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Location: Missouri, USA
(05-03-2012, 07:12 PM)rleete Wrote: (05-03-2012, 08:35 AM)Highpower Wrote: Sodium hydroxide is the active ingredient in oven/grill cleaners.
Stay far, far away from any aluminum.
Why? It's also the active ingredient in many aluminum cleaning products, such as used on car wheels.
True. But it has a much lower percentage of (lye) than the oven cleaner does. Strong bases attack aluminum. That is why "Crystal Drain-O" has aluminum flakes mixed in. The exothermic reaction creates heat and pressure (hydrogen gas) inside a drain pipe to help "bust clogs".
You certainly wouldn't want to clean your car wheels with Easy-Off. Unless maybe you wanted to have them plated afterward....
Willie
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Location: Rochester, NY
No, probably not. But I do use lye in quite concentrated form for preping aluminum parts for anodizing. You have to be careful not to leave parts in solution for too long, as it will erode them quite quickly. It leaves a nice matt finish.
Full of ideas, but slow to produce parts
Hi Lads
Mr Muscle oven cleaner works a charm
parts straight off the machine ,, squirt of oven cleaner , leave for a few minutes ,, rinse with water and straight into the plating bath .
I was very pleased with how good it cleaned the knurl .
Rob