Anodizing removal and rim polishing

[Uncle Stretch]

So you want some of those cool polished rims like Chuck has. You look at you mundane black
anodized rims and dream of nice sparkling polished ones. Buy you some Draino crystals and get
some hot water. Pour some in the water...didn't measure so just a few caps full. Soak the rim
for like 20 minutes, check for results, then turn to the next black spot.
I wiped them off with a scuff pad . Remember your using this method on your own. Take all safety
precautions as with any chemical product...SAFETY GLASSES...RUBBER GLOVES. Wash everything!

Will continue this post till I get to the shiny part.

After a couple hours of work you can turn and ugly black rim into something beautiful.
It would be quicker if I had something big enough to dunk the whole wheel....and if the
guys that made these rims ,sanded down all the machine marks from when they were built.
They had a bunch of small ridges that had to be sanded smooth. 600 then 1000 then 1500 and polish.

 

[danthrift71]

Cool to see the "Drano" method in action. I've used Easy-Off in the yellow can before with good success but It gets kinda expensive. I think Drano may be much more cost effective. Wide rims like that are gonna shine like crazy! Thanks for the tutorial.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

i'm pretty sure there are lots of things that work. They say Greased Lightning works. I had the draino.

 

[g-ratter]

I see you have the spokes off. Is there any reason you can not leave the wheels laced?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

These were brand new hoops. I'm not sure if I would try it laced. There is a bunch of polishing
after you get the anodizing off and there is no way to do it with them built.

 

[ind-chuckz]

Nice!!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Not as good as yours Chuck, but close.

Happiness is a Nexus 3 speed laced to a nicely polished 65mm wide rim, with stainless spokes. :lol: :lol:

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Great. :| Now I have something else to have to do.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I'm going to trot down to Walmart with my tape and find something I can soak the entire rim
in and then it actually would take 20 or 30 minutes tops to remove the anodizing. The sanding
is another thing. :shock: :shock: :roll:

 

[Wildcat]

They make black tubs for mixing grout and stuff. This one is only 24.5 inches wide but they may have larger ones elsewhere.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/large-mixi ... 7102a.html

 

[Uncle Stretch]

The rim measures 23'' or so on a 26'' rim, so that will work. The price is good too, thanks.
Now if you can just come with something to eliminate the hour sanding. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Wildcat]

I made a bike trailer out of one, along with a discarded jogging stroller.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I love bike builders ,they are so resourceful.

 

[Wildcat]

found the old pic:

 

[B607]

Hey Uncle, try using a garbage bag. Maybe Drano is too strong for plastic though. Gary

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I had thought about that Gary, but the Draino ate a small hole in that plastic
bin I was using. It never got bigger, but was something I had to watch. I think the
$12 plastic mixing tub from Home Depot is ideal. I will get one today. The bad thing
is ,at 62 all the sanding made my arms sore as all get out. Won't be doing much today.

 

[GTV]

What do you use for final polish? I'm getting some black 700c wheels in this week, will have to give this a try!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I'm a firm believer in Mothers aluminum polish. It will bring dull aluminum back from the dead.
It also kinda coats it too so it won't tarnish or dull real quick. They spray them with clear, but it
will take away some of the real shiny. I would rather just go over them every once in a while.

 

[subadrew]

I've used a kids blow up bathtub to soak entire frames in. They get as cheap as $10 sometimes.

Cool trick.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I trotted dow to Home Depot to buy a plastic tub to do the other rim. They said the measurment
was 24x 8 deep and something long. I measured the rim, and its 23'' wide. I figured I could do the
whole rim at one time......wrong. They got their measurement from some imaginary line. Its 24'' wide
counting the plastic edge. So it was $12 and not a big cash outlay. Would cost $5 in gas to take it back.
So I can get it it two dunks. Lots better than the 4 on the last one. So here we go again.