Turn Anodized Aluminum to clean Aluminum

Good to see you back on the forum samuel.

I have a jar somewhere of a powder that can be used to strip anodizing...I think you boil it in water, then immerse the parts for stripping.
Anyone know what I'm talking about? It came from a reputable supplier but maybe its just snake-oil

All he is doing is taking the Dye out of it..............
Good for him that he is making more $$$$$$$$$. His buyer is just trying to screw him.
Hazardous work.....Please.........

Originally Posted by zakmattingly

I had never heard of anodized aluminum. Extrusion is extrusion here. I don't have a place that has a radar gun though. Is that why it's an issue for you?

I think you mean XRF gun, unless some yards pay based on how fast your scrap is traveling.

I have some cleaning guide to clean Anodized Aluminum, Start with Wiping down your anodized aluminum surface with a damp sponge to remove general surface dirt. Spray the anodized aluminum with a high pressure rinse. Then spray the anodized aluminum with a high pressure rinse. Rinse this anodized aluminum surface with clean water and then dry it with towels.

you might want to make a safety note. water plus lye is extremely exothermic reaction. you should always add LYE TO WATER not Water to lye. The reaction causes the water to increase in temperature fast and can boil depending on how much you use. Adding water to the lye can cause it to spit and burn through clothes and skin. Dont use glass container bc the temperature increase can cause it to bust and the container should be stainless steel not aluminum or definitely not plastic. use googles.

I've heard of "cleaning metal". This is going a little too far. Is this even cost efficient? How much can they seriously be docking you? Seems preposterous, I would find a different yard.

Realy!!! Back in the day people would make thier own soap with lye. They also would throw lye down the hole in the out house. What's an out house you say, it's an out side tiolet that the farmers would build so they wouldn't have to go all the way to the house to go to the bathroom, it's also what they used before they had inside plumbing. The lye would keep down the stink. Of coarse I neaver tried mixing it with water.

So your cleaning extruded aluminum so you can sell it as clean aluminum at a lower price, or am i missing the point? I thought yards consider aluminum clean as long as no ferrous metal is attached to it. Sounds like your yard is using the logic that a car would be considered dirty steel because the factory painted it. Ie a non metallic coating is applied to the metal. Downgrade is just a fancier way of saying dirty, just another way for the yards scam us.