Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-21-2021, 10:50 AM   #1
Clem Clement
Senior Member
 
Clem Clement's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fairfax, VA
Posts: 3,391
Default Cleaning aircraft aluminum

What cleans aircraft aluminum without heavy scrubbing? Will hydrogen peroxide/baking soda remove AlO2?
Clem Clement is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 11:40 AM   #2
Lawson Cox
Senior Member
 
Lawson Cox's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia
Posts: 7,009
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Aluminum is aluminum isn't it?
__________________
Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end, the faster it goes.

It is better to be seen, than viewed.

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm".
Lawson Cox is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-21-2021, 11:52 AM   #3
woodiewagon46
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Long Island,NY
Posts: 1,551
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

There are all sorts of aluminum cleaners on the market, all you need to do is to Google it. What are you calling "aircraft aluminum", 6061, 2024, as Lawson points out aluminum is aluminum. I remember when Ford built pick-up beds from "aircraft grade aluminum" and were forced to scrap those ad's.
woodiewagon46 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 12:14 PM   #4
deuce_roadster
Senior Member
 
deuce_roadster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Shelton, WA
Posts: 3,779
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

My 2015 F150 is all "military grade" aluminum. 700 lbs lighter then the 2012 I traded in.
deuce_roadster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 02:45 PM   #5
KiWinUS
Senior Member
 
KiWinUS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Charlotte NC KiWi-L100 available here
Posts: 2,946
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawson Cox View Post
Aluminum is aluminum isn't it?
Yes but there are many grades of aluminum giving each different characteristics
KiWinUS is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 03:16 PM   #6
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by KiWinUS View Post
Yes but there are many grades of aluminum giving each different characteristics

That is very true, but this "aircraft-grade" moniker has irked me for eons when I hear reference to it. 6061 & 2024 are two very common grades of aluminum, with considerably-different attributes. Both are used extensively in the production of aircraft, but there is no such thing as "Aircraft Grade 6061" as compared to "Regular Old, Non-Airworthy 6061", nor is there any "Plain Ol' Non-Airworthy 2024 Crap" either. The SADDEST part of this is that there are a whole bunch of dumb-assed sheep in this world that allow this sort of BS and thinking to seriously influence their every-day lives. DD
.
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 04:25 PM   #7
Zeke3
Senior Member
 
Zeke3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Columbus, IN
Posts: 1,401
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Clem, I think we need a little more information about what you are trying to do. Have you tried a naval jelly for aluminum product?
Zeke3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 04:51 PM   #8
Tim Ayers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,144
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Quote:
Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN View Post
That is very true, but this "aircraft-grade" moniker has irked me for eons when I hear reference to it. 6061 & 2024 are two very common grades of aluminum, with considerably-different attributes. Both are used extensively in the production of aircraft, but there is no such thing as "Aircraft Grade 6061" as compared to "Regular Old, Non-Airworthy 6061", nor is there any "Plain Ol' Non-Airworthy 2024 Crap" either. The SADDEST part of this is that there are a whole bunch of dumb-assed sheep in this world that allow this sort of BS and thinking to seriously influence their every-day lives. DD
.
I'm cheap bastard, so I'll settle for Boy Scout-grade aluminum.
Tim Ayers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2021, 05:20 PM   #9
Pete
Senior Member
 
Pete's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wa.
Posts: 5,374
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

The difference between aircraft and plain aluminum is a bunch of certifying type paper work. Same thing for steel, titanium, beryllium copper and every other material that goes into planes and space vehicles.
The chemical composition of the stuff is all the same. (in most cases)

To clean light AlO2, I use a Scotchbrite pad and liquid dish soap.
Pete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 09:03 AM   #10
richard crow
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,764
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

i worked for american airlines . at the time they did not paint there air craft. they had polishing crews. they used mops on long poles they used a red polishing compond. when they were done the mops were sent out & cleaned & used again
richard crow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 10:22 AM   #11
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,371
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

The aluminum sheet that could polish up well was the 2024-T3 copper alloy content with the alclad coating of pure aluminum. A lot of aircraft use this type for outer skin because the alclad layer reduces the tendency to corrode in harsh environments plus it polishes up nicely. The only problem is that it is a very thin coating and will eventually wear off if polished too much. It's also used for structural extrusions. It can be formed in heat treated condition for some things but is also available in annealed state for forming followed by heat treatment. It can be welded but it is difficult to get good results when welding so a lot of special procedures have to be followed to get acceptable results. The alclad coatings are generally only used for sheet metal skin so most of the other forms of 2024 have no alclad. This is the most common aluminum type used in aerospace structures.

6061 has magnesium content that makes it more resistant to vibration cracking plus it is more easily weldable than other alloy types. 1100 aluminum is too soft for structure but it welds the best of all of them due to the lack of alloys in it. 6061 is used almost exclusively for engine air baffling and for fluid tanks. 6061 can be used for secondary structure applications such as cowlings and equipment covers where it isn't stressed as much as 2024.

5052 aluminum is used for aircraft fluid tubing of all types. It's notch resistant and can be formed easily in either an annealed state or heat treated.

7075 is the strongest form but is mostly use in forging and extrusions for spars, wing fittings, and landing gear structures. It's hard but is not as notch resistant as some other alloys of aluminum. Fortunately it can take a lot of bending. This stuff is what keeps the big birds in one piece through all sorts of stress.

Bare aluminum is cleaned like anything else but would need polishing to make its appearance better. When the stuff is prepped for paint coatings, it has to be washed with an etch solution of a mild form of phosphoric acid and other conditioners until it no longer breaks water on the surface. After that, it is passivated with an alodine solution that turns it a light gold color. After it is dry from water rinse then it's ready for primer and paint. Zinc chromate was the most common primer back in the day but it is used less now due to its carcinogenic properties.

Last edited by rotorwrench; 11-22-2021 at 10:39 AM.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 11:19 AM   #12
GB SISSON
Senior Member
 
GB SISSON's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Orcas Island Washington
Posts: 4,847
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

I was always happy with a product called 'Nevr-Dull' . I think that was the name. It's a can of cotton wadding soaked in something that did an amazing job on the aluminum tank and engine cases etc on my BSA motorcycles.
__________________
Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)
GB SISSON is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 12:52 PM   #13
solidaxle
Senior Member
 
solidaxle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: upstate NY
Posts: 475
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

I don't think there's a quick and easy method to polishing without a lot of hand work.

Google - Airstream trailer polishing.
solidaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 01:26 PM   #14
marko39
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: harpursville ny
Posts: 1,038
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Blue Magic Metal polish cream does a very good job and prevents the tarnish from returning. I think I got it at autozone.
marko39 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 03:08 PM   #15
hotrodart
Senior Member
 
hotrodart's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Posts: 220
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Quote:
Originally Posted by rotorwrench View Post

7075 is the strongest form but is mostly use in forging and extrusions for spars, wing fittings, and landing gear structures. It's hard but is not as notch resistant as some other alloys of aluminum. Fortunately it can take a lot of bending. This stuff is what keeps the big birds in one piece through all sorts of stress.

7075 T-6 aluminum is used throughout military aircraft structure, including the skins.....higher yield strength = lighter air frame.....for stress controlled structure, not buckling controlled structure. It is much more prone to fatigue cracking (and crack growth rates) than 2024 Al. I believe 7075 is not used on commercial aircraft for that reason alone. Landing gear is steel not aluminum.
hotrodart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 08:01 PM   #16
Kube
Senior Member
 
Kube's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 8,937
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Quote:
Originally Posted by solidaxle View Post
I don't think there's a quick and easy method to polishing without a lot of hand work.

Google - Airstream trailer polishing.
We've taken our horse trailers to the local truck (semi) wash. It cost about $6 per foot. The aluminum comes out nearly as new. Not certain what chemicals they use but they get the job done nicely.
__________________
"I can explain it for you. However, I can't understand it for you".
Kube is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2021, 08:41 PM   #17
cas3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: sw minnesota
Posts: 4,543
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Cleaning, and polishing are two different things. The OP asked about cleaning. I'm with Kube, truck places have the stuff
cas3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2021, 12:29 PM   #18
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,371
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Met All aluminum polish is still the common aircraft polish. It's the one I use and the price is better than most. Get a buffer and lots of pads to do the big jobs. It's still a lot of work for those big jobs so a person has to weigh expense and time against what profesionals charge for it.

hotrodart, I was mentioning structures as in structures that hold the landing gear to the airframe. The bigger they get the bigger and heavier the materials are. I speak of an average general aviation type since I don't do big ones. Military aircraft use a lot of titanium as well. The Hughes/MD 500 only has three large sections of titanium and those are the firewall and the two outer skin panels attached to the firewall. They only put those two skins on there so they could fire rockets and mini-guns from the side attachments below the rear doors. Most G/A airplanes use stainless steel for the firewalls.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2021, 01:05 PM   #19
tetanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mayville WI
Posts: 50
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

Alumiprep 33
tetanus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2021, 10:45 PM   #20
Clem Clement
Senior Member
 
Clem Clement's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fairfax, VA
Posts: 3,391
Default Re: Cleaning aircraft aluminum

This is a homemade toy train built from what we think is old Boeing aircraft parts. It is quite weathered. I have photos if someone can post for me.
Clem Clement is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:13 AM.