what's best way to clean up aluminum parts?

[Toby]

It was the first time I used "AL80" and I'm still very pleased with the result.

so long
the Doc

Which concentration did you use? I believe they advise to use a kilo per 20 liters of warm water. Which works out at 50 grams per liter, but that doesn’t really give me a good result as of yet

[m1cH1]

Hey Toby,

1kg AL80 per 20 litres of water is right for regular use.
I use it in the ultrasonic cleaner and there I only use 1kg/30L and it still works fine!

But do you use it warm or cold? I tried it cold once and that didn’t really work...
I found it needs to be at least at 50°C to properly work. Have the heater of the ultrasonic tank at 60°C and that does the trick!

Cheers, Mike

[m1cH1]

Oh, and: Be careful with painted parts! It is a strong lye, so works good as an alkaline-based paint stripper!

[Toby]

Thanks for that Mike. I tried it at home with boiling water. My ultrasonic tank is in my garage at the moment. I’ll have to dig it out and give it another try with that.

[m1cH1]

You don’t really need an ultrasonic to use it, it’s just a convenient way of use without too much brushing necessary.

I used it for a couple of years before I had the ultrasonic and there was some in between brushing and agitating necessary, especially if there were thick layers of dirt to clean off.

There is still sometimes the necessity to take it out of the ultrasonic to brush off excessive dirt/paint, as the ultrasonic waves are not able to remove very thick layers. But in comparison to using it in a pot on a hot plate, it’s a lot less work…

[Toby]

I was thinking of doing that too. Just an old pan on the hob and let it simmer. But with the vapors coming of it the sonic cleaner sounds like a better idea besides doing it outdoors

[m1cH1]

Two examples: A housing of an electrical switch, cleaned last week. Not a lot of dirt, but five (!) layers of paint! It spent four stints of 20 Minutes in the tank and needed brushing/scraping in between. (Might be an extreme example, as removing paint isn’t the prime use of AL80…)

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And a second example, an H4 Carb, that spent about half an hour in the tank and didn’t need a whole lot of scrubbing. Only a little bit in the corners, and only once.
(You can see the tools used for scrubbing in the second H4 picture.)

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[m1cH1]

I was thinking of doing that too. Just an old pan on the hob and let it simmer. But with the vapors coming of it the sonic cleaner sounds like a better idea besides doing it outdoors

Yes, that‘s right. That was the reason I initially stopped using it, too. Not nice to breathe this vapor!
As I understand it, AL80 is mostly caustic soda (with some brighteners added) and the fumes from the hot bath aren’t exactly nice to breathe!
As I - a couple of years later - then struggled to find a good and not so expensive cleaner for the ultrasonic, I remembered that I had a tin of AL80 on the shelf, then tried it and stuck with it since then!

[mk1]

Does anyone know if AL80 is available in the UK? If it is, I can't find it.

[mk1]

Would it be possible for someone in Germany to post me a parcel with some AL80 in? I am very keen to give it a try.

Thanks, M

[woodypup59]

I put the carb from my mower in unleaded petrol overnight to clean it and it came out looking like new.

It may be mazac or similar, rather than ally of course.

[MiNiKiN]

Would it be possible for someone in Germany to post me a parcel with some AL80 in? I am very keen to give it a try.
Thanks, M

I'd loved to, but I don't live in Germany, and maybe, for whatever reason, you wouldn't want parcels from Austria

Seriously - how much do you need?
1 unit for a 25l mix with water or more?

https://puch-ersatzteile.at/granulat-fu ... 80-0007027

[mk1]

Now sorted thank you. M

Will report back in due course.

[NicholasUpton]

I use a vibratory tumbler with ceramic media to clean the carbs I rebuild, hardest part is making sure I get all the little balls out of everything before I assemble them.

[melanie1805]

As title says need to clean aluminium parts eg carbs want that fresh factory look on them

Any good cleaning stuff out there?

Don't want a use a wire brush thanks

For cleaning aluminum parts like carbs without using a wire brush, an ultrasonic cleaner with a mild degreaser works well, giving you that fresh, factory look. Alternatively, aluminum-specific cleaners or a simple vinegar-water mix can also restore shine without damaging the surface. Just avoid anything too abrasive, and always rinse thoroughly.

[Stewartp]

I use chemtech blitz, I presume it's available outside of Australia.

[Peter Laidler]

What about one of you chemistry boffins telling the not so clever forumers like me what everyday under-the-kitchen-sink chemicals we can use to clean ally.

Although to be honest, you can clean, polish and shine the carbs until the cows come home but the metallurgy tells me that while they'll be clean, they won't shine for more than a week....

[Classic1]

On a similar note what product could you use to dull down the brake and clutch master cylinder

[MiNiKiN]

On a similar note what product could you use to dull down the brake and clutch master cylinder

Acetic (diluted vinegar essence) or phosphoric acid (some rust removers). But try reaction and best reaction time in an invisible area first

[MiNiKiN]

What about one of you chemistry boffins telling the not so clever forumers like me what everyday under-the-kitchen-sink chemicals we can use to clean ally.

Real petrolheads have NEVR-DULL under the kitchen sink