Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum?

Posted by: burdell1

Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 13/11/2004 17:10

I was wondering if anyone knows a good way to clean and get rid of scratches on aluminum? I bought an aluminum case for my Ipaq awhile ago and lately it got some little tiny scratches (which is weird because the only thing that was touching it in my pocket were old plastic Luden's cough drop wrappers.)
Posted by: schofiel

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 13/11/2004 17:35

Toothpaste and water.
Posted by: burdell1

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 25/02/2005 13:47

is there any other remedies? I finally got around to trying toothpaste and water, but it didn't help....
Posted by: Ezekiel

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 25/02/2005 15:39

Ground pumice, fine sandpaper, or rottenstone in ever decreasing granule size until you reach the desired finish level. It takes scratching to remove scratches. If there's a finish (clear coat, anodize etc...) then nothing but re-coating will help, polishing will only make the holes in the finish bigger.

-Zeke
Posted by: mlord

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 26/02/2005 01:35

I have here two "micro-mesh" abrasive kits, designed for polishing aircraft windows back to shiney transparency. Basically just a series of ultrafine abrasives: lowest is 1000X, finest is a toothpaste-style compound.

Works wonders.
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 26/02/2005 02:57

Quote:
designed for polishing aircraft windows back to shiney transparency

Does that work with car windows? My sister has a place on her windshield where she succeed in the battle with the oak tree sap, but unfortunatly lost the war. A glass shop told her they'd have to replace the window, but I suppose that's in their best intrest.

Matthew
Posted by: julf

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 26/02/2005 05:54

Quote:
Does that work with car windows?

Probably not. Aircraft windows are usually plexiglass - a much softer material than real glass.
Posted by: bonzi

Re: Cleaning and getting rid of scratches on aluminum? - 26/02/2005 09:29

There are (or at least these used to be in the long gone days of my youth) telescope mirror grinding kits - the finest or next-to-finest grit from them should do. Perhaps one can buy them separately.
Posted by: gbeer

Recursiveness reality check. - 26/02/2005 15:51

Quote:
I was wondering if anyone knows a good way to clean and get rid of scratches on aluminum? I bought an aluminum case for my Ipaq awhile ago and lately it got some little tiny scratches (which is weird because the only thing that was touching it in my pocket were old plastic Luden's cough drop wrappers.)


The case that was purchased to protect the iPaq from getting scratched, is itself, getting scratched, and you don't like that either?

BWT: The others are right. There isn't much you can do except make it worse. The processes used to achieve the factory finish just arn't mendable. Even if the parts were completley stripped and refinished at the factory, it wouldn't look the same. The stripping process itself alters the beginning conditions.