Cleaning aluminium mast

[[2574]]

I asked, and I've seen others ask, what the best way is to clean an aluminium mast that's looking grubby. I've seen very little response hereabouts to these queries. So I thought I'd note here that I've had great success this weekend with a Scotchbrite pad and Starbrite boat shampoo, followed by oiling with Blakes "Mast Care". It has made a huge difference - to the extent that the aluminium looks as though it's fresh out of the factory. Time will tell if the improvement has longevity.

rob

 

[aidancoughlan]

thanks for that Rob - I've just removed a behind-the-mast reefing system from my mast, and it's left marks where the mechanism was rivetted on to the mast - will be cleaning it before it goes back up.

Can I ask which part made the most difference - the cleaning products, or the Blakes product (which I havnt seen stocked anywhere locally)?

Also, does anybody know if aluminium masts are sensitive to other cleaning agents (JIF etc) like gelcoat appears to be?

 

[starboard]

I use a "Scotchbrite" pad with a good quality wax. Give the mast a good rub with pad and wax then remove residue with a soft cloth.....works wonders for me and the wax then gives a good protection for rest of season.

Paul

 

[Krusty]

Hang on there! Aluminium's corrosion-resistence depends on a very thin skin of oxide on the surface: it occurs naturally in air, but anodising in manufacture creats a dense, tougher skin, incorporating the colour. Scotchbright rubbing is a damn good way of destroying that skin! All abrasives on anodised aluminium may look good for a time, but are counter-productive in the long term. Washing with detergent and waxing is safe, if less dramatic.

 

[[2574]]

To be honest I think you need both the cleaner and the mast care. The cleaner did exactly that - cleaned - but left a dry and chalky appearance. The mast care (which is essentially a very fine oil supposedly absorbed by the aluminium) gives a smooth and satin appearance to the surface.

I'd be very careful about using Jif and the suchlike on a mast because the surface coating (the anodisation) is extremely thin and could be damaged irrepairably by rubbing compounds.

The Blakes mast care is stocked at the Marine Superstore Port Solent (or at least it was this morning!) and is pretty dear at £8 odd. But it did the business. I do wonder whether any very fine oil might do the same job - but where do you get very fine oil? It seems finer than, for example, 3 in 1 oil.

rob

 

[aidancoughlan]

Thanks Rob, I'll have a look for the Blakes stuff in the local swindleries next time out. Interesting Piotaskippers comments on the anodisation, sounds logical, I'll try rubbing with a cloth just in case.

 

[[2574]]

Yep, that's fair enough. The Scotchbrite is not the metalic "wire wool" type stuff but rather a plastic washing up type cloth. They are generally green in colour with differing grades - I used the fine grade. This method was recommended by my rigger. It was Blakes "Mast Care" that recommended the use of the boat shampoo as a cleaning agent.

Rob

 

[Krusty]

Ref. Scotchbright: ' the green plastic washing-up stuff' is not as harmless as it looks and feels. All the grades are fine particles of abrasive embedded in nylon-type plastic which wears to expose the particles, which then 'clean' a metal surface by removing anything on it, plus some of the metal, however hard. I once installed it as a fixed wiper to keep the steel rolls of a large rolling-mill clear of oxide: worked a treat, until the engineers dicovered the roll diameters reducing at an alarming rate!

 

[alec]

Can vouch for Blakes Mast Care.

It seemed to clean up tarnish that could not be shifted by washing. Made my thirty yeard old spars look really good. Have no idea how long it will last though.


Regards,