Aluminum Cleaner

[Troy Winsett]

This is my first aluminum boat. I have had fiberglass in the past. What is the best thing to clean the aluminum with, such as the water lines? Thanks!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Acid! Truly if you want no scum..your gonna' have to polish it and apply Sharkhide. It's a lot of work but, worth it. Go to Sharkhide.com and check out the product then check out my library for results. If you want to proceed..let me know and I'll shoot you an e-mail.

TEE

 

[Michael Snow]

sandpaper

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Sandblaster would be better

 

[TrepMan]

OK guys other then the home made stuff Jr is bottling and selling at the rally, and the "green magic" Pat can't find anywhere, are there any decent off the shelf products to just get the scum line off? I don't have the equipment to polish mine with sharkhide but want her looking purdy for the Rally.



Any other products that will relatively easlily take the scum line off aluminium?

 

[Larry Harp]

Try this stuff, it worked very well for me. I applied it with a $20 buffer I got at Wal-Mart. I bought the polish from some folks who had a booth in the Nitro/Tracker area at the boat show last year. I think they are on the state team.



Team Xtreme Metal Polish

2618 S. I-35 suite 106

Oklahoma City, OK 73129

405/670-1566



Good Luck

Harpo

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Viniger and water will remove the scum line, but you will need a cleaner to remove the tarnish. I just use the stuff made for aloy wheels to remove the oxidation the polish away.

BF

 

[Travis Smith]

If you want to remove grease...try Simple Green you should be able to find it any where such as Wally world. This stuff also works great for cleaning siding and geting black streaks off travel trailers and RV's.





T.S.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

A lot of that stuff will work(somewhat) but, I've tried it all. The buffer idea I thought would be a good idea but, the oxidation just loads up too quick on the pad. Unless you had maybe 50 pads to do a whole boat. When your polishing aluminum the oxidation that's in the pad will adhere to the areas that are not wet from the polish. Also buffing pad will put swirls in the finish and will not look as good in sunlight.

The best way I have found is by hand..now I know it sounds like a lot of work but, just don't try to polish it all at one time..unless you got a buddy with some spare time. The results will be better. You'll still need a ton of old towels(cotton works best) because once their oxidized..you might as well pitch em'.

Aluminum will start oxidizing almost immediately after polishing because it's pretty pourous...so you'll need to coat it and I've only seen one product that will do it..Sharkhide! You'll be happy with the results

I ought to be they're "poster child"!

TEE

 

[TOMMY RICH]

What the heck happened to my pic? Pic got bigger

 

[TOMMY RICH]

 

[Troy Winsett]

Thanks for all the responses. My boat looks almost new, but not as good as Tee's does in the picture. Maybe I need to check out the Sharkhide stuff. How much does that product cost and can you only get it off their web site? Thanks!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

It's not cheap..but, a little goes a long way. It's like $39 a quart. You should have enough to do an 18 ft. boat with about a 1/4 can left.

You can only order it from their web site as far as I know..

Let me know if I can help

TEE

BTW..A new one won't look that good!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Ahhhh yes, TEE in his mancave. I wish I had that much space to work with.



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Man oh man..wouldn't trade it for nothin' TOX! Heck that was the biggest sale point when we bought that little brick ranch. Has a 1 1/2 attached(for the ol' woman's truck) and a 2 1/2 dettached...plenty of storage,stereo, and TV. Now all I need is an easychair and bar!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

My buddy put a 2 1/2 attached to his other 2 1/2 and in the second one he put wax board 1/2 way up the walls and a floor drain in the middle (so he can pressure wash his vehicles in the winter), heat, water, 100w stereo, fridge, etc., he did a frame off restoration of a 67 Firebird convertible in there.



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Yep I have electric and Kerosene heat I Try not to use the electric heater unless it's really cold and need to heat it quick. Insulated and a huge workbench. Haven't put a fridge in there yet but, thinkin' of one of those smaller dorm type fridges to set on my workbench. Just somethin' to keep em' cool

 

[Troy Winsett]

Tee, did you use the cleaner that they reccomend on the web site before putting on the sharkhide? I agree with Toxic and wish my detached garage was that clean. Thanks again!

 

[Larry Harp]

HAAA!! I wish my kitchen was that clean!!

Tee looks like he's thinking, "I'd like to go fishing but I'm afraid I'll get my boat dirty". ;>)



Harpo