Restoring aluminum trim on 1960 Farmall tractor

RTR

Well-known Member
Hey guys I need to restore the aluminum trim on my Farmall 140 tractor. I know how to paint the letters by dropping paint in with a toothpick and scuff surface to outline it. But I need to know how to polish the emblems so I can get the best shine and finish possible. Everything I see online to restore aluminum trim says the trim is anodized. Is this type of trim on the 140 anodized? This type of aluminum trim was used from 1958 to 1963.

This should come in handy because I have an entire 1963 Aristocraft ski boat that has aluminum rub rails that need polishing too.
 
Here is a picture of my trim that needs polishing
19935.jpg
 
Check your local super market in the house cleaner isle. You want a can of "Bar Keepers Friend". A little water and a sprinkle of this powder on a tough paper towel. Try a little spot first and work slowly till you see if it will float your boat. I use the stuff on all kinds of polish projects. Now it will NOT give you a high polish. After you get all of the oxide off you need to get a POLISH like "Glitter" or such. Stay away from Brasso!!!!!!!! It has ammonia in it and the stuff will eat up your metal. You must buy a POLISH that is ment for aluminum. Get back to us. Jeffcat
 
(quoted from post at 08:34:07 04/27/15) Check your local super market in the house cleaner isle. You want a can of "Bar Keepers Friend". A little water and a sprinkle of this powder on a tough paper towel. Try a little spot first and work slowly till you see if it will float your boat. I use the stuff on all kinds of polish projects. Now it will NOT give you a high polish. After you get all of the oxide off you need to get a POLISH like "Glitter" or such. Stay away from Brasso!!!!!!!! It has ammonia in it and the stuff will eat up your metal. You must buy a POLISH that is ment for aluminum. Get back to us. Jeffcat

I can get some of that tomorrow and try it. Can I use Mothers Aluminum & Wheel polish? I have that already and tried it last year on the boat....did nothing. Should I have to wet sand the trim Peices before polishing?
 
SLOW DOWN. The first thing is to remove the oxide. Aluminum oxide is very hard. Like oxide sand paper. When you get down to the base metal it is the nice soft aluminum. Try one of your kitchen pots first. I have a lot of Reverware pots with the copper coated bottoms. Have gotten wonderful results with the bar keepers friend. They will be very hi copper color. If you want to see your reflection you need polish. Yes the stuff for mag wheels should make them like a mirror. As I said, try it with a kitchen pot first to see what the results will kinda be. Jeffcat
 
(quoted from post at 21:05:42 04/27/15) SLOW DOWN. The first thing is to remove the oxide. Aluminum oxide is very hard. Like oxide sand paper. When you get down to the base metal it is the nice soft aluminum. Try one of your kitchen pots first. I have a lot of Reverware pots with the copper coated bottoms. Have gotten wonderful results with the bar keepers friend. They will be very hi copper color. If you want to see your reflection you need polish. Yes the stuff for mag wheels should make them like a mirror. As I said, try it with a kitchen pot first to see what the results will kinda be. Jeffcat

I just got back from lowes and the local auto paint supply place. Didn't see "bar keepers friend" but I got some Wizards Metal Polish and several different grades of sandpaper. Before I try the sandpaper I want to try the bar keepers friend. Since I couldn't find it, will Comet powder cleaner work just as well?
 
I don't have the patience for the polishing process. Last summer when I painted my trim from off my 560 I used masking tape. I covered the
whole thing and used an X-acto knife to cut the letters out. Then I could spray paint the letters. The thought of using a toothpick gives me
shivers cause that cannot be a quick process.
 
0000 steel wool,you can use it on aluminum wheels too. I did all of the trim on a 504 Farmall last fall.
 
If you anodize it after you polish, it will look something like you have right now. The only thing I would do if any thing is Alodine and paint the back side or just sand and paint that is more likely to corrode because of dissimilar metals particular if the area between them is not painted. Alodine is what they use for aircraft aluminum parts if not anodized or they don't have a thin coating of pure aluminum on one side this is what you see on the outside of a nice shinny unpainted aircraft. Alodine is a chemical coating that will turn the surface light brown It can be brushed just on one side and neutralized with water. If you really want to do it I can walk you through the process. When aluminum corrodes it is a white power with dark pitting
 
Now part of my original post was to ask the question....is that type of aluminum trim IH used during that era anodized?
 
don't remember the exact steps but a couple boys that use to work for me polished a couple of their motorcycle rims and frames that were brush aluminum finish to a bright finish almost looked like chrome,next time I run into one of them I will find out the steps they used an post them
 
There is a test you can preform to see if it was anodized here's are 2 links http://www.finishing.com/4400-4599/4574.shtml

http://www.ehow.com/how_7151567_tell-between-polished-anodized-aluminum.html

If your looking for the answer to if they anodized the part at the factory or not the only way to know is by having first hand knowledge or a {copy of the parts fabrication drawing} that would include any treatment that was required. I would start there. Sometimes this information would be on the Top drawing parts list otherwise a detail drawing is required. I have no clue as to who might have that data now. The test for non-conductivity may be the only chance you have of knowing if your part was anodized.
Best of luck Byron
 

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