Cleaning aluminum from fine files

[projectnut]

On the contrary, they get along a little too well.

That depends on how you define “get along”. We used heated caustic solutions to clean food processing machinery. The machinery itself was 316 stainless, but the guards were often 6061 aluminum to save weight. On occasion a sanitation worker would throw an aluminum guard in a caustic tank thinking it would do a better job of cleaning it.

When the production crew came in to assemble the machinery in the morning it was gone.

 

[ltlvt]

I sometimes use a piece of bamboo to clean my files.

Sounds like it would be good

 

[ltlvt]

I clean them one file card width at a time. (Staying parallel to the cutting edges.) The bristles have a dominant direction, flexible one way and less so the other way.

Anyways, I find I have to resort to either a razor blade or the copper tubing trick to clean out stubborn bits of aluminum. The file card is good for general bulk clean up, but the remnants often need more aggressive action. Some aluminum alloys are very prone to gumming up files.

YES YES and YES

 

[ltlvt]

If it has not already been done somebody needs to make a file just for aluminum. Maybe like a a paint stick with emry cloth glued to it. Or simply emery cloth with peel and stick backing. Velcro?

 

[ChazzC]

If it has not already been done somebody needs to make a file just for aluminum. Maybe like a a paint stick with emry cloth glued to it. Or simply emery cloth with peel and stick backing. Velcro?

Terry, see the link in my previous post:

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/cleaning-aluminum-from-fine-files.123767/post-1316633

Between a regular file and the ones used for lead body filler.

 

[Weldingrod1]

They are awesome, btw!

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

 

[homebrewed]

Using lye to remove aluminum from the teeth should work quite well, but I suspect that files so-treated would rust very quickly unless sprayed with some kind of oil. Lye is a great de-greaser because it reacts with oils that would otherwise protect the file from rust. WD40 or any other light oil would work fine for this kind of thing. @RJSakowski mentioned it as part of his cleaning procedure, but it bears repeating.

 

[Ed H]

....
Anyways, I find I have to resort to either a razor blade or the copper tubing trick to clean out stubborn bits of aluminum. The file card is good for general bulk clean up, but...

I'm going to have to give the copper tubing trick a try if I can find some around the shop. I probably only have the pipe version as from old water lines. It is harder than tubing generally is. Maybe that is better.
And from the other posts in this thread, I'll need to give bambu a try too. I'll have to sacrifice one of our teki torches.
EdH

 

[ltlvt]

I'm going to have to give the copper tubing trick a try if I can find some around the shop. I probably only have the pipe version as from old water lines. It is harder than tubing generally is. Maybe that is better.
And from the other posts in this thread, I'll need to give bambu a try too. I'll have to sacrifice one of our teki torches.
EdH

EDH I said copper tubing but I also used copper pipe. Just flatten the end that is used to clean the file. I would also do the bamboo but none grows around here. LOL

 

[Ed H]

EDH I said copper tubing but I also used copper pipe. Just flatten the end that is used to clean the file. I would also do the bamboo but none grows around here. LOL

No bambo in the mountains around me either. That's why the tike torch is out there shaking from fear. It's the only bambo around.