cadmium cleaning

[cdndewey]

I'm going to post this on a couple of pages. Does anybody have any recommendations for cleaning cad plating? Soda blasting perhaps.

[Chris Haynes]

Soda blasting will clean it, right off.

[cdndewey]

Hello Chris,

I'm not trying to remove it....just want to make it look presentable...thanks

[T. Cotten]

Walnut hulls have a way of knocking rust off before the cad, but I must point out that any chance of airborn cadmium is a health concern.
And it really doesn't do much for dark tarnish.

So most often I use a very fine 'nylox' or 'adalox' wheelbrush, turning slow.

(My 14" wheel turns maybe 800 rpm.)

....Cotten

[swall]

000 steel wool with WD-40 works pretty good to clean up cad plating.

[T. Cotten]

I wish to edit my previous post.
The hand tach says only 400 rpm.
The slower, the less "brushy" the appearance.

....Cotten

[PRG]

Howdy cdndewey

I believe you posted this inquiry over at the Classic American Iron forum and my (long winded) response there did indeed involve caustic soda, but most definitely not blasting. As outlined there it is used in what we call in the industry a "dish washer", ie, a cabinet in which it used in a water based solution delivered at nearly steam like levels to a rotating rotisserie. A cycle is typically 30 minutes and the heat in conjunction with this solution acts as an astringent to draw oil out of metal - most valuable for aluminum Porsche engine cases - which correlates here because cad is porous and easily stained when contaminated with oil/grease in conjuction with temperature.

If the aforementioned suggestion of brake clean/carb cleaner on a rag lightly wiped does not achieve results, then anything done more vigorously will alter the finish over original. Larger parts were suspended in vats and thus a bit more matt in luster whereas smaller parts like fasteners are tumbled and prone to have more gloss.

[PRG]

freshening..as opposed to cleaning cad

Howdy Chaps,

As an extension of this discussion, if you have cad on a resto that you have ridden that either discolors from inadequate pre-prep - vent pipes on Fours often discolor as old oil leaches out to the surface with heat cycles - or oil leaks on very hot components like head bolts, you can bring some life back to these pieces without resorting to paints.

The attached shows a 441 stand pipe that turned almost completely grey/black on full on surface depth cad within 2 months riding of total restoration, which has now been refreshened. Clean the component with lacquer thinner/Brake Clean then brass wire brush by hand with localized more aggressive steel wire wheeling where needed only till you have a burnished surface of near uniform sheen. Then run through successive 1/4 to half plating plating cycles in an Eastwood Copy Cad solution till surface is uniformly flat silver. Wash in warm water and towel dry making note not to rub too vigorously. Containing some zinc, it'll not only begin to shine more readily than cad, but more importantly, will reveal the composition difference with cad by taking on a different color.

[cdndewey]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. The cad's in various conditions so we'll be trying a few different methods and see how it works out.

[bmh]

I've used a product called Mr. Douglas Metal Clean with good results on old cad plate with good results. Though I think it may make things a little too shiney, it has worked great on NOS stuff that has sat and discolored for many years.