Anodizing

[Oversize]

Does anyone know if MB anodized any parts back in the late 70s?? I'm wondering about the engine fan blades and the damn 'brightwork' around various parts of the exterior....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

I've heard the only way to remove it is with very corrosive acid, which could destroy the base material....

 

[Helmet]

Yes, I believe the bright work is anodized. Why do you want to remove it ?

 

[Tony66_au]

I've rejuvenated Anodised aluminium trim in the past and its a lot easier than you'd think Mark.

Once it gets cloudy there is no effective way to polish this away and I ended up stripping the anodised finish using a chemical bath.

If you have some test bits just make the solution with some powdered Draino (A tablespoon to 4 lt of warm water. (Warm to hot water seems to work better)

Just submerge the pieces in the solution (Wear long chem safe gloves and work in a ventilated area) and then keep an eye on the results pulling the pieces from the bath every so often and giving them a light rub down with one of those small PLASTIC scourer pads on a handle (Dishwashing thingy with a sponge and scourer on a plastic handle you can fill with dish detergent) until the surface is a uniform dull alloy colour.

Then rinse well with hot water a few times and polish the piece to suit.

A mate who was a truck alloy polisher used to use an old dishwasher with caustic soda crystals to do bulk lots of trim.

Sometimes you have to re dunk them as there may still be some spots of anodising on the metal which usually show up a bit darker than the stripped areas and agitating and scrubbing periodically helps the process.

Safety glasses, gloves and ventilation are a MUST and a Texas Chainsaw Massacre style apron helps too.

Once they are done just polish and then coat with clear or use turtlewax and buff polish.

Tony

 

[BenzBoy]

Beloved by the vintage and veteran car community is PPC Glisten - well worth a try after you have cleaned up an anodised part - http://www.leatherique.com.au/
Regards,
Brian

 

[Tony66_au]

Excellent product!

And the leatherique aint bad either if you want to change colour or repair Leather.

 

[Oversize]

The current 'Street Machine' magazine has a very interesting article on home anodizing.... I haven't read it all yet, but it seems you can coat parts with a durable finish in any colour you like!

 

[Tony66_au]

See this is why I like Valiants...............

All trim pieces are stainless steel.

 

[SEL_69L]

There is a cheap and easy way to rejuvenate anodised aluminium trim.
Spray some clear topcoat acryllic laquer from a pressure can onto a lint free rag, and VERY carefully wipe that over the cloudy anodised brightwork.

I found out quite by accident in my owner's handbook that you could buy anodised brightwork rejuvenator from Mercedes dealers. It turns out to be none other than the type of product mentioned above.

Be VERY careful when you use it though: if you accidently touch any adjacent paint with the laquer soaked rag, you will damage the paintwork where the rag touched it.

Takes about 15 minutes to do all of the anodised brightwork on a 116. The can of spray will cost around 15 dollars.

 

[ckamila]

What about after the rejuvenation process is complete...is the trim likely to re-oxidize faster?

thanks,

chris

 

[SEL_69L]

The clear lacquer prevents the anodised alloy trim from re oxidising to again, get that horrid milky colour.
I re seal the trim on my car as a detailing job, once every 12 months or so.