[TowerTalk] cleaning ant.

[Kurt Andress]

K8WK asks:
> Question---can I use a product called CAMEO to clean the TH5 joints?  It
> has rust spots etc and needs a cleaning before I reassemble.  CAMEO has
(a)
> polishing agents like dutch clenser etc, (b) SULFAMIC ACID es SODIUM
> SILICOFLOURIDE to chemicall remove tarnish, (c) corn starch, (d) ANIONIC
SURFACTANT
> to boost chem activity and small quan of perfume and persavitavits. 
> This stuff is avail at all suspermkts and is like Babbo etc used to clean
> sinks stainless es AL. 
> 73, steve k8wk 

Steve,
The only thing we were ever allowed to use in the aerospace industry for
cleaning aluminum was a multiple bath sulfuric acid treatment or good old
Bon-Ami cleanser. The key is absolutely NOT to have any chlorine, or other
chemicals that readily react with aluminum creating an oxide product, in
the cleansing agent.
I like the sound of sulfamic acid, sounds like a sulfuric acid derivative,
which I know will prepare aluminum for bonding. 
Silicoflouride scares the @@##$^^& out of me! Sounds too much like
"Silico"ne, you know, the RTV stuff we squirt on antenna connections, that
never sticks. There's a reason for that. If you want ot make a mechanical
or electrical bond to anything, keep !%&*##$% silicone the @#$%%^& away
from it! Maybe the term used is a marketing techo buzz word for beach sand.
I'd want to know before using it!
When in doubt, use elbow grease, not chemicals to clean aluminum. 320-220
grit wet or dry paper with some clean water is fool proof. The coarseness
of the grit is determined by how much material you need to remove to get it
clean. The finer the grit, the better the connection when you want to put
it back together with your favorite GOO!
73, Kurt

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