[Antennas] Cleaning Aluminum ....question

[cboone@earthlink.net]

One trick I have used in cleaning aluminum on antennas, etc is
the Floridic acid mix they use to spray on aluminum AC outside
coils...talk about clean!!! I had a DB420 UHF rptr antenna that was
HEAVILY oxided (was on the Gulf Coast of Texas for 15 years!)..
took the elements off, sprayed them with a double of what they 
normally used in the Floridic acid (its cut I think 9:1 with
water) and after letting it soak and foam up, rinsed them off...
and the antenna looked BRAND NEW!!! It shined in the sun after going
up on the tower...didnt hurt any of the phenolic insulators or 
anything else...(and the antenna has been in the air for 6+ years
now)..You can get the floridic acid at AC supply shops...CAREFUL 
with it though...it WILL burn you and SHOULD be diluted...though
I would make it stronger than what they recommend since you arent
cleaning small AC coils...if you can immerse the antenna parts in the
solution, that will also clean the inside as well (the UHF dipoles 
did fit nicely in a buck of the solution! and the foam came out of
the weep holes.....so I know that also got cleaned!)

Chris
WB5ITT


Mike J Maloney wrote:
> 
> Hi Kees,
> Still enjoying that blueracer deluxe!   I restored an old Wilson SY33
> late last year.   The parts were heavy alum, but plated (rusted) steel
> clamps and fasteners.   The traps were Mosley clones.   I replaced all
> the fasteners and clamps with all-stainless hardware, and bought a new
> boom to mast camp from Hygain.  Money well spent I think.
> 
> I have cleaned up aluminum parts using the old ARRL handbook formula with
> caustic soda or common lye.   Aluminum comes out looking like brand new!
>  Hardest part was finding the lye, but a search on ebay should find some.
>  Also Scothbrite pads are good for cleaning mating joints before applying