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How to clean Aluminum

Stacey K

Stacey K

I like making signs
I have some aluminum "people" I need to apply vinyl to at the local school. I want to be sure I clean it properly. I stopped over and tried to clean one with alcohol and check them out. My rag was black, and it did not come clean after several attempts in the small area I tested. Here is a pic...
 

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James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
The black is just aluminum...you were actually polishing it...albeit in a very small way. The black never ends, so wipe it down with a high VOC solvent and apply your vinyl.


JB
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Stacey K said:
So, what you're saying is I'm too clean? LOL Is alcohol suffiicent for this or should I be using something in addition to alcohol?
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Denatured alcohol, or perhaps enamel reducer, acetone or lacquer thinner. For bare metal, I always lean toward the last three.

JB
 
Notarealsignguy

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
If you're covering it all up, try white vinegar first then clean it off Itll give it a little etch for the vinyl to bite.
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
Stacey K said:
I have some aluminum "people" I need to apply vinyl to at the local school. I want to be sure I clean it properly. I stopped over and tried to clean one with alcohol and check them out. My rag was black, and it did not come clean after several attempts in the small area I tested. Here is a pic...
Click to expand...

Stacey, I'm sure the rest of the suggestions would work, but I used to have to apply to raw aluminum all the time & I always
did what you did, wipe it down with denatured alcohol & never had an issue... problem is you will need to wipe it down several times, replacing the towel
every time, until your towel stays almost white.

Edited to add, if I were to use anything else besides denatured alcohol to clean with, I would still do a follow up clean with denatured alcohol and make sure the towel was clean, raw aluminum has a lot of oils.
 
Stacey K

Stacey K

I like making signs
Thank you friends for you help with this! They used 2 sheets for this project, one was quite oily and the other cleaned up pretty quickly. I did use the vinegar and alcohol and wiped until the rag was clean. It's 90 degrees up here and I went out for a couple beers after LOL!

Here is the finished product for our local elementary school. I had an audience while applying some of it and the staff loved it! It was a joint effort by a local metal fabricating company, the principal and myself. Super excited for the kids to go back to school next week and have their pic taken on the new bench with their new stick figure friends.
 

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SeeEmWhyKay

SeeEmWhyKay

Print Plug & Pigment Procurer
Stacey K said:
Thank you friends for you help with this! They used 2 sheets for this project, one was quite oily and the other cleaned up pretty quickly. I did use the vinegar and alcohol and wiped until the rag was clean. It's 90 degrees up here and I went out for a couple beers after LOL!

Here is the finished product for our local elementary school. I had an audience while applying some of it and the staff loved it! It was a joint effort by a local metal fabricating company, the principal and myself. Super excited for the kids to go back to school next week and have their pic taken on the new bench with their new stick figure friends.
Click to expand...

Absolutely gorgeous work and execution I adore this, kudos!
 
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