(I didn't find this topic upon searching the tech forum)
How to remove Anodizing from faded parts.
Clarifying what you are working with-
There is candy/translucent paint like you'd see on a Team Mongoose.
There is translucent Powder coating. When applied over a polished surface powder looks like candy paint. When applied over brushed aluminum it looks JUST like anodizing.
True Anodized aluminum is done through an electro-chemical dye process, rumor has it that food coloring has been used before.
The following info is purely for responsible adults, always work with an adult before handling dangerous chemicals.
1- Proper safety. Caustic Soda/Lye is wickedly dangerous. even the rubber gloves I used started to deteriorate within seconds of contact.
Proper ventilation, eye and skin protection. away from pets/children/etc.
---->>>>WHITE VINEGAR NEUTRALIZES THE REACTION, KEEP LOTS OF IT ON HAND AND QUICKLY ACCESSIBLE!!!!
2- Add adequate water to your disposable bucket. Add Lye to the water SLOWLY. NEVER add water to lye as it has potential to "explode" in your face.
3- slowly dip the grease free parts.
4-The red started dissolving immediately. The blue disolved to a point where the blue was a residue that simply wiped off.
5-carefully move the parts to your Vinegar bath and let them sit long enough to neutralize any lye on them or in cracks and crevices of the parts.
I dipped these parts about 15minutes but results will vary depending on mixture strength, anodizing quality, etc.
6- wash off the parts under water with a disposable rag.
NOTE: Plastic washers, and chrome pieces were completely untouched by the lye dip.
7- dump the lye solution in a safe location away from pets/children, etc.
8- dump the leftover VINEGAR into your empty bucket to help neutralize leftover mixture. Dispose of or put the bucket in a safe location away from children/pets.
PS-the active ingredient in oven cleaner is Caustic Soda, but in a lesser concentration.
