Alphas It'o oops...updated

[skunked_again]

cleaning said reel, giving the frame a bath in the same cleaner my Fuego and Sol was in and got this.......

any ideas on this heavily tarnished frame/sideplate?

[Hooligan]

What did you soak it in?  It almost looks like saline corrosion on magnesium.

[skunked_again]

What did you soak it in? It almost looks like saline corrosion on magnesium.

a citrus type cleaner made for cleaning  dry food packaging machines.

[Finnz922]

it looks like you may have to buy a new frame. the acidity of your cleaner may have tarnished that beyond repair. that suck dude.

[Hooligan]

I'd guess that the cleaner has magnesium chloride in it, which is fairly common in citrus oil based cleaners.  I don't think there's any reversing the effect.

[skunked_again]

i dont think the frame needs to be replaced. i can have the frame glass blasted worst case scenario.

[Hooligan]

Oh I'd completely agree that there's no need in replacing the frame.  I'd worry about media blasting, though.  Tolerances are pretty tight and no matter what micron you get down to you're going to be removing material.  If it will go back together correctly and everything fits, I'd almost say let it be.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

If it will go back together correctly and everything fits, I'd almost say let it be.

One of kind for sure

[0119]

Somebody was just talking about this on another thread. Citrus based cleaners are killer to aluminum and anodization. The manufacturers warn you against it. Something I learned after ruining my wifes SUV's rims!

[.ghoti.]

If you have a Dremel, try a felt wheel and some ultra fine polishing compound, and just see what happens.

Try it on the under side of the reel foot first.

Who knows, you may have just discovered a new finish for a reel with a problematic lack of finish

[SJex]

Paint it.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I think ghotti's got the right idea. I doubt the frame is structurally compromised. I wouldn't blast or paint for fear of changing tolerances.

[.RM.]

cleaning said reel, giving the frame a bath in the same cleaner my Fuego and Sol was in and got this.......

any ideas on this heavily tarnished frame/sideplate?

Just take your oil and a small brush.

Brush a small amount of oil onto the frame.

Let it sit a while, then wipe off.

You will be surprised at the out come......

Tight Lines!

[J Francho]

Wow, "send it to a pro" never sounded more important.

[BigMoneyGrip]

If the frame is Al, some cleaners will turn it black due to the copper in the Al. If this is the case, I have a solution that will clean it back to the Al. I use this when I anodize. Some grades of Al have a very high content of Cu. This has to be cleaned before you anodize it. PM me for more info.

If the frame is Mg, I'm not sure what to do. I definitely would not blast it with anything. Too many things to go wrong.

Best of luck, I know it would make me sick.

[Nibbles]

I'm pretty sure the Alphas Ito frame is made from some kind of aluminum alloy.

[ROCbass]

Wow, "send it to a pro" never sounded more important.

Your point is well taken, especially in this case, but still, I'm curious as to who you would consider to be a pro, and how that distinction is made. For example, other than factory service techs who are trained on their specific company's reels, are there any training classes you can take or certifications you can get in reel repair, or is someone a pro once they've cleaned a few reels and decided that they're good enough to see if they can get people to pay them to do it? To put it another way, who would you trust more, someone with years of experience but no formal training, or someone fresh out of "reel cleaning school," if there is such a thing, who has only ever serviced a handful of reels?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I'd suggest choosing a reel repair shop the same way you'd choose a contractor or auto mechanic or anything else. Ask questions and check references, word of mouth, reviews etc. There are several forum members who post here regularly that will all get high praise from people they have provided service to.

[Locked]

I know that they sandblast with a lot of different media nowadays to protect the metal.  I know they use baking soda, and even walnut shells to protect softer metals.  You can always talk to some media blasting shops in your area to see what they can do for you.

[J Francho]

There is no "school."  I'd' trust Mike (DVT) with my reels.  I'd trust .RM. with my reels.  Anyone else that I'd trust with my gear only does it as a hobby.

[J Francho]

I know that they sandblast with a lot of different media nowadays to protect the metal. I know they use baking soda, and even walnut shells to protect softer metals. You can always talk to some media blasting shops in your area to see what they can do for you.

Just do what .RM. said, and report back.  Water droplets stain the frame of that particular reel, so its never perfect anyway.  Oiling the metal is the only cure.

[J Francho]

And as far as "pro" goes.....if I did that to a reel, you would be darn sure I'd be sourcing a replacement for that reel. Period.

"Pro" sometimes means more than adequate skills.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

Wow 3 post in a row...what you tryin to get your post count up?? ;D ;D ;D....Just messin

[Raul]

Well, the frame is aluminum alloy, I 'd start by doing what Ghoti suggested, if that don 't work, well, Calfish can do a pretty nice job reapainting that AFU frame.

[von]

I've sand blasted a reel frame before.  An old BPS Rick Clunn. I don't know how tight the tolerances are, on it, but everything went back together just fine.

I use to work as a powder coater, the only blast media we used was aluminum oxide. As long as you don't hold the nozzle in one spot for a long period of time, you'll be fine.