Cleaning Anodized Crankset?

carl1983

HI, Bought a Dura Ace 7410 crankset for a vintage build which I am yet to receive, It is a little dull and has minor scratches so I'm wondering whats the best way to get it to a like new state? I assume I will have to somehow remove the anodized layer then sand it? probably avoiding the black dura ace logo to.

Any sugestions/tips will be very helpful.

Thanks.

Matthewfalle

Any piccies?

mr_evil

Beware that bare aluminium needs frequent polishing to keep it shiny; personally, I would just leave minor scratches. If you really want to do it, then oven cleaner will remove anodizing (the logo will come off too), followed by progressively finer wet and dry paper to get it shiny.

JayKosta

I've used NeverDull metal polish and it works fine.
You can probably find similar metal polish products at an automobile parts store.

After cleaning and polishing the metal, apply an auto wax to protect the finish.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Matthewfalle

Solvol will polish all bits up nice and shiney but any metal that has been polished will need regular upkeep to stop it dulling. No need for wet 'n' dry.

You can, to a certain extent, use cutting compound as well (the stuff car sprayers use to cut down new paintwork to make it smooth and shiney).

I'm intrigued for piccies to see the condition of it at the mo.

carl1983

I havn't received it yet but I have the picture from the ebay seller I have bought it from, the seller has described it as "Good condition for the year" and it doesn't look to bad in the pics but I am looking for near perfection if thats at all achievable!



It will go together with a 7402 rear derailleur I have bought today which is in very good condition but or a couple marks.



Both will be added to this Ribble 531c which in the next couple months will be getting a full respray keeping the original colour and logos evn new Reynolds 531 stickers :-)

lapavoni10

Do you have access to a bench grinder?
http://www.screwfix.com/p/metal-polishi ... 25mm/31173
and get a stick of paste for it, away you go. You will be surpised at how quick you can get a decent finish.

ugo.santalucia

The 7410 is not mirror polished. WIpe it but don't grind it

BTW: it is one of the few cranksets in the Shimano range that wants a 103 mm JIS bottom bracket, a size which Shimano no longer makes. I suggest you get a Tange

Matthewfalle

That's going to be sweet.

Solvol will bring that up by hand with no worries but you'll have to keep on top of it as it will lose the shine once done (not a biggie though and once you've done the initial polishing it won't take much to keep it all lovely).

It will be a couple of hours in front of a film drinking a glass wine job by hand to make sure that you don't destroy the D/A logos by mistake. Again, not a biggie but Solvol (as all these metal polishes are) is abrasive, so will take that logo off before you know what's happened.

I wouldn't go for the bench grinder option,but,along the same lines, you could use a Dremel - just easier to control where you're going. For large parts then yup, bench grinder a go - go.

Overall, simple to do, nice job actually as you'll see instant improvements. But as above, if its not meant to mirror polished is that the look you want? I can see the attraction though.

Keep us updated - promises to be a winner.

mr_evil

Matthewfalle wrote:

...It will be a couple of hours in front of a film drinking a glass wine job by hand to make sure that you don't destroy the D/A logos by mistake...

You'll never be able to match the finish of the anodized parts with the bare aluminium parts. If you want to remove the scratches, it needs to be all stripped, which means the logos come off too.

darkhairedlord

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The 7410 is not mirror polished. WIpe it but don't grind it

BTW: it is one of the few cranksets in the Shimano range that wants a 103 mm JIS bottom bracket, a size which Shimano no longer makes. I suggest you get a Tange

Planet X do a nice 103mm Token BB that appears very durable, and you can replace just the cartridge bearings when they eventually fail. They also have the Stronglight JP400 in 103mm. Don't buy the FSA BB, it's truly awful.

Matthewfalle

Mr Evil wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

...It will be a couple of hours in front of a film drinking a glass wine job by hand to make sure that you don't destroy the D/A logos by mistake...

You'll never be able to match the finish of the anodized parts with the bare aluminium parts. If you want to remove the scratches, it needs to be all stripped, which means the logos come off too.

Agree that you can't match it perfectly but you can blend out the scratches so that you can't see them unless you stare from 2 inches away.

For a as new perfect job then yes, strip, for a nice clean resto job then polish away.

Obviously you can't match anodised with bare Ali as one has been anodised but you can polish anything to the finish you want - as above, Solvol is abrasive so it will take the anodised finish off.

carl1983

Thanks for the ideas guys lots to be thinking about.

I'm not really looking for a mirror finish as such but just something shiny and dare I say near NOS to look at, I may receive the crank and it might be as the guy says "very good condition for the year" And only need a quick clean up ( As if it's ever that easy).

The logos being kept is the most important thing for me so it seems that will determine how I go ahead with the clean up process.

Matthewfalle

Worst comes to the worst, you'll be able to get new logos off internet in that backless sticker form.

JayKosta

Don't even consider a bench 'grinder' - perhaps a bench (or flex-shaft) 'buffing wheel' , but you'll have much better control (less possibility of damage and injury) by doing everything by hand.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

lapavoni10

The cotton mops fit straight on the grinder....if its that dangerous, get the kids to do it.

Matthewfalle

lapavoni10 wrote:

The cotton mops fit straight on the grinder....if its that dangerous, get the kids to do it.

Exactly - goes without saying I would have thought, after all the plan is to polish it not grind it.

darkhairedlord

Just get it re-anodised

darkhairedlord

They all look the same at 90 rpm. Do you want it to look good when ridden or when it's on a stand?