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Bright dip or what?

HELP!

I have a bundle of aluminum trim from a 69 Ford pickup I am restoring, that I have glass beaded to remove the Bright Dip anodizing. I have attempted to buff the alum. and have found it incredibly labor intensive! Is there another low cost alternative to this restoration?

Thank you !

Michael Burns
- Sacramento, California

Do not glass bead and pound the hard aluminum oxide into the soft pure aluminum. Instead strip the old oxide off in 6 oz/gal Sodium Hydroxide ([liquid caustic soda in bulk on Amazon] ) and 2 oz/gal Sodium Gluconate [on eBay or Amazon] at about 120 °F temperature (never over 140 °F !). When the gassing seems uniform all over the part, wait another 30 seconds and remove, rinse well, then dip in 30% nitric acid at room temperature, then rinse again, dry, then polish and buff. Proprietary compounds are available ready-to-use to replace the caustic soda and nitric acid.

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

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