Do you seal aluminum tubing?

[bigmikevee]

Hey folks,

Using aluminum tubing for front forks on bike kit, looked good without sealing, but decided to repaint the plastic, stripped paint with E-Z Off, now aluminum looks a little mottled. Used polishing kit on the aluminum, and it cleaned up pretty good, should I seal forks now, and if so, what should I use? Can the tubing be painted (for another project) and if so, what kind of paint (enamel, lacquer, etc.) is best? I like the natural aluminum look, should I just paint them with Alclad? Thanks to all who reply!!

Mike

[Karmodeler2]

Hey folks,

Using aluminum tubing for front forks on bike kit, looked good without sealing, but decided to repaint the plastic, stripped paint with E-Z Off, now aluminum looks a little mottled. Used polishing kit on the aluminum, and it cleaned up pretty good, should I seal forks now, and if so, what should I use? Can the tubing be painted (for another project) and if so, what kind of paint (enamel, lacquer, etc.) is best? I like the natural aluminum look, should I just paint them with Alclad? Thanks to all who reply!!

Mike

Mike,

I polish all my machined items really really well, then I dip them in Future Floor wax (Pledge with Future) to seal them and keep them from oxidizing in the future. If you look at the pics below, everything that I machined in aluminum (that's 6061...the K&S stuff is not 6061 and is very gummy and nasty I have found) is dipped. This includes the front and rear rims, the caps on the breathers, gas tanks, mirrors, headlights, tail lights and more. Basically anything in aluminum. The stacks were polished, then I cut a mask to do the flames and bead blasted it the give it the rough finish. I then sprayed them with dullcote while the mask was still in place and then took the mask off. I did not seal the flame portion of the stack. I did not know how to.

Hope this helps,

David

[bigmikevee]

David,

Thank you for the kind reply, still learning as I go. Your truck is absolutely stunning, I had seen pictures of it previously, just such a unique build!!

On the aluminum tubing, I had heard about K & S from others that it is decent, but to try other products. Any recommendations? I must be looking in wrong places, because all my LHS's, which I will try before I go online, all have K & S. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!!

Mike

[Karmodeler2]

Hey Mike,

try this place. You can order one inch or 1000 inches, they don't care. It's great stuff and they have all kinds of metals.

http://www.smallparts.com/

It is who I use religiously.

If for some reason they don't have what I need, then I go to this one. The owner is great to deal with and if you order the $15 book, he will take it off your first order. The book is worth its weight in gold. Has some cool stuff for us modelers. Small gears, tubing, actuators and the like. Cool stuff!!

http://www.psmescale.com/

Good Luck.

David