Take a small amount of mag wheel polish compound and polish the machined part of the cast wheel. Now take that same rag, using the same black spot on the rag, and rub the black that is on the rag on the as cast part of the wheel.....in other words, transfer the black oxidation that is on the rag to the part of the wheel you want to darken. Then repete, and repete as needed. Rub hard to get oxidation on the rag, and rub it softly to transfer it onto the areas you want to darken. Try it on a small area on the back of the wheel.....you will be surprised. Here is a pic of a wheel that had the dished part sandblasted, and then darkened with the above process.....3 years ago.
Try experimenting with Alodine 1201. You can find it at Aircraft Spruce. We use it at work to touch up Alodined aerospace parts. You may have to scuff and prep, but this will give you a nice gold tone. I'm thinking of doing this to the centers of my polished ET five spokes, and my Hemi M/T valve covers.
don't have the time right now to read the whole thread ....but I used eagle aluminum wheel etcher from auto zone on my intake and valve covers, now old patina
I believe the alodine 1201 gives good results, but it better if you can soak them wrather that spray it on. It seems to collect in nooks and valleys and puddles. And where it puddles it will give a darker etch. I tried that stuff of some old vette valve covers just using a quart squirt bottle and didnt like the results. Liked the color, but it was NOT even. To get a even color, I think it would be best to make a vat and submerge them. But the stuff is expensive and bad to breath too. I used some gray paint that they use for outside siding called "weathered wood". Dusted on light coats, let it dry good and rubbed aprox 1/2 of it back off with maroon scotch bright pads. The bare alum just starting to show, and the dark gray in the poors of alum. Knock off caps are from Halibrand, media blasted and same treatment. Spinners were sanded with wet/dry 400 and gray scotch bright.
I got graphite spray on some aluminum wheel while cleaning wheel lock and the spray did not wash off. Semi permanent.
I have not done anything with them yet as I am still waiting to receive the back 2 wheels as they have been back ordered and are to ship the 20th of this month. I am going to try both the graphite spray & the weathered wood paint and see what one I like the best. Thanks everyone for all the ideas...
I blasted the wheels, then warmed them up with a propane torch. While warm wipe them with used engine oil. Looked great and while not as dark as the magnesium Americans, it still had a good look.
Got a couple of them done and they turned out great. Will see if I can get big deuce to post a photo of them. Thanks for all the great ideas guys.
Yea that use a chemical that is higher then 7 Ph or alkaline. Borax ( like in Boraxo soap or 20 Mule team borax) would work and be less caustic for a home user then what platers use. If you get to the opposite end of the Ph scale it is just as dangerous as Acid.
I ran some aluminum parts through the dishwasher and they came out a few shades darker and duller (and cleaner). They definitely looked older. I'm not sure if this would work on polished parts though.
If they react like my wife's new aluminum rice cooker pot did when I ran it through the dishwasher, it will just wipe off, can't say the same about the white drying towel though.
Hats off, to Gman! Every plater I knew, would pee in the tank, thereby scientifically raising the acidic level! Micro-fine cracking, better corrosion resistance, less Hydrogen embrittlement... whoops, last one can only remedied by baking the part!
I don't think Dennis's wife would like to open her dishwasher to steaming mag wheels. Here is a pic of his treatment...
I found an old 14" 5 slot in the scrap dumpster at work. I decided to put it in our steel shot blaster for about 1 minute. When I took it out, the surface was a little rough and, it looked like a real mag wheel.... I kinda wish I still worked there but, I think my fab shop career is over.
Rocky, love the wheel tire combo on your delivery! Especially tire size, I wish I could fit those on my 51.
Nice, I've wanted to do something with my wheels, what was the treatment process? Sure would look good on mine, this shot makes them look darker than they actually are.
We used this paint....https://abccatalog.com/view_groups.asp?idproduct=0170030005&idgroup=8 color is called weathered wood. Dust on thin light coats as even as possible, and when fully dried rubbed with steel wool or red scotch bright until alum. casting starts to show through leaving the gray paint in the pores.
I really like the way the wheels turned out as they look better in person than the photos show as far as color. Thanks for liking them guys
bead blast to get off any factory applied coating, then spray with WD-40 and rub down with fine steel wool. Dulls them down pretty good. I do this with tranny cases, valve covers, intakes, etc.- cleans them up, but leaves them looking "distressed" (like me)---- Or just buy some OLD wheels?
I sandblasted my wheels and then dry graphite sprayed them. Then took it down to speedweek and the salt made them hairy like old halibrands. I dig the look. Its tough too.
The Jalopy Journal
