65 headlight bezel anodize hell

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pishta

pishta

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Trying to shine up my bezels. The one had some bad scratches in it so I soaked it in EZ-off for 15 minutes to strip the anodizing off and commenced to steel wooling the crap out of it to remove the anodizing. I thought I got it all off as it was all the same color after about 30 minutes of buffing it, then I took a flapper wheel to the scratches to knock them down. Turns out I got NONE of the anodizing off, and only the flapper wheel took it down to bare AL. How the heck do you get the anodizing off? I tried 2 different EZ-off formulas, both had sodium hydroxide listed (Lye) and another 30 minutes of soaking. Nothing, its not even coming off with 1200 sandpaper, but 60 sure did. I even tried black compound on a wheel. Nadda. That stuff is tough!
 
I don't understand why the EZ Off did not work....I did mine last year and they turned out great, with a little bit of hard rubbing and cleaning they almost look like new.
1972 Plymouth Duster
 

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Mine were dented. I worked the dents out, applied a little body filler, primered them, then shot them with a black coating followed by Duplicolor chrome. They turned out pretty good.
 
pishta said:
Trying to shine up my bezels. The one had some bad scratches in it so I soaked it in EZ-off for 15 minutes to strip the anodizing off and commenced to steel wooling the crap out of it to remove the anodizing. I thought I got it all off as it was all the same color after about 30 minutes of buffing it, then I took a flapper wheel to the scratches to knock them down. Turns out I got NONE of the anodizing off, and only the flapper wheel took it down to bare AL. How the heck do you get the anodizing off? I tried 2 different EZ-off formulas, both had sodium hydroxide listed (Lye) and another 30 minutes of soaking. Nothing, its not even coming off with 1200 sandpaper, but 60 sure did. I even tried black compound on a wheel. Nadda. That stuff is tough!
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did you use this stuff? original easy-off yellow top? Off brands do not work as well and the blue cap easy off ones SUCK. I left mine on for an hour minimum each try with saran wrap over it helping it to stay wet and cut through the anodizing (took 3 tries on one bezel and one I just went to draino instead of waiting another couple of hours or so after 2 tries with easy-off) the draino'd bezel took 45 minutes to remove the anodizing. I left(forgot) a piece of broken bezel in the draino solution and 8 hours later it had holes in it from the lye.
https://jet.com/product/detail/b263...ggl:cwin_jd_home_garden_a3:household_supplies

or some stronger stuff.
just make a solution and submerge the part in it, this stuff is a lot stronger than easy-off oven cleaner and you will have to take it out of the solution a couple of times just to make sure it's not eating the aluminum (I've had the headlight bezel in the draino solution max 35 minutes and it cleaned the hard one off when easyoff yellow top failed (2 tries at that)) so I probably will do an hour on a un touched piece with draino and it should come out nice and clean of anodizing
http://www.lowes.com/pd_283724-1260-20113_0__?productId=3344606
 
Hi CliffT Could you post a picture of yours. Maybe that is the road I should go with mine after I get the dents out.
 
Yellow top EZ Off. May take several trys. May have to lightly sand/ scrub pad. Some areas maybe truely stubborn. Can't just let set, may have to reapply and keep wet. Rubber gloves and glasses/ goggles
 
Cal strip paint remover. Then clean glass beads and not harbor frieght glass. They are not true beads. True beads will polish more then etch. Tractor supply beads work decent. Do not use dirty beads either.
 
Tough stuff alright, and when you do get it off you have bare aluminum so if you don't coat it with something it looks like crap again in a few months.

Considering powder coating mine after they are all cleaned up since they can be done in clear.

Hmmm, who could we ask about getting that done? :D
 
66Dvert, Ill try those drano crystals as you can make a solution to submerge the part (I understand 1 tblsp/gallon?). Ill try again. I got another set that has a few dings in them that will get the paint treatment as I already pounded and filled the dents. Dark base and chrome paint, check!
 
I literally used wet sand paper and elbow grease to remove mine. I hammered, filed and sanded away imperfections and worked to progressively finer grits. I finished with 1000 grit and then polished. Very nice finish but a slightly different color then original.
 
I feel your pain. The back panel on the '66 GT was badly pitted in places. I took it to an anodizing shop and had them remove the remaining treatment. IIRC, I spent something like 400 hours sanding and buffing to get it decent. Aluminum polishes up nicely, but it begins to oxidize almost immediately. I didn't want to go through the process again, so once I polished, I had it re-anodized. The people who did it for me told me that the anodizing process would make the piece look a little "milky". That may be the difference in color that midlifecuda is describing.
 

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You might check some of the newer chrome finishes. I had my dash cluster redone by Sacramento Chrome. It was a chemical process, not real chrome plating, but they said it holds up better than actual chrome, at least on plastic parts. I recall the guy said they do it on exterior parts as well. If you re-anodize, there are processes to make purty colors like yellow, red, or blue. I never investigated the cost.
 
OK, after buying some true "yellow top" EZ-OFF (professional heavy duty grade!) and spraying them down, Im getting some action! I did the first spray for about 20 minutes and the anodizing literally wiped off with my hands under hot water. What was left came off with some 00 steel wool and a little rubbing. Even the black came off inside the bezel. After 00 steel wool and 1200 wet/dry, I hit them again for 15 minutes to get some stubborn patches off. After that, 00 and 1200 again to produce a very uniform AL finish. I have some new buffs for my drill as well as some black, red and white rouge sticks. Im happy with the outcome so far. Bare AL looks a little cloudy in places but that should buff out. I spent about 3 hours on them with sandpaper, Cheesy-Off oven cleaner (no results) and finally 60 grip flapper wheel to get ANY of the anodizing off and that left some scratches on the soft AL, forget that mess! Genuine EZ-OFF is the real deal. Photos progress from start (Bare AL patch next to anodizing) to finish of stripping.
 

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Tadams said:
Hi CliffT Could you post a picture of yours. Maybe that is the road I should go with mine after I get the dents out.
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I wish I could. I lost the car in a garage fire. Take it from me, it turned out nice. Didn't quite have the gloss as the original did, but it had a little reflection, turned out good. I got a lot of bang for the buck with some careful work. I hate cheesy finishes, but I was happy with the result.
 
TrailBeast said:
Tough stuff alright, and when you do get it off you have bare aluminum so if you don't coat it with something it looks like crap again in a few months.

Considering powder coating mine after they are all cleaned up since they can be done in clear.

Hmmm, who could we ask about getting that done? :D
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Best way to go: Pick your color ,spend money once,& done for life...
 
I would like to see a clearcoated aluminum part. Anyone?
 
Im going to polish mine to see what they look like. The original anodizing was sort of a bright shiny, but the polished section in contrast seemed more bluish. These are straight, I have another set that has some tiny dings but I cant get them totally straight as the ding is right on the edge. I could fill it and sand to perfection but then I couldnt powdercoat over bondo unless I shoot it with metallic paint? I should ask Leanne.
 
Mopar Tim
We send a lot of our stuff we make for the air cylinder and hydraulic cylinder industry out for clear Anodizing.This is all machined aluminum and when it comes back from anodizing there is sort off a "yellowish" colour to it.
We have never sent anything that has been fully polished to a mirror finish, but I too am curious to see what it would look like after.
I'm pretty sure there still would be a slight yellow to it.
There also is what I would call a chalky residue on the parts too.
 
hemidart67 said:
Mopar Tim
We send a lot of our stuff we make for the air cylinder and hydraulic cylinder industry out for clear Anodizing.This is all machined aluminum and when it comes back from anodizing there is sort off a "yellowish" colour to it.
We have never sent anything that has been fully polished to a mirror finish, but I too am curious to see what it would look like after.
I'm pretty sure there still would be a slight yellow to it.
There also is what I would call a chalky residue on the parts too.
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thank you. I might be the guinea pig and try a part.
 
Yeah baby, F' dat anodizing! I got it all off, took some 500 to it, then 1200, then buffed it with white rouge and a 4" wheel on the drill. Followed it up with some turtle wax, next is the flat black paint to finish. The 2nd bezel was a bear, the good EZ off seemed to have little effect on this one. I ended up getting 'er done with lots of 500 grit and about an hour of sanding. It had a few hidden low spots that the sanding showed up and got some attention with the round end of a nut driver. So, to clear coat or not?

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