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I have always found the antique motorcycle people to be the most resourceful and many have a tremendous wealth of obscure knowledge. Currently I am trying to clean and arrest the oxidation on an old aluminum airframe. Some areas are very clean and I would prefer to leave them bare rather than to chromate them. Of course all of the seams cannot be cleaned unles you drill the whole thing apart. There are many commercial petroleum based preservatives available, but most have undesirable qualities such as being thick and holding dirt. I am thinking more in terms of ATF or mystery oil or red hydraulic fluid. One way I feel I can justify this question on this site is because any oxidized aluminum case will have this issue. Also spots such as fender braces have the same condition as seams. Let's hear some backyard remedies.
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Did you say "airframe"? If you ever plan to fly this fellow, do it right. Which is , take it apart, clean it, use zinc chromate or suitable, and reassemble. This is doubly true if it has EVER spent much time around salt water. Of course, if it is just to be looked at, it does not really matter what you do. Good luck. E"B"C -
Thanks EBC. What I am looking at is going a bit further than the norm. I always try to gather information from others as to help avoid their mistakes or follow their proven technique. The unfortunate part is that if you were totally obsessed with corrosion, you would probably never set foot in an antique aircraft. The main issue is how to slow down the corrosion so the structure maintains its integrity. I like the idea of whatever you use to be totally and easily reversable. Things that require chromate (surface corrosion) are being prepped in the ages old technique of an aluminum compatable phosphoric acid cleaner and then alodine. Things like LPS3 are too thick and add weight and pick up dirt, which is still more weight. Drilling apart an airframe with light oxidation is being excessive. Just looking for a good preventative solution. ThanksComment
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EASTWOOD CO. SELLS A CLEAR SOLUTION THAT SEALS ALUMINUM,AND STOPS ANY FURTHER CORROSION. HOPE I HELPED.......Comment
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I've had some pretty good luck with clear powder coating,just disassemble,polish & powder coat....Comment
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Thanks for the replys. I ended up going with a wool wax based product by Eureka chemical company called fluid film A. The lanolin based products (wool wax) have been used for many years in the marine industry with excellent results. The fluid film A is used by the Coast Guard in their helicopters. It is low viscosity so it creeps in deep and also it sticks well. For some reason, I seem to remember talking to somebody about ATF and red hydrauilic fluid as a corrosion preventative and recalled they said good things about it. Basically, if you hit anything with straight non-detergent motor oil, you've pretty much have it covered. If that oil is'nt used, all the better!Comment
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Years ago, when I would buy old parts from a swapmeet, and store them in the barn, I would cover them with old engine oil. This was used dino oil. I would go back each year, and put a fresh coat on, as they would be dry. About 20 years ago, I put used synthetic oil on them. Came back the next year, and it still had the coat. My point is, dino oil evaporates. The synthetic does not. I've got stuff stored that got it's one and only coat of synthetic, and is still well protected. This is just a comment, as a sidebar, about synthetic oils. Not intended as an answer for your protectant question.
JackComment
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Thanks Jack. I got scared away from the synthetics about 15 years ago with a bad product in an expensive engine. People that I wholly trust think it's the greatest. I should give synthetics a try again. I would imagine as far as corrosion prevention is concerned, that it has a quality similiar to non-detergent oil. It will not allow moisture to mix with it. That seems to be the failing point of detergent oils. Elbert Hubbard hit the nail square on the head with that quote!!Comment
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