pot ash

[gero1]

my son is in from iraq and i let him take my car to the base in k.y. i guess they use pot ash as a form of snoe, ice melt. it really did a number on the polished rims. i know they used this stuff in w.v on the roads awhile ago, any one know a good trick to get the pot ash stains out of alum?

[mrfixxall]

my son is in from iraq and i let him take my car to the base in k.y. i guess they use pot ash as a form of snoe, ice melt. it really did a number on the polished rims. i know they used this stuff in w.v on the roads awhile ago, any one know a good trick to get the pot ash stains out of alum?

as long as it's not pitted i would try mothers alunimum polish..(paste type)

[Bamboo Loui]

if you try the mothers and it does not work out for you, contact the guys at metalwax.com, they have a metal cleaner for aluminum as well as wax and plolishes.
I have used the products quite a bit-- on our lake our pontoon is known as "shiney toons" The cleaner product is interesting. it is a wash and "seems" to pull some stains out as it is applied and wiped of.

At first I thought the products were maybe a scam but I tested them against what other people use to polish and clean tank trucks, fuel tanks, and wheels and I think it is better. lasts a long time too. I polish the toons about once every three years. oxidation just does not build up very fast once the wax has been apllied. I have mothers, and a quart of Semichrome, but the metalwax system is my favorite.
I think the person I talked to was "Justin"-- not sure but I bet he would at least discuss the problem with you.

[Bamboo Loui]

Something I forgot-- I had to learn how to polish aluminum. I found out that if I used too high of speed on my polisher I could burn the aluminum. I burnt some parts on a Honda ct11o I was detailing.
No matter which produst you choose, if you can get the stain out, slow is better if you use any type of polishing equipment. soft pads or ball.

good luck:crossfing:

[gero1]

tried them all, nothing would touch it. had to wet sand and then buff them out with green jewelers rouge. wouldn't have been so bad if he would have just washed the car every week...it went 3 mo with out a wash

[CHACHI]

A CT110 you were detailing?

Vintage Japenese concours?

Ken

[Bamboo Loui]

I have three Japanese. had 6 but sold a couple of really sweet ones last year. I have a 78 with only 11miles on it, a 86 with 460+- and an 82 with about the same. I think the 86 and the 82 had some resto work done on them before I bought them. All three in excellent shape for Michigan. Of course they all came from California. I work on them to keep them as new as possible but do drive the newer ones during the summer around the neighbor hood-- people love them- they all have memories of these little bikes from back in the 60s and 70s. My first was a CT55 when I was 12 years old.

[BUIZILLA]

so.

do I dare ask what Pot Ash is? :pimp:

[CHACHI]

I have three Japanese. had 6 but sold a couple of really sweet ones last year. I have a 78 with only 11miles on it, a 86 with 460+- and an 82 with about the same. I think the 86 and the 82 had some resto work done on them before I bought them. All three in excellent shape for Michigan. Of course they all came from California. I work on them to keep them as new as possible but do drive the newer ones during the summer around the neighbor hood-- people love them- they all have memories of these little bikes from back in the 60s and 70s. My first was a CT55 when I was 12 years old.

BL, excellent.

It looks like you are keeping history alive. Keep up the good work.

Ken

[Uncle Richie]

Is this the ash left over from smoking pot?

[Conquistador_del_mar]

so.

do I dare ask what Pot Ash is? :pimp:

Apparently, there are a number of potash compounds used for various purposes. Bill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potash

[CHACHI]

Uncle Richie,

Nice Avatar :wink:

Ken

[gcarter]

Potash is also used in water treatment, as well, in the potasium chloride form. It's used as a salt substitute in water softeners. So, when using KCl, the hardness and iron exchanges for potasium in the KCL rather than sodium using salt (NaCl).
The problem curreltly is that China has been buying all the KCl they can and the price has risen from about $6.00/40# bag to over $22.00/bag.
If you look at the production chart in the Wikepedia page, you'll see that most of the worlds supply comes from our Northern neighbors.
In the KCl form, it is extracted from mining salt. If I remember correctly, for every 1000 tons, or so, of salt mined, about 1 ton of KCl can be extracted. It is far more corrosive than salt is.

[Walt. H.]

WoW' George, after reading the last sentence,
It is far more corrosive than salt is.
All I can say is Damn!
I'd be more concerned over my exposed steel brakelines rusting thru causing a hyd brake failure then some pitted alum wheels.

[Uncle Richie]

Ken, Good eyes, the aviatar is too small for my eyes. How is the boat running, I really miss it, thinking about getting one again. Thanks Richard