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Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:19 pm
by Grizzly
Hi every one.

I am after a bit of advice, i am looking to clean up engine ancillaries that are bare alloy (Carb's, Dissy,Oil pump etc) i've had a good go at them with Brake/Carb cleaner and all that does is removes any thing loose / Grease and grime so am looking for some thing a little more aggressive.

So, i have been doing some reading up and have come up with two options, i could remove all the grit from my Cabinet blaster and use bicarbonate soda to blast the alloy or i could get the parts Vapor/Aqua Blaster properly, the main problem i have is i don't want that Blasted mat look that seems to get dirty really quick (as you would get if you used say Aluminium oxide media) and this is all a little new to me.

I have just had a demo of the Aqua Blasting and even though it works really well it leaves an almost shiny finish (some where between Satin and gloss) which to be honest wouldn't look right?? but i assume that would go a bit more flat with age?? plus its quite allot of money to have it done (i was a bit surprised) they wanted ?50 for a 40 DCOE and ?100 for the head as an example.

Which leaves me with Soda blasting, i am tempted to have a go on some thing that is not really seen to get an idea of what its like, i have been told by a guy i know who restores bikes that it is very time consuming / very mild but leaves an almost stock looking finish if i'm prepared to put the time in but doesn't leave any residue (which i like the idea of) plus i could do most of the blasting myself which would save a fair bit of money.

So i am looking for advice from people that have been here and have experience, maybe even a different option? The main thing for me is that it doesn't attract dirt again really quickly and looks stock.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:38 pm
by john1180
Once you get it clean, spay it with a light coat of Krylon dull aluminum spray paint. It will look like bare aluminum, but will clean up nicely when dirty.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:50 pm
by oldchieft
Hi all
I asked this on another post but did not get any feed back.

Has anyone tried coating polished parts with the type of clear top coat lacer used on modern paint finishes?

I would be interested to know how well does it acts in under-bonnet heat and fumes?
Jon the Chief

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:26 pm
by Grizzly
Yes me, i would never again clear coat alloy parts.

On a previous rebuild i bead blasted a pair of carbs and gave them a fine coat of Eastwoods clear, it looked good for aprox 6 months before it started to yellow and discolour. It didn't come off but looked worse than it started after a year on the road.

I have also 2k cleared polished alloy too before now and that just doesn't stick well, you end up with white veins where the moisture has lifted the clear, i think the 2k just isn't designed to go directly onto bare metal.

I have decided i am going to have a go at Soda blasting, i had a chat with some one that is quite clued up on it and he said the soda does give a more factory finish and on things like the Webers they wouldn't loose that black factory finish (if you know what i mean) so if that becomes too much messing about i will go directly to Vapour blasting, i don't really want to spend that much cash without having some thing to show for it :D i'm a little worried after reading the process involves blasting a slurry of glass beads and water, but would this be just like bead blasting where bits of glass Media are left behind in bolt hols etc?? but that said i can't leave the alloy as it is now (lets the rebuild down) so we'll see how it goes.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:32 pm
by Grizzly
john1180 wrote:Once you get it clean, spay it with a light coat of Krylon dull aluminum spray paint. It will look like bare aluminum, but will clean up nicely when dirty.

Have you used it on carbs? the only reason i ask is i have used the eastwoods alloy spray http://www.eastwood.com/ew-aluma-blast-set.html on some other parts and was a little disappointed, looked great when it first went on but looked grubby after a short period and was a pita to clean and the fuel stained it quite badly. If the Krylon is less porous i might give it a shot.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:36 pm
by holywood3645
John is right on the mark with his comment. A good freind and high dollar car restoration expert told me, "blast the parts then paint with a good quality aluminium finish paint". The parts look the same, but do not tarnish.
I would noy do this on carbs etc, but great for diff cover, rear strut hubs, gear box covers etc.
James

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:40 pm
by Grizzly
holywood3645 wrote:John is right on the mark with his comment. A good freind and high dollar car restoration expert told me, "blast the parts then paint with a good quality aluminium finish paint". The parts look the same, but do not tarnish.
I would noy do this on carbs etc, but great for diff cover, rear strut hubs, gear box covers etc.
James

So not for Head or carbs then?

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:18 am
by holywood3645
Maybe head if you can get high temp paint. I would not use on carbs
James

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:58 am
by AHM
Grizzly wrote:So i am looking for advice from people that have been here and have experience, maybe even a different option? The main thing for me is that it doesn't attract dirt again really quickly and looks stock


oldchieft wrote:I asked this on another post but did not get any feed back.


Try here Chaps!
lotus-carbs-f40/cleaning-external-carburettor-body-t18459.html

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 1:12 pm
by Grizzly
Well i have a bit of R&D to do but i would say Soda blasting with Bicarbonate of Soda works really well, i had a pot of about 200g which my shot blaster dispatched in 10 seconds in quite a cloud but if i can restrict the pick up a little the finish it gives is exactly what i'm after.

So i have ordered a 10kg bag of Farm grade Bicarbonate of Soda which i believe is bigger Chrystal's and we will see where that takes me :)

I didn't take any pics but this is a good example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQrU06w7LHY my gun is a machine mart shot blaster kit but same sort of thing.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 8:52 pm
by EdHolly
I meticulously clean the alloy part then dust a coat of
TEMPO - AVIATION ENGINE ENAMEL color A-207 Aluminum
on the item..

Things like master cylinders which come out of the box new sometimes slightly tarnished are made to look pristine in a few minutes - and in service anything sprayed with this paint lasts for years, and as it is only a dusting it never flakes off. It works on anything aluminum and when done this way is impossible to tell from the real alloy - imho

I get it from my local airport and it is no dearer than ordinary paint from the hardware store !

http://estock.aviall.com/pdf/catpage/2359.pdf

Ed

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 8:00 pm
by Grizzly
Well i'm getting there with my Soda Blasting, i have nearly got it dialed in and i'll take some pics when i've mastered it.

But... Spoke to the engineers today that do the Vapor blasting and they have done a Merc Pagoda manifold for a guy i know, they have forwarded me this picture of it half done as a taster (i'm very close to just boxing up my bits and taking them over to them)

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 8:03 pm
by Grizzly
and a picture of a set of MG A Carbs. There not bad considering they weren't stripped, just removed from the car and Blasted as an Example to the owner. The price and the "Silverness" put me off but after chatting to the guy i believe after a few weeks it looses the shine/Tarnishes a bit and looks original again.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:23 pm
by Grizzly
After allot of messing and playing i've come to the conclusion DIY Soda blasting is great for small stuff and areas that its important not Media remains (Like the float bowls in the carbs etc) it does work great but its really hard to back off the media to a level that is not wasteful (if that makes sense) i really like the finish it gives but the bigger bits are going to be Vapour blasted.

Re: Cleaning alloy castings?

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:10 am
by au-yt
May I suggest this as a coating... rather than paint.. this video is the VALVALINE promo

http://www.valvolineeurope.com/english/products/tectyl/aftermarket/cid%287166%29/tectyl_glashelder/klar_spray

Tectyl made a product called Tectyl 151 which was designed for the marine market. to stop surface corrosion

I did a restoration of a Maserati Khamsin taking from 1992 to 2002 and every piece nuts bolts hydraulic lines etc that were plated was sprayed with 151 and after 10 years the plating still looked new. The only place it struggled was on brake calipers.

I have been searching for a replacement product an I believe TECTYL GLASHELDER/KLAR is just that product.

You cannot see it doesn't add shine and tough. my only grip is I cannot buy it in Australia....
Graeme