Removing the anodyzing on a Vitus 992 aluminium frame

I have a Vitus 992 with messy anodyzing to it's main tubes. I want to remove the anodyzing completely to get the frame back to a clean polished aluminium finish.

Apologies if this topic has been covered before and please feel free to link to a previous thread but does anyone have any tips on doing this? The problem I have is that I live in France and the recommended products just aren't available here. Happy to buy something online but just need a pointer on which to get. The thought of using oven cleaner just doesn't sound good but if any of you have had success with it, please let me know.

agentorange":3okjfvwh said:

I have a Vitus 992 with messy anodyzing to it's main tubes. I want to remove the anodyzing completely to get the frame back to a clean polished aluminium finish.

Apologies if this topic has been covered before and please feel free to link to a previous thread but does anyone have any tips on doing this? The problem I have is that I live in France and the recommended products just aren't available here. Happy to buy something online but just need a pointer on which to get. The thought of using oven cleaner just doesn't sound good but if any of you have had success with it, please let me know.

Click to expand...

As far as I know it can't be done, anodising forms a very hard layer of aluminium oxide, the colours are dyes within the surface. You could etch prime and repaint I've seen a few Vitus frames where this has been done.

sorry robbied you can strip the colour from ally easily either using oven cleaner or other such products. The better oven cleaners work better than the cheap ones. But to do a whole frame would be very costly in oven cleaner. Try looking for a metal polishers near by they maybe able to put you onto someone.

I wouldn't use any such oven cleaners ! Do i remember correctly that Vitus frames are glued together ? Could any harsh oven cleaners attack the joints.

You need to take it steady but to get all the anodising off you need to use wet n dry paper working down the grades until all the anodising is off, then polish it up.

ian.

I have a Vitus 979 with white painted main tubes (with chips) and will use that as undercoat to repaint :shock: .

Didnt know they were bonded in that case stay away from oven cleaner

See below.......Sodium hydroxide is pretty agressive, OK for dissolving out stuck seat posts and shedding the anodising from something solid like a stem but I wouldn't like to use it on thin tubing....

I'd have it professionally polished and lacquered.


Shaun




Dissolving amphoteric metals and compounds

Strong bases attack aluminium. Sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminium and water to release hydrogen gas. The aluminium takes the oxygen atom from sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which in turn takes the oxygen atom from the water, and releases the two hydrogen atoms, The reaction thus produces hydrogen gas and sodium aluminate. In this reaction, sodium hydroxide acts as an agent to make the solution alkaline, which aluminium can dissolve in. This reaction can be useful in etching, removing anodizing, or converting a polished surface to a satin-like finish, but without further passivation such as anodizing or alodining the surface may become degraded, either under normal use or in severe atmospheric conditions.

Midlife":1oy3ndfz said:

Strong bases attack aluminium. Sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminium and water to release hydrogen gas. The aluminium takes the oxygen atom from sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which in turn takes the oxygen atom from the water, and releases the two hydrogen atoms, The reaction thus produces hydrogen gas and sodium aluminate. In this reaction, sodium hydroxide acts as an agent to make the solution alkaline, which aluminium can dissolve in. This reaction can be useful in etching, removing anodizing, or converting a polished surface to a satin-like finish, but without further passivation such as anodizing or alodining the surface may become degraded, either under normal use or in severe atmospheric conditions.

Click to expand...

This scared the shit out of me to the point i've contacted the RAF and ARMY and they have launched a counter strike on retro bikers willing to use oven cleaners

Gas masks will be issued at the first strike, The Vulcan has already left RAF Waddington ready to do battle :evil:

Ian Raleigh":21ol7paa said:

Midlife":21ol7paa said:

Strong bases attack aluminium. Sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminium and water to release hydrogen gas. The aluminium takes the oxygen atom from sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which in turn takes the oxygen atom from the water, and releases the two hydrogen atoms, The reaction thus produces hydrogen gas and sodium aluminate. In this reaction, sodium hydroxide acts as an agent to make the solution alkaline, which aluminium can dissolve in. This reaction can be useful in etching, removing anodizing, or converting a polished surface to a satin-like finish, but without further passivation such as anodizing or alodining the surface may become degraded, either under normal use or in severe atmospheric conditions.

Click to expand...

This scared the shit out of me to the point i've contacted the RAF and ARMY and they have launched a counter strike on retro bikers willing to use oven cleaners

Gas masks will be issued at the first strike, The Vulcan has already left RAF Waddington ready to do battle :evil:

Click to expand...

Long time since a vulcan flew from waddo :cry: Used to live under the flightpath's for waddo and scampton.

poweredbypies":32pyou5c said:

Long time since a vulcan flew from waddo :cry: Used to live under the flightpath's for waddo and scampton.

Click to expand...

Erm ! where you been ? Last year me and the wife watched a certain Vulcan doing 'touch and go' flights made me cry

Also the Vulcan attends the Waddington airshow ! You know about the airworthy Vulcan don't you ?

Ian.