Using NaOH for cleaning out aluminium transfer from cylinders

[morten]

I am curious to know if anyone has experience using Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to remove aluminium transfer from cylinders?

 

Sodium Hydroxide is generally used as drain cleaner and for stripping off paint and is also called Caustic Soda, Lye, and is freely available at very low cost.

 

Advantages over Muriatic Acid (HCl):

- No dangerous Chrloride fumes.

- No unintended etching into steel/nikasil (cylinder), so not as critical to be careful applying it to Alu transfers. NaOH simply does not react chemically with steel or nickel/chrome.

 

I see no disadvantages.

 

I have had good experiences using it. Anybody else tried it?

 

I use cotton swabs and a toothbrush for applying the chemicals to the aluminium transfers.

 

WARNING! Be careful when dissolving Sodium Hydroxide pellets in water. The process is highly exothermic (generated heat). So pour pellets into water, not the other way around. And use appropriate containers

Edited May 23, 2017 by morten

[morten]

For a demonstration of the reaction between Sodium Hydroxide and Aluminium, see this video:

https://youtu.be/FllkuxXM6cE

 

And a video comparing reaction between Aluminium and both Acid (HCl) and Base (NaOH)

 

[openspaceman]

I am curious to know if anyone has experience using Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to remove aluminium transfer from cylinders?

 

Yes I use gel oven cleaner

 

Advantages over Muriatic Acid (HCl):

 

Brick cleaner

 

- No unintended etching into steel/nikasil (cylinder),

 

There is no iron in nikasil as far as I know.

[morten]

 

There is no iron in nikasil as far as I know.

 

No. But NaOH will neither react with steel/iron, chrome or nickel/nikasil. HCl will react with at least the steel in the cast cylinder. That was my point.

[openspaceman]

No. But NaOH will neither react with steel/iron, chrome or nickel/nikasil. HCl will react with at least the steel in the cast cylinder. That was my point.

 

Where is there any iron or steel in a nikasil cylinder.

 

I admit I have not used concentrated sulphuric acid or hydrochloric acid as the oven cleaner gel stays where you put it and leaves a tell tale if there is any aluminium pick up left. The acids may be more effective for all I know but I stick with what works.

[Mygalomorph]

Cyllinders on modern saws are made of aluminum alloy and transfers, intake and exhaust ports are generally not chromed or nikasil plated, so be cautios in those areas or acid or base will "creep" under the plating and corrode the edges around the unplated ports, resulting in loss of plating.

 

I would recommend any one to use hydrochloric acid over sodiumhydroxide, because of the chemical burns that hydroxides courses even after very brief skin contact , I WONT start explaining what happens in the event of eyecontact 😵

 

Hydrochloric acid may SMELL bad, but are much safer.

But of course, stay safe and wear glasses and rubber gloves 😉😎👍