[T2] Aluminum jalousie window cleaning

[John Anderson]

Ric,
 
I'd toss in some thoughts.  Main concern I have, and why I haven't done my '77 is, what after the cleaning?  If they are just needing cleaning, I'd go for soapy water and fine or very fine auto grade Scotch-Brite or steel wool.  Can use very weak TSP but needs to be flooded off immediately, as it will clean/etch more aggressively, but will rapidly corrode aluminum itself.  For a bit more, nevr-dull, which is essentially just steel wool impregnated with light oil (could just as readily soak steel wool with some WD-40) does work, but leaves its oil on the surface which is good and bad.  Bear in mind with nevr dull or steel wool for rubbing chrome it is great, but with aluminum specks of it might impregnate into the aluminum and eventually rust, but it is a pretty trivial possibility.  If results aren't aggressive enough (corrosion is too heavy) go to a rougher grade of Scotch-Brite or steel wool and work on down to fine.  They do make mounted
 Scotch-Brite heads for die grinders BTW which will speed things up, but as with all power options you got to watch you aren't deforming/losing shape/ridges is you care.
 
If heavy corrosion, sure glass bead or walnut shell will clean it, but what then.  First it is rough/blasted, if you like the appearance great, if not you will need to brush it out.  Then, total clean aluminum in a moist environment with the slightest electrolyte, and boom, going to look 100% worse in a month.  You could clearcoat it, but you got to conversion coat first, you could wax it ad nauseum, which will work but be a pain, but not bad if not often driven, or you could conversion coat it yourself using clear Alondine 1500 (the conversion is clear, not the chemical which is still yellow like all Alondine) which you can get online from aircraft supply stores, and a gallon will do you forever for the next 1000 sets if you reclaim it in a plastic pan.
 
Me and what I'll eventually do on mine which are lightly corroded and dirty but not at all pitted, I'm going to use Scotch-brite to get a nice burnished rubbed surface, and then clear Alodine em.  I'll probably spot blast just the rusty steel rivets, and hit those with some q-tip applied cold etching Rustoleum.
 
There are some real good resto articles for these on the Vintage Airstream forums actually as those guys get really, really serious about the things after they've blown $10000 polishing up their trailers.  Pretty much the same windows, I think some of the Airstream ones have actually been German manufacture over the classic years.
 
John
 

________________________________
 From: Ric Jablonski <ricjablonski at gmail.com>
To: "type2 at type2.com" <type2 at type2.com>; "Vintagebus at type2.com" <Vintagebus at type2.com> 
Sent: Thursday, March 6, 2014 4:21 PM
Subject: [T2] Aluminum jalousie window cleaning
  

Any tips on cleaning aluminum jalousie windows? I am working with fine
steel wool and aluminum polish, but is seems slow work and only fair
results.