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I've been traveling a bunch for work so there has not been much time to dedicate to the ever mounting pile of projects in the workshop. This weekend when I got home I had a few hours to myself so I decided to wrench for a bit.

One of the projects I am working on I couldn't find the screws for only to realize I had left them in a container of 100% Simple Green for who knows how long, possible a month or more.

At any rate, don't to that! Appears the anodizing has oxidized (???) and most of my light green screws are now black!

It is definitely the finish as when I tried to take a soft brass wire brush to one the black came off to reveal bare aluminum below. Kinda bummed...

Yeah DONT do that. I always advise against using simple green on any aluminum. You can do a quick wash and rinse, but don't let it soak. Sorry to hear.

Looks like someone's building a "murdered-out" chassis in the near future....

You know what they say..... "When life gives you lemons, build Kyoshos"......



Alex

I've learned that lesson the hard way too. Purple Power does the same thing. It weakens the aluminum and makes it soft and corroded. I dont recommend using those screws now. They are liable to break off the head and become a huge PITA.

The same thing happens to aluminum when you use oven cleaner to remove anodizing. What this means is that Simple Green & Purple Power are caustic.

As mentioned, sometimes when removing anodizing (not all the time), you get that dark smut appearing on the aluminum parts. It usually buffs off quite easily with fine-grit sandpaper (1000 grit will easily remove it). However, it's not so easily done with a pile of nuts & bolts. You could probably remove all that smut with some rubbing or polishing compound and a drill/Dremel, at least that would get them shined up and you could salvage them rather than toss 'em in the trash...but unfortunately the protective anodize coating has been removed and you're working with the raw aluminum.

Here's some fun I had with deanodizing Duratrax wheels, showcasing the smut:

https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=31065