Awesome video man 👏👏👏 Yeah etching acids definitely thin aluminum over time, whenever I see a truck drive by that’s been acid washed for years it strikes me as a tragedy lol
Love your videos. Have learned a lot on polishing aluminum. I do use a product call Mirror X made by Ezoil . In Upper Peninsula there are no truck washes just one self service big enough to get a truck in. So I use this on my polished aluminum in the winter when I wash . It would be considered a light acid . It will streak polished aluminum if the aluminum is hot like a fuel tank but for me it helps me maintain my aluminium in the winter.
That is a killer good product. I have used it before and it worked well. I have gotten away from it over the years but it worked well. It definitely gets the winter grime off. Alumaclear stuff works well too as a winter maintainer.
Awesome vid man!! Really puts it into perspective👍🏼 Acid is a bad thing.. Im glad you didn't leave it in overnight.. Those poor tools from the off gasing 😬
I was going to use Superior Aluminum Brightener on an old aluminum boat to clean it UP a bit! It's 35 years old and never been cleaned! I don't think a one time cleaning will ruin the boat! What do you think?
Interesting. I was guessing that mild acid cleaning would have reduce the polishing time and effort required by removing any surface oxidation and giving you an extremely clean starting point to work from.
Just found your channel and subbed. I love how detailed you get to give us “the why”… which rarely ever gets covered in videos like this. I have an aluminum horse trailer that has painted surfaces and natural aluminum surfaces. The painted surfaces appear to be etched with streaks coming off the roof. Someone suggested using acid, but after this video I’m leaning away from that. It’s a pretty expensive trailer and I don’t want to ruin it, so I’m inclined to hire a professional… but aside from don’t use acid on my trailer, what should I do to set boundaries?
Manage your expectation from the beginning. Let them know what you are looking for them to achieve and if they can accomplish it. The hardest part is getting those perfect. I hope this helps.
@@EvanStegerMetalPolishing Yeah, hugely helpful. I would imagine neither one of us would want to let the other down. I try not to have unrealistic expectations, but I can be a pain in the arse at times.
Unfortunately in Australia our alloy gets tarnished a lot from roadworks and red dirt from some states as I polish the alloy on a regular basis especially in winter time does my head in as the alloy gets stained and tarnished and the east way to bring it back up is a diluted acid wash which seems the simplest to me as I can’t see the time sanding it back every fortnight possible not enough hrs in the day 🤷🏻♂️
How would you recommend washing a milk tanker? There’s tons of old dried up milk splattered down the sides, they don’t necessarily need to be reflective since they are in a dirt field
I would call a local wash company and look for a 2 part chemical wash setup. You would use a mild acid first then an alkaline to neutralize it. Scrubbing always helps also.
Can’t tell you how many truck washes I’ve been kicked out of because they’ve used acid after I said not to. My dad has been kicked out of about all but 3 truck washes from Pa down to Florida. Absolutely despise acid.
Citrus acid is still an acid. I noticed in my personal experience citrus isn't immediate damage it is more long term damage over multiple uses. It breaks down the aluminum on the inside and not the outside. Hope this explains it.
What about the back of a wheel that has years of caked on brake dust in alot of irregular surfaces? I'm trying to clean them to a point I can at least seal the pores with a ceramic coating. No idea how to clean them otherwise? I would add a pic but saddly the new manditory updates will no longer all me to add pics
I would use an iron remover. If just cleaning you can use acid but it will dry the wheel out and make it more susceptible to caking up worse next time.
Just ordered the kit off you late last night Sir. Bought the 35.3 Oz can of LUHMI AMGLOS off you sometime ago, Awesome Shit but just about out! Been polishing Metals for years(nothing nowhere near your level/skill) and I agree 100%, this is the metal polish I've ever used too. But have a question Sir, why do you use microfiber applicator to apply the time to shine polish instead of a Terry? Thank You!
@EvanStegerMetalPolishing I see, I just misunderstood. My mistake Sir. You do some freakin nice ass work Sir, that's for sure, wished we were alittle closer, difently come get some training off ya! Thanks for the order and response, may get back into the polishing again soon? Have A Great Week & Thanks Fir The Quick Shipping Sir!
Great video! Interesting to know acid doesn't even cut as much as sanding. What a wasted step acid is. Plus acids crap on your health to deal with constantly. Glad Ive just been using glass cleaner, or degreaser if I'm washing it.
@@EvanStegerMetalPolishing i believe there is a very thin line while using the acid to clean before it begins to etch. one thing i found while cleaning the wheels was if left on for the advertised couple of minutes it would begin to etch the aluminum and turn white. i mix about 1 part acid to 10 parts water and leave the acid on for no longer than 20-30 seconds before power washing off, repeat till the shine comes out.
@@dLikesDDs I'm not disagreeing with you since I am not there to see it, but I have a hard time believing the results with the science I have seen on a microscopic level. It is not very likely that acid gives a polished look. Acid by nature is a drying agent on all things. It may not on the first time but on a microscopic level it is definitely cracking the surface and making it dry out much quicker. But I've been wrong many times in my career. So it is possible.
@@penniesfromheaven2511 not clear coated bud. the acid i used was quite capable of turning them white. its how the acid is used, like stated before, theres a point where the acid begins to etch and turn it white, if thats happening you're being too aggressive with the acid wash.
Never use it straight. Never let it just sit on it. Spray rinse cut color hand polish is my gig. I don't like cutting dirty aluminum. But everyone's different
I say cut and color twice a year will keep your metal nice and a hand polish anytime it looks like it needs it will keep you on point all year long. Thanks for watching.
Evan Steger alrighty well can you explain to me why you don’t anymore? I’m starting to get into this for my business and I’m only 16 so I having a lot of guys come in with a ton of aluminum wheels so what company would you recommend and why.
im having a real hard time with steps and diamond plates, please do a vid i believe you did already but if you can throw more tips in there thatd be great 👍
What's your tips to cleaning oxidation off of mill finished aluminum such as trailer sub frames? It's for my own trucks and I polish everything that I can, or I feel is worth my time but I find these areas hard to polish and I don't know how to get them back to a mill finish look. Would an acid wash work okay in this situation or still not worth it?
If you do acid wash it then throw a 180 grit sand over the top of it to give it a clean new finish. Not sure if this is the answer you are looking for but if you are talking about what I think you are talking about then this is what I would do.
@@EvanStegerMetalPolishing sounds good, yeah I'm not looking to polish it to a shine just get the oxidation and discoloration out. Will have to give this a try thanks Evan!
@@EvanStegerMetalPolishing are you sure it's not Hydrofluoric acid? Alibrite here in Aust is 9% Hydrofluoric which is a very nasty substance, you wouldn't be handling it without PPE.
Jonathan Morgan the point is that if something is smooth enough to not need to be sanded...it’s not gonna be dirty enough to need acid either then for sure. So if you’re gonna sand which you almost always will then why do you need it to be clean first? Sanding with the first grit will usually completely clean the surface and it will leave the texture way less harsh and damaged. You just have never seen the difference under a microscope or don’t have the eye for it in person like Evan does. I will agree I have used it before when stripping down inside drive wheels that were completely black, mainly just to try it out, and it makes it nice...so it seems. But it’s just an extra step considering you’re going to sand it all out anyways. Acid works great for cleaning up aluminum trailer frames...and for a fleet of company trucks that isn’t going to spend the time polishing tanks and wheels, etc, then acid/aluminum brighter does leave those parts of a truck looking better than it would otherwise. those are about the only real things I would consider acid to be useful for. Like Evan said....It is so harsh it actually damages the pours to the degree of ripping soft buffs. For a guy that is one of the best and probably the most knowledgeable and for sure the most well rounded and non bias source of information in the industry...I think there’s no debate that if you’re gonna polish and are looking to keep a surface in the best condition that you can, which would always be his goal right...?...then acid is bunk lol.
I'm definitely not saying anyone can't use acid. Simply showing why I don't and what I've seen under the microscope. You guys do great work. Shine on. Thanks for watching.
Brother I have been in the business you are in 17 years ago. I have bought this sks, I am operating with wrong rouge. A small green rougher came with this Dremel kit I bought It is not right for steel. Get with me please. I need a white bar or something. Frustrated. Been working on this over a month
Yes it is steel. It is a 1957 chineese sks rifle. It was in terrible shape. I am restoring it. I stripped all the bluing off with vinegar. And Bagan sanding and polishing. I am using a dremel because it is alot of small parts. Would you mind sharing an email so I can send you some pictures and get advice??? Thanks Dayton
A diluted acid is fine to use it cleans the metal quickly before hand polishing or buffing. I prefer clean aluminum myself. Aluminum is very porous and acid cleans the pores
As long as you sand below it. But I don't see a point in sanding after acid for the reasoning that when I sand I sand further down than acid typically penetrates so its wasted for me. But to each their own. If it is working for you then it isn't wrong. But for me as a business I try to cut any unneccesary spending when possible. If I have to acid and wash it takes time. Time that I could be spending sanding and not having to dry the part. But if time isn't an issue then you are good.
Biggest mistake so far, taking on acid washed wheels and well the truck is just pitted so bad. Should have started at 80 grit.... Bad frontal lobe thinking 😏🤔
