Unfinished cast aluminum

[Downeaster]

I soda blasted my top triple clamp to clean it up before repainting it, but I'm kinda liking the cast aluminum look.

If I leave it "natural" I'm guessing over time oxidation will make it look pretty tacky.

What about clear-coat or some other finish? Or am I just asking for trouble?

 

[OakBehringer]

MAAS Metal Protector has preserved all the bare aluminum I have polished to a mirror, I assume it would have the same effect on unpolished aluminum... Or just send it out to me and I'll polish it up for a fair price

 

[1974jh5]

I'd definitely clear coat it, otherwise it will oxidize and look like crap. Or it can be clear anodized. The anodizing will last a lot longer.

 

[hooktool]

It won't oxidize if its a fair weather rider, and its kept indoors. Its pretty easy to keep aluminum looking good in those conditions.

John

 

[osteoderm]

We maintain a lot of "old polish" finishes in the hotrod shop, and I plan to leave my own upper triple scotchbrite-bare. Weird but true, I swear half the old finishes we preserve are just burnished oxidation... Just keep it clean and dry, maybe a little hard wax from time to time.

 

[Ghetto]

Has to be heated indoors. Cold plus indoors will still ruin it.

 

[osteoderm]

Has to be heated indoors. Cold plus indoors will still ruin it.

Agreed, but I don't think it's the cold itself so much as the condensation that comes with it, especially here on the coast during New England winters.

I'd still rather be rubbing-out satin aluminium in a dry heated shop than picking off crappy clearcoat in a damp freezing shed...

 

[Brother]

just my opinion, but... to me its a lot easier and cheaper to clean aluminum when needed then to have it coated, remove all the coating when it gets chipped and starts peeling, just to have to have it coated again.

 

[Downeaster]

Thanks for all the info! Still contemplating my options.

Geeze, that Maas stuff is some kind of precious, ain't it?

 

[jetero41]

check Eastwood.com for some bare metal finishes
'luck

 

[Visegrippe]

check their home anodizing kits too, i would do a clear (type II) anodize, it's thin, relatively soft, but doesn't colour the metal. will keep it from getting ugly. plus, once you have the kit, throw in a dyeing stage and you can do your own coloured anodizing, useful for small parts.

 

[TwoJugs]

In the marine world they have a product called Rupp Aluma Guard. It does a great jod of keeping aluminum protected on boats. It smells just like the old Hopps gun cleaner solvent? I use it with great results.

 

[sseres]

Any updates to your decision?

 

[Downeaster]

Yup. Got lazy and painted it...

 

[jd750ace]

Paint is cheap! You gotta give it that. a raw casting is kind of difficult. I have heard of people doing a powder coated clear on them, but have never seen the results. If I wanted to keep it bare looking, that's probably what I would choose.