Anodizing is a process that turns the outer layer of aluminum into aluminum oxide which is as hard as rubies or saphires thus inhibiting scratches and corrosion. The color is added in the pcrocess as a strong dye. I have used very fine steel wool to remove it but it takes some work. You want to avoid rough sandpaper if you are going to polish it.

Greg

 

Us RC car types are constantly removing the colored anodizing from the little aluminum bits we use...

Use Easy Off oven cleaner or Greased Lightning in a disposable pan (old tupperware, etc.). Set the parts in and let the coating dissolve, rinse with water, then polish to your desire...

HTH...
Mark

 

Brake Cleaner should do it. I haven't found anything that stuff won't take off.

 

I used Castrol Superclean to clean a red anodized clutch cable adjuster and it removed the red color in no time. I didn't intend for that to happen but it worked out fine.

 

I will try the Easy Off and/or brake cleaner and the Castrol stuff.
Hope they work, cause the sandpaper is scratching the metal way too much.
Thanks guys I will be reporting on the success later tonight.

 

Warning, before you read the rest of this make sure when you're using oven off and other products make sure you're wearing protective clothing and EYE PROTECTION.
Easy off is what I used. Spray it on, let it work for about 30 seconds then check it with an old tooth brush scrubbing gently until the color is coming off then rinse it off with water. If it doesn't clean it all the first time repeat the process and don't be surprised if the aluminum turns dark gray as it will all polish out very nicely.
Don

 

Plain old Lye will work quite well. A lot of drain cleaners still use lye, and the purity isn't too critical.

Remember that lye or "easy-Off either one will dissolve the part as well, so don't leave it in too long.

 

AAAAhhhhhh!!!!! My eyes!!!! They are melting!!!! :w00t:
No, I am ok.
Yeah those cans contain some nasty stuff. :icon19:
We use it at my restaurant to clean some heavy grease, so I am kinda familiar with easy off.
Dang and I just wasted a bunch of time to sandpaper that stuff off and did not think about easy off.
Oh well. I learn something new every day.

 

Guys none of the above is working. It is cleaning up nice, but paint is not even affected!!!
Darn....
Oh well back to sanding.

 

I'm with Don, here. Safety IS #1. We should all do as Norm does and wear safety glasses when we work on our cars. Too many of us in the trades often leave the safety ethic at work...when was the last time you used a safety line and harness when you were up on the roof putting up Holidaylights? Take it home with you, guy/gals: Almost every part of ur builds expose us to hazards:

Always wear safety glasses...get a nice comfortable pair and make a habit of putting them on when you are working on the car. For those of you that need bifocals for readinf the tabs on harnesses, your local welding or safety supply house has your prescription for about $#10. My wife got me some really neat ones that hang around my neck and just click into place when you need them (www.clic.com); if you don't know your "bifocal" prescription, go to the grocery store and look in the glasses section and find out...1.50, 1.75, 2.50, etc. Mods, I have no stock, etc. in the clic.com stuff, its just neat.

Get some good mechanics gloves; I've lost weeks of build time over the years from gashes/cuts that could have been just bruises. Not to mention lost time from other things we need to do with fingers....

Nothing wrong with having a pair of coveralls in the garage to put on. Aside from looking like a geek to the neighbors and kids, they would have saved more than one of my favorite Bass Pro Shops fishing shirts (I don't fish much, but the shirts are really cool (again, mods, I don't....)

Man, never be tempted to scoot under the car - even just for a second - with it supported by just a jack...USE JACKSTANDS! Should be a requirement for joining the forum.

When using silicone, RTV, ANY chemicals, roll the dream car out into the driveway; to hell with CCR's, just roll it back in in the evening...no one is going to complain...how else are you going to meet new neighbors unless the roller is in the driveway?

If you are lugging around the rear end, installing the engine or transmission, for your family, please take the time to put on safety shoes...don't have any? Get some; best $50 you may spend. Also, you are foolish if you don't wear them when you are cutting the lawn, chopping/sawing wood, etc.

Last, if you are going to a shootout, wear a kevlar vest.

Ohh, really last...during the build/start/drive, have a fire extinguisher handy AND in thew car at all times (I know, overkill...but they do look cool and draw attention.

Really, really last? For your safety: Make sure that the passenger seat is VERY comfortable...upper leg support, seat heaters, etc. MY seat is fine - with the seat adjuster...raises the seat - but the pass. seat is FLAT and uncomfortable. I noticed this after 2 years...it sucks...your legs just go straight out, no support. Safety issue, you say? Well, MY safety (comfort of ride, and other comforts) acording to the wife are in jeaopardy.

 

Good advice.
I use almost all of the above items at all times.

 

And to go back to those fuel rails...
The stuff that was on mine, would not come off. I had to use a sanding disk on my dremel. Yes, by hand would have taken a month.
I have sanded and removed paint of stuff but this was no paint it was something like kryptonite.
Well, I just finished. Although I had to use some manly sandpaper to start,
I went down to 1500 and then polish cream with my dremel and done.
Looks good, maybe not like the pros do it, but close.

 

Use a lye solution and about an hour. I'd be wary of using Drano that has other compounds in it and might attack the metal.

Mike

 

Hey Mike,
where can I get some of that Lye solution?
would a home improvement store carry it? i.e. home depot?

 

There are a couple of drain cleaners that are sold in the home improvement stores here that are primarily just lye. You can find them easily on the shelf because they are wrapped up in a big plastic bag in case the bottle leaks. (That is a good indication of how nasty lye is)

Be careful, they also sell a drain opener that is primarily sulphuric acid, and that won't take off the anodizing. In fact, the anodizing was done in a sulphuric acid bath.

The anodizing is aluminum oxide. That is the same stuff they use for wheels for your bench grinder. It is a very hard material so taking it off with an abrasive is not easy. The lye will dissolve it. About half way down this page, the author shows how he removed the anodizing from a part.

http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html

 

Home depot and lowes sell Muratic acid. It's not full strenth but still plenty strong.
This would probally remove the anodizing. Be carefull with gloves and eye protection.
also rinse part as soon as done soaking.

 

The aluminum oxide is a tough layer (that being the idea of anodizing) - give it time but keep an eye on it. Use a plastic container and safety gloves and goggles.

Ether lye or muriatic/hydrochloric acid will work, I'd suggest lye as it is safer on any iron that might be inside the fittings/rails. Bubbles are a sign of progress, take the part out, wipe it off to inspect, put it back in the lye solution as needed.

Aside - they make aluminum out of bauxite using lye to dissolve the aluminum oxide from other compounds.

hth

 

I used TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate) and water. You can get TSP at any paint store. Get the flake or granuals not the pre-mixed liquid stuff. I used this on annodized AN fittings and soaked them for about 1/2 hour. Then polished them and they came out perfect.

 

Thanks guys.
I will looking for some of that stuff this afternoon. I will let you know how it goes.

 

Well, nothing worked but the Lay containing drain opener.
It worked great and in about 1/2 hour.
Too bad I already had done the rails by hand (sanding) so the only thing I did with the Lay stuff was the fuel pressure regulator mount.
It took me a an entire afternoon to do the rails and about 35 mins for the mount.
Oh, well. Now I know for next time and hope this helps others in my situation.

Here is the Lay product I got from Home Depot. Yes, it came in a thick plastic bag.

This is the mount after about 10 mins in that stuff

After about 1/2 hour. Sorry no pix after I poished it.

Here is one of the rails that took forever and is not perfect because of sandpaper marks.
But it looks ok.

 

stripping off anodizing finishes

Hi! one of the ways you can use to strip anodizing off aluminum is to use common household "LYE" or draino, but becareful how long you keep the part immersed, what will happen is that the surface will "Smut" or turn black in color. since you are going to polish anyways, it shouldn't matter.
I do this process before I anodize aluminum as a etch. works really well.
HTH,
Ben

 

Cool. I'm glad that worked out for you. That is the same brand of drain cleaner they sell here

I just sent you a PM on an option you may want to consider to keep the parts looking like they were just polished.

Good Luck!