Cleaning aluminum?

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:49 pm

I can gussy up a brass with Brasso and silver with silver polish...

But what the heck do you do to make aluminum look good again?

Doc

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:12 pm

Steel wool. 0000.

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:22 pm

Bloomfield wrote:Steel wool. 0000.

Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:29 pm

PhilO wrote: Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo

Just bury in soft peat for six months, rinse well, and the grey finish is back.

WhistlinBob · Post by **WhistlinBob** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:24 pm

A heavier grade of steel wool will give you a nice brushed finish if you twist it as you pull it down the tube.For a high polish jewlers rouge and a buffer

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:28 pm

Bloomfield wrote:
PhilO wrote: Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo
Just bury in soft peat for six months, rinse well, and the grey finish is back.

Do I have to sit there with it?

Philo

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:30 pm

You could try vinegar or lemon juice.

I just tried a little vinegar on my Syn - it does take some of the oxide off with a good rubbing, Perhaps a good soak for an hour might do the trick, but I have no idea what metalurgical side-effects there may be

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:03 am

PhilO wrote:
Bloomfield wrote:
PhilO wrote: Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo
Just bury in soft peat for six months, rinse well, and the grey finish is back.
Do I have to sit there with it?

Philo

greenspiderweb · Post by **greenspiderweb** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:49 am

PhilO wrote:
Bloomfield wrote:
PhilO wrote: Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo
Just bury in soft peat for six months, rinse well, and the grey finish is back.
Do I have to sit there with it?

Philo

Sorry, PhilO, kind of shot you down for that one, didn't I?

I suggest a bottle of Single Malt; it's got a lot of peat already in it-drink a little, polish a little, drink a little...by the end of the bottle, your whistle will be very clean and shiny! But do a test bottle on O'Briains!

Celtic983 · Post by **Celtic983** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:58 am

I use toothpast and a tooth brush. Shines aluminium right up

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:22 am

PhilO wrote:
Bloomfield wrote:Steel wool. 0000.
Great on shiny aluminum, but will remove that nice steel grey finish on O'Briains for example, as I found the hard way.

Philo

Dude, what's with you and your steel wool?? Who told you it was good for whatever ailed a whistle Phil?

Loren

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:25 am

Doc Jones wrote:I can gussy up a brass with Brasso and silver with silver polish...

But what the heck do you do to make aluminum look good again?

Doc

Well, it depends on the whistle and the finish: A Burke is one thing, an Overton something else, and anything Phil has gotten his hands on.....well, that's another thing.

Seriously though doc, depends on the whistle in question, and what the issue is: Scratches, discoloration, etc.

Loren

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:28 am

Loren wrote:
Doc Jones wrote:

Seriously though doc, depends on the whistle in question, and what the issue is: Scratches, discoloration, etc.

Loren

Any suggestions for either?

Doc

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:38 am

I need specifics, in order to diagnose and come up with a treatment plan, Doc.....

Seriously, is it discoloration? If so, what's it look like? Are we talking deep scratches? You're going maybe need a lathe or something to rotate the instrument on. Light scratches? In that case it depends on the whistle and the type of finish - an Overton will need a different course of action to make it look new than a Burke.

Loren

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:56 am

If toothpaste does the job, then fullers earth may do it better - at least where metal is concerned. It is what jewellers use to clean the old tom, so it's not going to remove vast quantities of metal. I don't have any direct experience of this, but when Celtic983 mentioned toothpaste, it rang a bell.

I'd like to hear how this goes.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Cleaning aluminum?

Cleaning aluminum?

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