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23-04-2020, 10:38 AM | #1 |
Lord of the Rings
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norwich
Bike: M900sie
Posts: 5,936
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Vapour blasting.. Not!
I am trying to clean up a Commando head during a couple of days lull in work.
My favourite would be to vapour blast it, which in my experience is a brilliant way to clean it and leave a lovely smooth peened finish which seems to be very resilient to oil staining and looks nice and bright and fresh. I don't think I can get it anywhere to blast it right now, so I have had it in the ultra-sound cleaner and also scrubbed it with clutch and brake cleaner. It's now spotless and void of oils and crud, but it's still not bright. It's in the dishwasher at the moment for a cycle to see what that does. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what I could use to brighten up the cast finish alloy? It's getting between the fins that's the tricky bit. Thanks in advance.
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23-04-2020, 10:47 AM | #2 |
Transmaniacon MOC
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sutton In Ashfield
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 6,085
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This stuff's ok: -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autosol-S...QAAOSwMmBVj-2r Toothpaste is said to work but I have no recommended brand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSucs1RMdt4
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23-04-2020, 11:07 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: East London
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 9,731
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try wiping with a rag moistened with acf50
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23-04-2020, 11:21 AM | #4 |
Lord of the Rings
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norwich
Bike: M900sie
Posts: 5,936
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Thanks for telling me about Autosol Darren. I don't think I've been without a tube of that for 45 years! (Not the same tube). I have already tried a toothbrush and Autosol on the big flat area on top of the rockerbox with reasonable results, I'm sure it would get there with time and elbow grease. It's between the fins that is going to be tricky. I do like the look of those little brass wire brushes though.
Cheers Rob, I've Never used acf50. Would that brighten grey alloy?
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23-04-2020, 11:35 AM | #5 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: East London
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 9,731
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it might, the dullness is (to some degree at least) due to a very thin layer of oxide, which acf should remove.
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23-04-2020, 11:52 AM | #6 | |
Transmaniacon MOC
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sutton In Ashfield
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Posts: 6,085
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Quote:
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Roast Beef Monster! Termignoni and Bucci - Italian for pipe and slippers! S4 Fogarty, S4R 07T, 748, Series 1 Mirage |
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23-04-2020, 12:14 PM | #7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portsmouth
Bike: M900
Posts: 1,518
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Dishwasher works for me, but only whilst Lady Nasher is out.
Do you have any sharp sand, what you use for brick Mortor? I've put small parts in a bag of it before and rolled it around in my hands for a while. It works just like a mechanical 'Rumbler' if you've ever seen one. But you do need to clean it all out properly of course. I've often wondered if you could use something else. I have some Aluminium Oxide blasting media in the garage which I picked up for this very task and never tried it. Nasher
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23-04-2020, 02:10 PM | #8 |
No turn left unstoned
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: leicester
Bike: M750
Posts: 4,555
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I've used a dremel fitted with a little black nylon brush in the past.
I've tried this in conjunction with various liquids and pastes, including paraffin, gt80, autosol thinned with oil and suchlike. The brushes come in either the std radial disc form, or as a cup, or as a pencil type brush, some or all of which might get into your particular nooks and crannies. I've also used small bottle brushes by hand, again in conjunction with the same range of liquids and pastes. Just watch out that the wire core doesn't scratch .. some bottle brushes are more susceptible than others in this regard. |
23-04-2020, 06:51 PM | #9 |
Nothing to see here
Join Date: May 2005
Location: brough
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 1,548
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Have you tried fine emery cloth wrapped round your todger?
Should fit nicely between the fins Gary |
23-04-2020, 07:06 PM | #10 |
Fanactical volunteer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Kent
Bike: M900
Posts: 9,034
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I tried that in my m900 barrels .... Bit of a squeeze to be honest
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23-04-2020, 07:11 PM | #11 |
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Join Date: May 2013
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Be very careful with those ' little brass wire brushes ' that you like the look of, put them near the head and you will have a brass coloured head very quickly, ask me how I know........
Atb S. |
23-04-2020, 07:16 PM | #12 |
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: brough
Bike: M1100evo
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23-04-2020, 07:53 PM | #13 |
Lord of the Rings
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norwich
Bike: M900sie
Posts: 5,936
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Well I fished the head out of the dishwasher along with the breakfast things and I'm well impressed with the job it did. Even cleaner than after the ultra-sound cleaning. This will be a go to method in the future. Unfortunately although it was clean and a uniform colour, instead of the blotches, it is now a uniform slightly darker grey than before.
A couple of sessions in the ultra-sound again, has reduced the darkness a bit. A little practice with the Autosol and toothbrush again did induce a faint shine so there's hope with plenty of elbow grease, I found a splash of vinegar seemed to help? I have plenty of sharp sand as it happens Nasher, I had two jumbo bags delivered today. These are now under armed guard overnight. I can see the sand in the bag working on smaller parts, but the head is too large I think. I know what you mean by a rumbler or tumbler. They use lozenge shaped abrasive blocks and do a fantastic job of cleaning parts up. It did occur to me that maybe an ultra-sound cleaner could be employed in a similar way, perhaps using ceramic beads in a liquid medium. It's not something I am going to try with a borrowed U-S cleaner, but I reckon it might work with the beads and workpiece in a cloth bag suspended in the vibrating liquid medium. I think I have some of those cup brushes Jeff, so I might try that too. thank you for the heads up with the brass brushes too Stevie. As for the todger method, The thing is BRD, I want to get into the fins as far as possible and I think I would be limited by length. Some of those fins are a good two inches deep! Besides which the Norton is already fu…..
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Last edited by Mr Gazza; 23-04-2020 at 07:57 PM.. |
23-04-2020, 08:14 PM | #14 |
Nothing to see here
Join Date: May 2005
Location: brough
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 1,548
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:chuc kle:
I suppose fins aren't what they used to be. Last edited by bigredduke; 23-04-2020 at 08:16 PM.. |
23-04-2020, 08:42 PM | #15 |
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Not sure that ACF50 would help. I had some patches of lost paint and powdery corrosion on my Suzuki VX800 cases and applied ACF. The corrosion was killed but the bare alloy went a noticeably dark grey as a result.
Brass wire brushes do a very fine job of 'plating' rough surfaces: I found that just yesterday as I cleaned a corroded steel exhaust retainer. However, given that a Commando is a classic i.e. old, you could claim it has a bronze head! I'm just wondering if boiling in baking soda might brighten alloy? Or do I mean washing soda? Nick |
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