I'm trying to decide if I should just strip the anodizing off some trim and polish it. I figure I can sand it with 1000 grit then polish it. The car is driven in nice weather, anyone done this/have any experience with this?

How did it hold up?

Thanks

Which trim is it? Are you sure its anodized aluminum and not stainless? Once you strip the anodizing the aluminum will continually oxidize regardless of how much polishing you do.

Better to use chemicals to remove the anodizing. You must get ALL anodizing off or the finished trim will look terrible. On all the tight spots it will be hard to get it all off, you will sand too much on the corners and alter the shape, and make thin spots. If you don't believe me, try it on a junk piece first.

Oven cleaner will remove it. Immersing it and soaking it off is bad, you want to leave the anodizing on the backside of the trim, it can corrode and get holes eaten in it where it retains water. Also the anodizing adds strength and rigidity to the aluminum trim.

So use chemicals to remove it on the visible sides only, clearcoat with automotive quality clearcoat it to keep it from going dull.

Anodizing adds as much strength an rigidity as a coat of paint ... none! C'mon, really ... who told you that ?!? Its a coating for cryin' out loud.

Quote:

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Anodizing does make the surface of the part harder

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Not regular clear or color anodizing. Only "hard anodizing" makes the surface harder. Hard anodizing has no color pigment and would be used on wear surfaces - much like "hard chroming" steel. Neither are meant to be pretty.

http://www.anodizing.org/Anodizing/benefits.html

And once you remove the anodizing and polish aluminum it will scuff very easy,clear coat helps but eventually it goes away depending on what conditions it is exposed to.

I have done it many times. Easy-off oven cleaner will remove it. Mask off any painted areas. You can't just remove it from small areas because it will not feather or blend in. As others have mentioned I usually hose it off after 15 or 20 mins. Then you can do straightening or fixing dents. I have an old refrigerator motor with a buffing pad and the various compounds. I have found with this set-up I can finish sand with worn-out 400 grit and polish buff with the white compound and get great results. It is true it will scratch easier without the anodizing. The anodizing was put on to protect it from the abuses of daily driving. I polish mine once a year Simichrome from a motorcycle shop and it looks better to me than ones that have a coating. I thought it would oxidize over time winters but that has never happened to me. I would think with 1000 grit and something like Simichrome you will be happy.

If one wanted to have aluminum trim reanodized who would be a good source?

shine on me norm does nice work
shineonmetrim.com

Thanks to all

I stripped my grille with Easy Off, wet sanded and polished. Been like that for quite a few years. Used Mothers Aluminum Polish and touch it up about once a year on top. Anodized doesn't shine as well.

I think I have my solution

Anyone repainted the black accents on the grilles after striping the anodizing?

Yes, what would you like to know ???

What paint are you guys using after stripping the anodizing?

Colin thanks for the PM!

I don't use any coating over the polished areas. Polishing it once a year makes it look better than anodized stuff. I think it would dull it with clear.