I have lots of aluminum bicycle parts. I buy yard sale bikes and restore them as a hobby. Meny of these bikes suffer from neglect, being left out in the rain etc... Does anyone know how to clean up badly oxidized aluminum parts, and is there anyway to protect highly polished aluminum from oxidization? For instance I have a pair of exspencive Campagnolo hubs, a new old stock pair like mine sold on eBay recently for $300.00, so you can see my dilema. These hubs will be going back on a very nice luged steel frame, that I am restoring for my fleet of classic bicycles. I guess to sum things up I don't want my high dollar hub set to turn into Alkselzer ! Can anyone HELP !
2006-06-21 16:50:25 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Cycling
Fitz makes a good polish as does brasso.
Try a clear coat of urethane or lacquer after polishing. It won't last forever but keeps you from polishing all the time.
2006-06-21 17:02:06 · answer #1 · answered by Wile E. Chipotle 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You can use furniture stripper to dissolve the clear-coat. Then you can polish up the parts using Simichrome or other chrome polish. Then spray on a new clear-coat. I used a Harley-Davidson product in the past (on a Honda) with very good results. Note that you may get a finish which is actually glossier than the original Honda finish. You may prefer that, or you may be more interested in replicating the original finish. It all depends on what you want, and how far you go with the polishing. In my case, I ended up having the parts professionally triple chrome plated several years later for a really custom look (once I had the money to do it). BTW, your cases are made of an aluminum alloy. Apparently, pure aluminum does not tarnish, but is not considered strong enough.
2016-03-13 10:28:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
how to polish aluminum and keep it from oxidizing?
I have lots of aluminum bicycle parts. I buy yard sale bikes and restore them as a hobby. Meny of these bikes suffer from neglect, being left out in the rain etc... Does anyone know how to clean up badly oxidized aluminum parts, and is there anyway to protect highly polished aluminum from...
2015-08-12 21:14:21 · answer #3 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We use automotive wax on the aluminum skin of aircraft. Seems to work well. Locks out air and moisture which cause oxidation. Addition for sparky: that's what the white powder that develops when aluminum corrodes is called. Corrosion, oxidation, aluminum rust. All the same.
2006-06-21 16:56:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I use Mothers for everything and I think they have a new aluminum polish,..Never had any issues using it. I also restore Bmx bikes from the 70's n 80's but i will keep all 33 of them until someone prys my cold dead hands from them :)
2006-06-21 20:51:09 · answer #5 · answered by bmxcollections 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I didn't know aluminum oxidized!
2006-06-21 16:57:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Car wax. It will shine it up & keep the shine. The wax will keep like an air tight enclosure.
2006-06-21 16:53:12 · answer #7 · answered by D J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
aluminum does not rust.
2006-06-22 14:10:25 · answer #8 · answered by snip 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋