd like to spruce up some of the panelling in the Engine bay (the only other alternative is to
replace it)
What do people recommend to thoroughly clean aluminium prior to giving it a good polish?
|
|
|
|
|
planetester
|
| posted on 26/1/05 at 11:54 PM |
|
|
Get all the dirt & grit off, use parafin if its oily dirt, but dont scratch it anymore than you can help, then brasso will polish ally to a mirror
finish if thata what you want
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 12:34 AM |
|
|
This stuff is really not well looked after. Lots of fine (and some not so fine) scratches that will need polishing out.
I've used Brasso on motorcycles to good effect in the past (Hondas seem to come up better than others), but it's not really up to this
job, I'm afraid (tried it when I first got the car).
|
|
|
Peteff
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 12:42 AM |
|
|
Try some cutting compound for paint finishing. You can get it in different grades. If it's really scratched you might need fine wet and dry
first if you want to bottom the scratches out.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 01:09 AM |
|
|
Don't know if you can make it out here, but the top of the pod is after several hours trying to polish it up.
 
Dellorto's Fitted
|
|
|
Rorty
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 05:44 AM |
|
|
Can you still get Solvol Autosol in the UK? If you can find some (Frosts?), it's the mutt's nuts.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
|
|
|
SeaBass
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 07:39 AM |
|
|
If you want to restore the finish you need to use something that will remove the deepest scratches first and work from there...
Use some coarse scotchbrite pads, then wet or dry 1200 or so, then T-cut. Lots of work but you can restore it... those surfaces only look small and
flat should take some of the effort out.
Cheers
|
|
|
mangogrooveworkshop
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 12:38 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rorty
Can you still get Solvol Autosol in the UK? If you can find some (Frosts?), it's the mutt's nuts.
Some BMW bike dealers stock it
|
|
|
Alan_Thomas
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 01:09 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rorty
Can you still get Solvol Autosol in the UK?
I bought mind from the local Halfords and got the whole car gleeming. The problem now is its impossible to drive on sunny days into the sun because of
the reflection off the bonnet 
|
|
|
Stu16v
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 07:42 PM |
|
|
quote:
Use some coarse scotchbrite pads, then wet or dry 1200 or so, then T-cut.
As I would do, except miss the T-cut, and get some rubbing compound as Peteff suggests. The best stuff I found for the job is Halfrauds own brand,
that comes in a large toothpaste style tube.
Then Autosol. Wipe polishing residue off with a rag dipped in flour. Try doing it without first, and then come back to thank me after! It really makes
life soooo much easier...
The ali should be looking good now. If you want 'mirror', finish with Alu Belgom, expensive, but VERY good.
HTH Stu.
Dont just build it.....make it!
|
|
|
wilkingj
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 08:53 PM |
|
|
Hmm I got a canvas type wheel usually used on an Bench Grinder, along with a screwy tapered mandrel bit, and stuck it in my leccy drill.
I have managed to get a bit of dull stainless up to a mirror finish fairly easily.
Got some white coloured compund in a bar shape, from the same place (Mackays in Cambridge) same place as the canvas wheely bit.
It would be a cinch on Ally, with the right compound.
I agree Solvol Autosol is good..
So is Goddards Silver polish, its a yellow paste in a toothpaste tube, but might not be Goddards.
Brasso is OK, but only for the finishing stages..
T-Cut is also fairly good, again in the final stages.
Also laquer the mirror finish, then it wont oxidise so easily.
[Edited on 27/1/2005 by wilkingj]
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 10:03 PM |
|
|
Polishing it up isn't a problem - but the scratches are visible so you *don't* get a nice *Smooth* mirror finish. the Alu stuff gives it a
really nice sheen but the scratches spoil the effect.
Might have a go at the scotch pads, wet & dry etc...
|
|
|
Mark Allanson
|
| posted on 27/1/05 at 10:11 PM |
|
|
Use 1000 W&D, but use 3 in1 oil instead of water, when the scratches are gone, buff up with Farecla G3 with an air mop - mirror finish in minutes
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
|
|
|
ayoungman
|
| posted on 28/1/05 at 09:58 AM |
|
|
ali panels.
Why dont you drill out the engine bay panels and replace with stainless ? The 2 in the picture are small and fairly simple to shape. Stainless will
last and you wont need to keep repolishing the damn stuff !
just a thought !
"just like that !"
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 28/1/05 at 01:01 PM |
|
|
Replacing the panels is perhaps an option. However, all the ali panels are like this and to remove some of them in the engine bay I'll have to
remove the main tub (not ideal)
Exploring all the options before I do what I did with the engine and jump off into the deep end without considering everything.
Cheers
Stephen
|
|
|
ayoungman
|
| posted on 28/1/05 at 03:42 PM |
|
|
if you remove the body tub, you are then into the realms of a complete rebuild ! I see why you are looking at alternatives. I think we have all
started a job and got to the " I wish I hadn't stage" . come to think of it, most of my Landrover work has been like that ! Can of
worms etc ......!
"just like that !"
|
|
|
DarrenW
|
| posted on 28/1/05 at 04:32 PM |
|
|
I would echo the use of Ferecla G3. Great stuff for restoring most tired bodywork. It does leave a dull finish as its a rubbing compound. Use with a
mop and its a lot easier. i got a low powered 12V mop from Halfords (not the very cheap one - next model up) and it worked a treat. Ferecla also do a
G10 compound. Brings paintwork up brilliantly. I got mine from a back street motor factors that specialise in body shop stuff (yellow bottles).
T-cut is very smooth and formulated for amateur use so is therefore 'safe' and not always man enough imho.
|
|
|
Stu16v
|
| posted on 28/1/05 at 05:29 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by wilkingj
Hmm I got a canvas type wheel usually used on an Bench Grinder, along with a screwy tapered mandrel bit, and stuck it in my leccy drill.
I have managed to get a bit of dull stainless up to a mirror finish fairly easily.
Got some white coloured compund in a bar shape, from the same place (Mackays in Cambridge) same place as the canvas wheely bit.
It would be a cinch on Ally, with the right compound.
I bought a metal polishing kit that attaches to a drill from the Classic Car show at the NEC, thinking it would save some time keeping my car looking
nice. However, it isnt very practical on ali panels, as the polishing wheel tends to 'bounce' on the surface. It is far more effective on
thicker pieces of ali though...
quote:
Originally posted by wilkingj Also laquer the mirror finish, then it wont oxidise so easily.
I was advised against this, for the simple reason that sooner or later, the laquer will either chip, (and moisture will get underneath) or turn
'yellow', both of which means removing the laquer to rectify. Ali polishing is hard (especially to get a nice finsh intially), but is far
easier than laquer removal...
Dont just build it.....make it!
|
|
|
NS Dev
|
| posted on 30/1/05 at 09:23 AM |
|
|
Just another recommendation for Farecla G3, it really is brilliant stuff. You will NEVER use T-Cut again when you have used Farecla products (G3, G10
and Topglaze)
Screwfix sell it too so no need to trek to a motor body place or pay Halfrauds prices!
|
|
|
SeaBass
|
| posted on 31/1/05 at 05:44 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
T-cut is very smooth and formulated for amateur use so is therefore 'safe' and not always man enough imho.
I must be an amateur then....
|
|
|
silex
|
| posted on 3/2/05 at 05:06 PM |
|
|
Have you considered giving the ally a brushed finish effect - OK its not shiney but can look good and should disguise the scratches without having to
polish them out first.....
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
|
|
|
fastavatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
