removing anodising on aluminium

[pugeyed 0]

so i saw a cheap billet bar clamp on ebay for the bandit.

but didnt like the colour as it doesnt really go with the colour of the bike.
so decided to take the blue anodising off so i could polish the bare alloy.

a quick rub down with some wet and dry to let the agent into the surface and it looked like this

next i used oven pride oven cleaner (which contains sodium hydroxide)
i have used drain cleaner in the past although you havent got much time with that as its quite corrosive


using a tooth brush i gently covered the top of the clamp (be carefull folks, eye protection, latex or nitrile gloves are a must, plus wear a long sleave jumper)
now you can see the blue is starting to go



at this stage you have only got the blue off, there will be a white/grey layer underneth

keep painting the oven cleaner on until you can see the bare alloy coming through, i find it helps if you leave it for 5 mins then rinse it off and wet and dry it .

once your at the stage you want to add more oven cleaner dry it off completly as i find it doesnt like going onto wet alloy.

you can clearly see it reacting with the alloy.



in these pics you can see the layer underneth clearly, you need to remove all this to polish the alloy.




more rubbing and you will end up with something like this




still needs some more work but you get the idea
need to rub it down with some 1200 and then get it on the polishing wheel.




still not sure on the knuckle duster, might have a think and see if i like it


just so you know, this annodising wasnt very thick, other stuff i have had a nightmare with but you never know till you try. this took me 2 hours.

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

Nice write up mark

[XS1100 0]

Yer good wright up becouse I would have said it's not doable,I have learnt some thing here cheers. did you replace the tooth brush?it will burn yer gob out!!!!!!

[Flinty 0]

some caustic soda mate fetches it all off in about 15 seconds and i mean fetches it off.... no need to rub scrub or anything

[Bezzer 0]

@pugeyed wrote:

just so you know, this annodising wasnt very thick, other stuff i have had a nightmare with but you never know till you try. this took me 2 hours.

Nice write up if you've got thick thick anodising just soak it in Caustic Soda which is full Hydrogen Peroxide, 20 minute soak in that will remove any anodising, rinse off and it's ready for polishing back up.Really evil stuff though.


edit..Flinty beat me to it

[lee1 1]

good write up mark

[pugeyed 0]

cheers peeps!
only reason i used oven pride is cuz thats what i had in.
and yes i put the tooth brush back where it belongs

[mrsstue11 0]

Nice work Mark

[dick65 0]

good tips there,nice one

[Stue11 0]

Nice work Mark

[Richard80 0]

Thanks for sharing....would never have thought about this....
This is a major reason that I'm glad this forum exists.... a lot of knowledge and a willingness to share it..

[Stue11 0]

@Richard80 wrote:

Thanks for sharing....would never have thought about this....
This is a major reason that I'm glad this forum exists.... a lot of knowledge and a willingness to share it..

Thats what we like to hear

[maveric 0]

@Stue11 wrote:

@Richard80 wrote:

Thanks for sharing....would never have thought about this....
This is a major reason that I'm glad this forum exists.... a lot of knowledge and a willingness to share it..

Thats what we like to hear

Cheers Maveric

[RichardH 0]

Top man, Top tip, NUFF SAID

[sweban 0]

nice joob

[madsod 0]

looks well nice m8