Preserving polished aluminum

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 15:46:41 +1000, James
wrote:

On 31/07/17 12:54, John B. wrote:


The alodine I have used to coat aircraft parts gave a yellowish tint
to the finished part. I guess it was designed as a preservative, not a
beautifier :-)



Both form a barrier to further corrosion, but alodine is a conductive
coating where as anodized is insulative. Also alodine is easy to
scratch, where as anodized finish is harder.

Alodine is available in different colours, IIRC.

Ah, I didn't know that. I never actually used it a great deal but back
then it was a yellowish and rather thin liquid that we dipped or
painted any raw machined aluminum things we made with.

I'll research it a bit more. If there is a clear version then it would
probably work well.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 16:01:24 +0700, John B.
wrote:

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 15:46:41 +1000, James
wrote:

On 31/07/17 12:54, John B. wrote:


The alodine I have used to coat aircraft parts gave a yellowish tint
to the finished part. I guess it was designed as a preservative, not a
beautifier :-)



Both form a barrier to further corrosion, but alodine is a conductive
coating where as anodized is insulative. Also alodine is easy to
scratch, where as anodized finish is harder.

Alodine is available in different colours, IIRC.

Ah, I didn't know that. I never actually used it a great deal but back
then it was a yellowish and rather thin liquid that we dipped or
painted any raw machined aluminum things we made with.

I'll research it a bit more. If there is a clear version then it would
probably work well.

After James' post I did a little research on protective aluminum
coatings relating to the aircraft industry and there are hordes of
them. There is even a Boeing T-9 that you spray on and is supposed to
penetrate all the nooks and crannies and turn to wax in 5 or 5 days.
(sounds like a super chain lube :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

On 7/31/2017 2:49 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 22:44:16 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 7/30/2017 10:30 PM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 12:17:55 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 13:14:42 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I remember when the pre-Rodale _Bicycling!_ magazine had an article by
Fred DeLong on how to anodize bike parts at home. IIRC, he used a 12V
car battery as a power source. Not that I ever did it.

"Anodizing Aluminum Bicycle Components"
http://www.nonlintec.com/anodizing/
There are some additional interesting links near the bottom of the
page. Mo
http://www.bryanpryor.com/anodizing/
http://astro.neutral.org/anodise.shtml

"Tutorial: Polishing Bicycle Parts"
http://theradavist.com/2009/10/tutorial-polishing-bicycle-parts/

Not to be snooty but I've been polishing things for a lot of years
now, with the proper equipment :-)


Those were the days a person could frequently learn something from a
bike magazine. Now it's mostly which bike you MUST buy this month, or
which shorts make your legs look sexiest.

Hmmm... I should read some of that. After a triple bypass operation,
where the surgeons borrowed a vein from my leg, I could use some
advice on sexy leg fashions and camouflage. Riding with one leg in
shorts, and the other in full length pants, doesn't seem to attract
the ladies.

In some societies scars were a compliment to male beauty.


Drivel: The same thing happened with Home Power Magazine:
https://www.homepower.com
Originally (1987), it was full of do-it-thyself articles. However, as
grid tied solar became more popular, it's now mostly product reviews,
code compliance, and politics. I still subscribe, but I sometimes
wonder why I bother. The price of success is pollution.

A friend recently recommended "Popular Mechanics" magazine. A
publication that once printed articles about building your own 60 HP
Ford powered midget racer and how to build an arc welder out of an
aircraft alternator, and now publishes articles entitled "does it hurt
to pee on your lawn".

But I do believe that the "modern" (would one say?) type of articles
reflect the interests of the readers. How many people would leave the
comfort of the air conditioned Television Room and the 60 inch TV to
actually get their hands dirty building a midget racer.... or an arc
welder? (Or even know what an arc welder is?)

But the thought comes to mind, are Modern Americans actually intent on
discovering whether one should "pee on the lawn", or not? Sufficiently
so that a national magazine would publish an article concerning what
dirty little boys used to do, with no lessons whatsoever?

One 30-something man that I know is remarkably unschooled in technical
or mechanical things. He recently started reading Popular Mechanics.

I must say, it seems to work for him. IMO, the magazine is better than
it was about ten years ago. It seems to have lost some of its macho
attitude, and seems to have added a bit more on how to do things. It's
inspired him to do a few fabrication projects that turned out pretty well.

I can't comment on the magazine as the last previous issue that I had
read was perhaps 15, or more, years ago. As my memory was of a
magazine perhaps 1/2 inch thick with all kinds of detailed how to
build, articles and the issue I read told me how to nail triangular
molding at the edge of a ceiling (something I'd know since I was a
kid) I gave up in disgust. The "pee on the lawn"issue I read after a
friend recommended it the other day and I've now book marked the site
for occasionally reading.


He seems to like the articles where they disassemble some mechanical
item (like maybe a pressure washer) and explain what's inside. And the
final pages now feature something a dad can make with his kid, which is
a good thing. They've added some stuff that appeals to "foodie" tastes,
as well.

One of the problems is that I've been working around mechanical
devices since I was about 12 years old and while a pressure washer
might be a mystery to some I can pretty well guess what must be inside
the thing by seeing what it does.

Well, some of us here are A) pretty damned old, and B) very experienced
with mechanical and/or electrical things. It's unlikely a mass market
magazine is going to teach us much.

Bicycling parallel: I've got a foolishly large collection of bicycling
books. Back in the 1970s, there weren't as many on the market, but I
bought every one I could find.

Gradually I realized that I was learning less and less from each one,
simply because there was less and less I didn't already know.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:56:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 7/31/2017 2:49 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 22:44:16 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 7/30/2017 10:30 PM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 12:17:55 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 13:14:42 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I remember when the pre-Rodale _Bicycling!_ magazine had an article by
Fred DeLong on how to anodize bike parts at home. IIRC, he used a 12V
car battery as a power source. Not that I ever did it.

"Anodizing Aluminum Bicycle Components"
http://www.nonlintec.com/anodizing/
There are some additional interesting links near the bottom of the
page. Mo
http://www.bryanpryor.com/anodizing/
http://astro.neutral.org/anodise.shtml

"Tutorial: Polishing Bicycle Parts"
http://theradavist.com/2009/10/tutorial-polishing-bicycle-parts/

Not to be snooty but I've been polishing things for a lot of years
now, with the proper equipment :-)


Those were the days a person could frequently learn something from a
bike magazine. Now it's mostly which bike you MUST buy this month, or
which shorts make your legs look sexiest.

Hmmm... I should read some of that. After a triple bypass operation,
where the surgeons borrowed a vein from my leg, I could use some
advice on sexy leg fashions and camouflage. Riding with one leg in
shorts, and the other in full length pants, doesn't seem to attract
the ladies.

In some societies scars were a compliment to male beauty.


Drivel: The same thing happened with Home Power Magazine:
https://www.homepower.com
Originally (1987), it was full of do-it-thyself articles. However, as
grid tied solar became more popular, it's now mostly product reviews,
code compliance, and politics. I still subscribe, but I sometimes
wonder why I bother. The price of success is pollution.

A friend recently recommended "Popular Mechanics" magazine. A
publication that once printed articles about building your own 60 HP
Ford powered midget racer and how to build an arc welder out of an
aircraft alternator, and now publishes articles entitled "does it hurt
to pee on your lawn".

But I do believe that the "modern" (would one say?) type of articles
reflect the interests of the readers. How many people would leave the
comfort of the air conditioned Television Room and the 60 inch TV to
actually get their hands dirty building a midget racer.... or an arc
welder? (Or even know what an arc welder is?)

But the thought comes to mind, are Modern Americans actually intent on
discovering whether one should "pee on the lawn", or not? Sufficiently
so that a national magazine would publish an article concerning what
dirty little boys used to do, with no lessons whatsoever?

One 30-something man that I know is remarkably unschooled in technical
or mechanical things. He recently started reading Popular Mechanics.

I must say, it seems to work for him. IMO, the magazine is better than
it was about ten years ago. It seems to have lost some of its macho
attitude, and seems to have added a bit more on how to do things. It's
inspired him to do a few fabrication projects that turned out pretty well.

I can't comment on the magazine as the last previous issue that I had
read was perhaps 15, or more, years ago. As my memory was of a
magazine perhaps 1/2 inch thick with all kinds of detailed how to
build, articles and the issue I read told me how to nail triangular
molding at the edge of a ceiling (something I'd know since I was a
kid) I gave up in disgust. The "pee on the lawn"issue I read after a
friend recommended it the other day and I've now book marked the site
for occasionally reading.


He seems to like the articles where they disassemble some mechanical
item (like maybe a pressure washer) and explain what's inside. And the
final pages now feature something a dad can make with his kid, which is
a good thing. They've added some stuff that appeals to "foodie" tastes,
as well.

One of the problems is that I've been working around mechanical
devices since I was about 12 years old and while a pressure washer
might be a mystery to some I can pretty well guess what must be inside
the thing by seeing what it does.

Well, some of us here are A) pretty damned old, and B) very experienced
with mechanical and/or electrical things. It's unlikely a mass market
magazine is going to teach us much.

Bicycling parallel: I've got a foolishly large collection of bicycling
books. Back in the 1970s, there weren't as many on the market, but I
bought every one I could find.

Gradually I realized that I was learning less and less from each one,
simply because there was less and less I didn't already know.

It has reached the point that when I recklessly buy a bicycling
magazine at an airport, to have something to read on the flight, I
soon curse myself for forgetting just how awful they have become.

I remember when bike magazines were full of such things as the proper
way to adjust the seat angle and fore and aft position or the saddle
height - so that sitting on the seat with the pedal down the heal
should rest on the pedal with the leg straight. Or the handle bar
position so that when in the drops the handle bars should obstruct
your view of the front axle.

In retrospect they weren't all perfect suggestions but they were close
enough so you could ride long enough, in reasonable comfort, to decide
for yourself how you wanted the bike set up.

Now the magazines seem to recommend the XYZ fitting machine where, for
only $100, you can have your bicycle fitted to your exact physical
dimensions.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 10:14:45 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/30/2017 10:07 AM, wrote:
On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 2:00:23 AM UTC-7, John B. wrote:


Does anyone have any suggestions on how, or with what, to coat highly
polished aluminum to, at least, reduce the corrosion to a reasonable
level? Say a once a year polish?

http://www.wikihow.com/Anodize-Aluminum

Long term polished aluminum usually has a finished layer of some wear resistant material such as two part urethane clear coat.

I remember when the pre-Rodale _Bicycling!_ magazine had an article by
Fred DeLong on how to anodize bike parts at home. IIRC, he used a 12V
car battery as a power source. Not that I ever did it.

Those were the days a person could frequently learn something from a
bike magazine. Now it's mostly which bike you MUST buy this month, or
which shorts make your legs look sexiest.

As I recall they even used to have interesting articles. That stopped when editors stopped being able to spell or edit.

On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 7:30:29 PM UTC-7, John B. wrote:

But I do believe that the "modern" (would one say?) type of articles
reflect the interests of the readers. How many people would leave the
comfort of the air conditioned Television Room and the 60 inch TV to
actually get their hands dirty building a midget racer.... or an arc
welder? (Or even know what an arc welder is?)

But the thought comes to mind, are Modern Americans actually intent on
discovering whether one should "pee on the lawn", or not? Sufficiently
so that a national magazine would publish an article concerning what
dirty little boys used to do, with no lessons whatsoever?

When I show up with a battered old frame and end up with a showpiece the Mexicans get it and the Americans ask, "Where did you ever find a bike in that condition?"

On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 11:24:50 PM UTC-7, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 18:32:36 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 17:52:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

A KNOCKOUT
https://media.defense.gov/2007/Oct/2...-1234S-008.JPG

At about the end of the internal combustion "fighter" era I was
stationed at a base that was training foreign air force, that we had
given F-51's to, how to fly them. We also had a squadron of T-33'sw
and there was much discussion about which was the better. The jets
were much faster so one of the F-51 pilots challenged the T-33 guys
for a test. Engine start to 10,000 ft. and rather surprisingly, to the
T-33 guys, won the bet.


I'll raise you 3 more engines:
https://www.eaa.org/~/media/images/news/2015-briefing/2015-04-docrollout2-960px.jpg
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2016-05-11-at-9.02.33-PM.jpg
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Docs-Rollout-06.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU0f4VUDGR0

No turrets :-)

"Doc" also flew at Oshkosh this week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgdEI3-GaAg
(Mostly at beginning and again at end of video).

If the tail number is authentic 44-6972 was in the 9th Bomb Group, at
Tinian Island in 1945 and damaged by another aircraft that crashed on
takeoff.

The Russian MIG pilots in Korea discovered the same thing and had to work out a one high speed pass strategy rather than try a dog fight.

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:18:46 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 7:30:29 PM UTC-7, John B. wrote:

But I do believe that the "modern" (would one say?) type of articles
reflect the interests of the readers. How many people would leave the
comfort of the air conditioned Television Room and the 60 inch TV to
actually get their hands dirty building a midget racer.... or an arc
welder? (Or even know what an arc welder is?)

But the thought comes to mind, are Modern Americans actually intent on
discovering whether one should "pee on the lawn", or not? Sufficiently
so that a national magazine would publish an article concerning what
dirty little boys used to do, with no lessons whatsoever?

When I show up with a battered old frame and end up with a showpiece the Mexicans get it and the Americans ask, "Where did you ever find a bike in that condition?"

I have found "old steel bikes" at second hand bike dealers that might
have odds and ends of shifters and derailers but a perfect frame which
I could rebuild. The last one, which Andrew reckoned was an old
Japanese made bike, had when stripped, a frame and fork that weighed
almost exactly what my "custom made" Columbus "SL" tube frame weighed.

At the big monthly "bicycle swap meet" I see Eddy Merckx bikes old
enough to have the rear brake cable clips on the top of the top tube,
tubular tires and all the goodies but unfortunately the sellers know
exactly what they have got :-(
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:22:28 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 11:24:50 PM UTC-7, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 18:32:36 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 17:52:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

A KNOCKOUT
https://media.defense.gov/2007/Oct/2...-1234S-008.JPG

At about the end of the internal combustion "fighter" era I was
stationed at a base that was training foreign air force, that we had
given F-51's to, how to fly them. We also had a squadron of T-33'sw
and there was much discussion about which was the better. The jets
were much faster so one of the F-51 pilots challenged the T-33 guys
for a test. Engine start to 10,000 ft. and rather surprisingly, to the
T-33 guys, won the bet.


I'll raise you 3 more engines:
https://www.eaa.org/~/media/images/news/2015-briefing/2015-04-docrollout2-960px.jpg
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2016-05-11-at-9.02.33-PM.jpg
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Docs-Rollout-06.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU0f4VUDGR0

No turrets :-)

"Doc" also flew at Oshkosh this week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgdEI3-GaAg
(Mostly at beginning and again at end of video).

If the tail number is authentic 44-6972 was in the 9th Bomb Group, at
Tinian Island in 1945 and damaged by another aircraft that crashed on
takeoff.

The Russian MIG pilots in Korea discovered the same thing and had to work out a one high speed pass strategy rather than try a dog fight.

I was in B-29 squadrons, first a bomb squadron and secondly a
reconnaissance squadron. One of the RB-29's was shot down off a
Russian held island just north of the northern most Japanese island. A
couple of MIGS made a firing pass and hit the vertical fin and an
outboard wing tank and the aircraft commander ordered the gunners not
to fire back.

I later made a rather disparaging comment about the "don't fire" order
and a gunner, who I was speaking to, told me that the central fire con
troll system in the B-29 was hard wired for a target speed so much
slower then a passing MIG that if you hit it a miracle had just
happened.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 09:42:36 +0700,
John B wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 10:14:15 -0500, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/30/2017 4:00 AM, John B. wrote:

I've got quite a few aluminum bits and pieces from older
bikes that are pretty shoddy looking with nicks and dents and
corrosion. I can clean them up with a "flap" wheel and then
polish then with the usually buffing wheels and decreasing
compound grits until they have a high polish but once back on
a bicycle again they seem to corrode rather rapidly and in a
few months end up looking sort of "splotched" and dull, which
of course is exactly what bare aluminum does in contact with
air.

Classic French equipment in bare aluminum looks fantastic with
Simichrome or any similar metal polish on a cotton cloth.
Trouble is, as we both found, regular cleaning and polishing is
required to maintain that finish.
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfr...st/mikipv9.jpg

Exactly :-)

I think I will try what Frank suggested, a two part clear coat,
as they now make all kind of magic paints and I know a couple
of people who paint boats professionally that I can ask for
suggestions.

Let us know how it goes. I have a great Rodriguez tandem, that
looks lovely when polished up with Simichrome. It doesn't dull
that quickly on its own, but sweat and body contact take the shine
away in a hurry.

By the way, this bike is for sale!

--
Ted Heise Bloomington, IN, USA