Oxidized Aluminum Window Frames

[rwells36]

Any comments on your experience (good or bad) with a product called Everbright made in CA would be appreciated. The product brightens and seals the existing paint (any color).

[SuW]

I have used a product called Everbrite Protecta. It is a clear lacquer that can be used over metal to stop it oxidizing. Quite satisfactory.

I've used it for brass lamps, brass mirror surround, and a bronze handrail after polishing. I put two coats on one item, which I think was overkill because the pieces are inside the boat not exposed to the weather. The effect is that one of the lamps looks like it was coated in plastic, a bit thick. I think next time I'll spray it on.

4 years later the items look just the same as when it was first done.

It is easily removable with a solvent. I forget which one. They shipped the product quite quickly by mail with a cleaning solution to use after brass was polished (probably an alkaline rinse for the Brasso or whatever).

Most brass items come with a similar clear coating when you buy them.

[rwells36]

Everbright kit is on the way. I will report back in how the project turns out.

[SuW]

Great! A before and after picture would be great too!

Thanks for the reminder about the product, I just got it out of the basement again. There must be something that needs to be cleaned around here

[SuW]

On the subject of what you have to do if the Everbrite doesn't do the trick:

With a 40-year old really badly corroded and leaky aluminum Bomar hatch, we took it off the boat, took it apart, scraped it, sandblasted it (with a mini-blaster) to smooth metal, painted it with epoxy, then with 2-part paint. Replaced the gasket and lens, made a new wood/epoxy surround to support it and painted that. Bedded with 3M 4200. Lens bedded with "special" GE Silpruf SCS2002 window silicone (The only silicone we have on the boat!)

It took weeks. It looks great, and doesn't leak, but it might have made more sense to buy a new one!

[roverhi]

Hell of a nice job on restoring the Bomar Hatch. Would have hard coat anodized the aluminum before painting or leave it au naturel. What do you think you pqid yourself, a penny an hour??? Sometimes it's just cheaper to buy new if you find something that fits. But then you can look at that hatch and receive all the love it's beaming back at you for saving it.

How did you clean up the SilPruf?? Have to do the same rehab on large fixed ports on my boat. Seal is plastic with the addition of Silpruf to do the recommended procedeedure for reglazing. Afraid acetone will mess up the plastic seal?? Hate working with silicone as haven't found anything to clean up the overage except mechanical scraping and sanding.

If the everbrite coating is lacquer it probably won't stand up to UV on exterior pieces. Best to use clear two part Polyurethane if you wan't to have a natural finish.

Originally Posted by SuW

On the subject of what you have to do if the Everbrite doesn't do the trick:

With a 40-year old really badly corroded and leaky aluminum Bomar hatch, we took it off the boat, took it apart, scraped it, sandblasted it (with a mini-blaster) to smooth metal, painted it with epoxy, then with 2-part paint. Replaced the gasket and lens, made a new wood/epoxy surround to support it and painted that. Bedded with 3M 4200. Lens bedded with "special" GE Silpruf SCS2002 window silicone (The only silicone we have on the boat!)

It took weeks. It looks great, and doesn't leak, but it might have made more sense to buy a new one!

[SuW]

Originally Posted by roverhi

But then you can look at that hatch and receive all the love it's beaming back at you for saving it.

Yeah, I liked the look so much I covered the whole thing in a Sunbrella cover!

Originally Posted by roverhi

How did you clean up the SilPruf?? Have to do the same rehab on large fixed ports on my boat. Seal is plastic with the addition of Silpruf to do the recommended procedeedure for reglazing. Afraid acetone will mess up the plastic seal?? Hate working with silicone as haven't found anything to clean up the overage except mechanical scraping and sanding.

We used masking tape (some of that pricey 3M stuff) and masked every part that we didn't want covered in silicone, top and underside. Put the silicone inside the hatch and lowered the lens on top, used a few spacers to keep it centred. Then levelled it before it set, underside & top. The lens we made out of Lexan with a suitable gap.

Incidentally we first used a Sika product that was sold to us as being suitable for the job but it leaked like a b*gger. Then we found out that you had to use it with a special primer that the chandlery couldn't get...anyway GE Silpruf SCS2002 did the job and it's still stuck 3 years later. It's designed to stick windows into buildings and there are construction instructions online on the siliconeforbuilding (.com) website.

Originally Posted by roverhi

If the everbrite coating is lacquer it probably won't stand up to UV on exterior pieces. Best to use clear two part Polyurethane if you wan't to have a natural finish.

Agreed, although I think they have a UV-resistant version. They show people using it on outdoor stuff on houses on their website.