Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hi Everyone,

I purchased my first pontoon last week however the logs need to be cleaned up. I've used a few different acids to clean the logs and I'm not having any luck. My last acid bath that I used is called Mary Kate Aluminex. I tried spraying the acid bath on with a pump sprayer for an even coat and followed the manufacture instructions.

1.) Tried the 1:1 dilution however no success.
2.) Tried full strength solution and it left a white strip. I let the acid sit for about 30 seconds then sprayed it off with a pressure washer.

It almost appears that the logs are coated with non-skid material.

I'm open to any suggestions to help remove the build up. Please see the attached photos.

Thanks,

Chris

Angle grinder and a paddle sander?

It looks like it could be caked on crap. I know the stuff sometimes comes off better wet. Have you tried saturating it and then blasting off with a pressure washer? Napa sells a good aluminum cleaner or you can get ac coil cleaner. With a ton of build up if you don't need gloves and a mask it may not be harsh enough.

Looks like mine did...started with a couple hours up really close with the pressure washer, then put on the rubber gloves and used "The Works" toilet cleaner. Put it on straight and keep moving it around with a plastic scrub pad. I have several hours in it but here is what it looks like now. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

How old? Looks like the toons could be corroded and/or quite deeply pitted.

teecro wrote:How old? Looks like the toons could be corroded and/or quite deeply pitted.

Yes... I think it's going to take a lot more than this:

Looks like it's pitted--like it was docked somewhere they had electrical problems with the dock.

You'll just need to take the above suggestions. It's going to be trial and error to find something to clean the boat,

Doesn't The Works toilet cleaner eat the aluminum toons? Or maybe that's kind of the idea....

urbnsr wrote:Doesn't The Works toilet cleaner eat the aluminum toons? Or maybe that's kind of the idea....

Yeah that indeed is the general idea.... This is what all acid based aluminum cleaners do, they eat off a microscopic surface layer... For what it cost go to O'Reilly Auto Parts and get the Purple Power Alum Brightener they sell there for roughly 14 dollars a bottle, as far as I can tell its the same stuff as sold by NAPA

Thank you for all the ideas... its going to be some work however we will get them clean.

I hate to say this, but those look so corroded your only option is going to be mechanical - don't waste your time with chemicals. Do a very small section first to determine the depth of damage before going all in... that looks like calcium carbonate build up. You may want to try a Nyalox fiber rotary wheel, don't even think of using a steel wire brush wheel - aluminum and steel do NOT get along well.

I have a distinct feeling you can work on them forever, but will only find deep pitting into the very "meat" of the aluminum.

If it was my toon I would just buy *new* used logs and be done with from GreatLakesSkipper.com Save you a LOT of grief.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.

RonKMiller wrote:I hate to say this, but those look so corroded your only option is going to be mechanical - don't waste your time with chemicals. Do a very small section first to determine the depth of damage before going all in... that looks like calcium carbonate build up. You may want to try a Nyalox fiber rotary wheel, don't even think of using a steel wire brush wheel - aluminum and steel do NOT get along well.

I have a distinct feeling you can work on them forever, but will only find deep pitting into the very "meat" of the aluminum.

If it was my toon I would just buy *new* used logs and be done with from GreatLakesSkipper.com Save you a LOT of grief.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.

Yup I'd be worried about making the thinner than thin toons too dam thin in the thin spots!

If it is actually a calcium build up, I wonder if something like CLR would work??

Acid dissolves the calcium, it might eat aluminum if left submerged in it a long time but mostly it takes off the aluminum oxide. I was applying it for hours a year ago and see no damage.