What's on your bench?

[Paul C]

I was asked what I use to fix scratches on black aluminum faceplates.

I use a chemical called Aluminum Black (3 oz. bottle 15125 -PAB), by Birchwood Casey. This is found in gun shops. Birchwood Casey also makes Perma Blue (aka cold blue), Tru Oil (linseed oil -- for stock refinishing), and other products for gun care and maintenance. You can buy Aluminum Black from www.brownells.com or

http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/index.html

The chemical will only work on unanodized aluminum. That is, it will only react with the scratches. The surface must be clean, free of oil, so clean it first. Then dip a cotton swab in the chemical and rub on the scratch. Keep swabbing over the scratch to remove reacted chemical and bring fresh in contact with the metal. If you look closely you will see it bubbling. It will not make the scratch completely invisible, but will darken it so that it is not immediately noticable.

The chemical is quite corrosive, so do not allow it to drip into the unit you are working on. It is not necessary to use a lot of the chemical. That small bottle will last for YEARS if you keep the cap tight.

When done, wipe away excess with a paper towel, then clean the surface again... I use glass cleaner. Wash your hands.

Here is an "after" photo:

Can you see where I fixed the scratches? If not, I'm not going to point them out to you.



I will say they are far more visible in this photo, with the flash, than they are with the unit sitting in my stereo cabinet under normal lighting.

 

[avionic]

That aluminum black works pretty well...

 

[brutal]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Paul C]

That aluminum black works pretty well...

No, it works FAR, FAR better than you think.

I need a belly laugh, knee slapping smileycon...


Seriously, guys, do you see now why you need Aluminum Black on your work bench? Guys like Fred that do this for a living, a nice final touchup on your customer's gear will really impress them. Also good for those "oops!" situations.

 

[xoaphexox]

That is awesome. Is there an over-the-counter place you know of to get this stuff? It will cost more for shipping than for the actual item itself for me. Apparently its hazmat.

Great work, though!

ps on my bench now is a Sansui AU-11000a that I tore down to replace all fusable resistors on the driver board, power supply board, and output boards. Then a deoxit bath.

 

[avionic]

No, it works FAR, FAR better than you think.

I need a belly laugh, knee slapping smileycon...


Seriously, guys, do you see now why you need Aluminum Black on your work bench? Guys like Fred that do this for a living, a nice final touchup on your customer's gear will really impress them. Also good for those "oops!" situations.

Paul, I wasn't trying to be a SM. That Aluminum Black just got added to my shopping cart.:thmbsp:

 

[Paul C]

That is awesome. Is there an over-the-counter place you know of to get this stuff? It will cost more for shipping than for the actual item itself for me. Apparently its hazmat.

Yes, try any gun store or gunsmith. If they don't have it, they can get it. I see Birchwood Casey products in almost all gun shops. A lot of products they carry are hazmat, but they only pay one fee for their entire shipment. Don't expect them to order just that one bottle for you, but they would usually not mind adding in a bottle with their next supply order.

I bought some at Walmart in the sporting goods section at one time. I bought this stuff locally.

http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/

Paul, I wasn't trying to be a SM. That Aluminum Black just got added to my shopping cart.:thmbsp:

I couldn't help myself... I just had to do that. Really, it was in rough shape, globs of black paint trying to cover the scratches. After getting that off with thinner and a rag, it looked even worse. Corners on the handles worn shiney. Far rougher past on this unit than just sitting in someone's stereo rack. DJ'ing? Club? Who knows? But now it looks near new. You can only see scratches if you get it at the right angle in the light.