EXPERIMENT: Effects of Various Chemicals on Yamaha FJ Paint & ABS Plastic

[FJmonkey]

Thermite!!!

But we already know the end result. Thermite always makes good videos, see past rally archives. Great fire starter.

[Steve_in_Florida]

...but here link to a Chemical Resistance Chart...gives a good baseline for ABS resistance to a wide range of chemicals.
   

Excellent, Smithers! That's a handy chart, and confirms some of my suspicions.

Anyone suggest spray-on oven cleaner yet? Somewhat common in households...

Mark, I was concentrating (get it?) on the primary chemicals, rather than list individual brands or products. The main ingredient in oven cleaner is usually sodium hydroxide (lye).

Good suggestion, though.

Steve



     

[Steve_in_Florida]

I recently had the opportunity to visit a metal plating shop, dropping off some parts for both a 1912 and a 1914 Excelsior motorcycle, to be plated with nickel.

One of the shop foremen noticed my interest, and gave me a quick run-down of their systems. Lye bath (removes organic-based stuff), acid bath (etches parts), washes, dips, plating this or that.

Pretty interesting.

I inquired about coating aluminum. They don't "do" aluminum, it seems.

Steve

[TexasDave]

They don't plate aluminum they anodize it.  This is done in large tanks filled with water and other chemicals. Large amounts of direct current are run through the water and depending on which chemicals are added they can get the color of the anodizing they want.  Dave

[Steve_in_Florida]

They don't plate aluminum they anodize it.  This is done in large tanks filled with water and other chemicals. Large amounts of DC current are run through the water and depending on which chemicals are added they can get the color of the anodizing they want.  Dave

My point in asking was in the interest of all the aluminum parts we have on the FJ, and possible coating alternatives. There's always powdercoat. Or polishing. Always polishing.

I've also been performing some experiments with aluminum and copper parts and anodes, to a limited degree, which I will address in this thread: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=13345

Copper and it's salts are pretty.

Steve

[Pat Conlon]

You see the soul of the aluminum when you polish...

[TexasDave]

You see the soul of the aluminum when you polish...

Father Pat you have truly seen many souls.     Dave