[TowerTalk] Aluminum Oxidation

[Steve Bookout]

lckirkland@juno.com wrote:
> 
>  am a relative newcomer to towertalk and I'm sure this has been covered
> in the past ad nausium but I will pose it again.  I have an old TH6 that
> I picked recently that seems to be in great shape - except for heavy
> oxidation and discoloration.  I think it must have been stored under a
> house on the damp ground.  Other than steelwool or scotchbrite, is there
> some chemical cleaner that could be used to clean it up?  I seem to
> recall welding shops that used some kind of aluminum cleaner prior to
> heliarc welding.
> 73's...Larry W4LK
> 
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Hello, Larry.

I think you have come to the right place.  

In years past one of my duties was heliarc welding.  There was a product
called 'Weld-o" (real original, huh) which looked kinda like Pepto
Bismol in color and not quite as thick.  It was used for de-ox'ing the
weld area  prior to cleaning.  Problem is, it was $20 a quart then.

There is a product carried by W W Grainger, an industrial supply house,
which is known as a 'foaming coil cleaner'.  It is used for cleaning
aluminum heat exchangers in A/C's and stuff.  

It is about the same color as the other stuff.  Kinda pink.  It costs
about $12 per gallon and you are directed to dilute it, so it goes a
long way.  

It contains Phosphoric acid (???); can't really remember what.  

Use common sense and safety and all should be OK.

It will make the aluminum sort of a white color and it will be clean.

Be sure to use a suitable ass'y lube, cuz as clean as this sstuff will
be, it will gall for sure.

73 de Steve, NJ4F

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