The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

The mystery of clear coating aluminum at home

2001

I'm searching for an easy way to protect aluminum after polishing.This application is for motorcycle racing rims and engine parts. There seems to be some kind of mystery on this subject. I don't understand why. The motorcycle industry would like me to buy new parts when they become slightly corroded. They obviously have a way of clear coating aluminum during manufacturing.

Can you shed any light on this "mystery'?

Thank you,

Mark Connelly
- Pompton Plains, New Jersey, U.S.A.

---

Dear Mark,

Be careful of what you search for or the motorcycle gods might come and strike you down with a hot tailpipe. Sure, manufacturers could apply protective coatings to parts, but the almighty $ comes into play here. You would be spending more for each piece, because that is another process they have to go through. Also, they don't want to do it because nothing is permanent, and the manufacturers don't want a bunch of pieces coming back with complaints. Coatings for these applications are hard to come by, they need to be heat resistant for the engine parts and chip resistant for the wheels. You could put a tough coating on at home, the best type would be baked on, and your frozen pizza might taste a little funny if you were previously cooking solvents in that same oven. If you can't get the parts in chrome, or don't like the look of chrome, best bet would be to try an exterior grade coating (many can be found in a hardware store in aerosol cans), it will extend the life of your parts before they need to be polished again or replaced.

Best regards,

Jake Koch
G. J. Nikolas &Co.,Inc.

Bellwood, Illinois

2001