my Hallicrafters sx-88 was home to rodents in the previous owner's basement as it sat.
I did what I could to erase the spots where mouse pee burned the chassis (I am thinking the chassis floor is aluminum?) here's pics of after my efforts
http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1897.jpg
http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1896.jpg
http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1900.jpg
as you can see there are still spots left that I cannot ease-can anyone please give me some tips how you would do this? Thank you
Frank

Frank.. If your not going to FULLY take chassis apart and remove spots..What I have done is to take a Q-tip with oil or petroleum jelly and rub on spots.. This will attract dust and grime but it can be removed in the future and will stop rust...

:Frank.. If your not going to FULLY take chassis apart and remove spots..What I have done is to take a Q-tip with oil or petroleum jelly and rub on spots.. This will attract dust and grime but it can be removed in the future and will stop rust...
:
Hey George-thanks for the tips-not a pro restorer like you guys so no nerve to dismantle it. I was wondering about the oil, maybe a silly question but it wouldn't act as a conductor across the chassis floor or migrate would it? I wondered because this old anchor has a lot of juice running through it. I was worried about this type thing when I was using the rubbing compound-I didn't run the radio for a couple days to make sure it was dry.

The chassis in your Hallicrafters is metal. ( Aluminum does not rust ) Mouse pee is ammonia that will etch and rust the chassis. Try Navel Jelly with a Q-tip. Let set awhile then wipe off. This should take way rust. The spotting will still be there though. Not much you can do about that.

:The chassis in your Hallicrafters is metal. ( Aluminum does not rust ) Mouse pee is ammonia that will etch and rust the chassis. Try Navel Jelly with a Q-tip. Let set awhile then wipe off. This should take way rust. The spotting will still be there though. Not much you can do about that.

Warren:
True, aluminum does not rust, but in my airline days, I removed many an antenna and tied back the co-ax under the baggage bins so sheet metal could reskin the bottom of the airplane from Fluffy and Fido being carried on planes and following their needs on top of the belly. Alumium will not rust, but urine will corrode it from here to who laid the rails. That is also why mercury isn't shipped on airliners. We used a liquid called "Alodine" that gave a layer of controlled corrosion, like bluing a gun, but eventually the airplane got a new bottom when the corrosion made it unsafe to hold cabin pressure. Small patches can be polished out and Alodined to delay the reskinning for a while. Aluminum polishes easily. Use car buffing compound.
Lewis
:

::The chassis in your Hallicrafters is metal. ( Aluminum does not rust ) Mouse pee is ammonia that will etch and rust the chassis. Try Navel Jelly with a Q-tip. Let set awhile then wipe off. This should take way rust. The spotting will still be there though. Not much you can do about that.
:
:
:Warren:
:True, aluminum does not rust, but in my airline days, I removed many an antenna and tied back the co-ax under the baggage bins so sheet metal could reskin the bottom of the airplane from Fluffy and Fido being carried on planes and following their needs on top of the belly. Alumium will not rust, but urine will corrode it from here to who laid the rails. That is also why mercury isn't shipped on airliners. We used a liquid called "Alodine" that gave a layer of controlled corrosion, like bluing a gun, but eventually the airplane got a new bottom when the corrosion made it unsafe to hold cabin pressure. Small patches can be polished out and Alodined to delay the reskinning for a while. Aluminum polishes easily. Use car buffing compound.
:Lewis
::
:
:
Thank you for the replies! Lewis funny you mentioned car buffing compound as that is what I used to get me this far and it worked very well compared to the before

I used Turtle Wax rubbing compound and a couple medium toothbrushes with the heads bent. Maybe I should keep going with that. A disability limits my right arm and I am right handed so it'll be a process but do you think I can try a rougher grain compond and do it in stages? Although I think Warren is right about the etching it's pretty stubborn.

:::The chassis in your Hallicrafters is metal. ( Aluminum does not rust ) Mouse pee is ammonia that will etch and rust the chassis. Try Navel Jelly with a Q-tip. Let set awhile then wipe off. This should take way rust. The spotting will still be there though. Not much you can do about that.
::
::
::Warren:
::True, aluminum does not rust, but in my airline days, I removed many an antenna and tied back the co-ax under the baggage bins so sheet metal could reskin the bottom of the airplane from Fluffy and Fido being carried on planes and following their needs on top of the belly. Alumium will not rust, but urine will corrode it from here to who laid the rails. That is also why mercury isn't shipped on airliners. We used a liquid called "Alodine" that gave a layer of controlled corrosion, like bluing a gun, but eventually the airplane got a new bottom when the corrosion made it unsafe to hold cabin pressure. Small patches can be polished out and Alodined to delay the reskinning for a while. Aluminum polishes easily. Use car buffing compound.
::Lewis
:::
::
::
:Thank you for the replies! Lewis funny you mentioned car buffing compound as that is what I used to get me this far and it worked very well compared to the be
:
:When dealing with steel and rust, I am out of my league, try naval jelly (not navel jelly, I don't want to know what that's for) but be careful...that stuff will remove bluing from guns and tools...thinks it is rust and will make shining metal out of a blued tool. And, as I said, my job was changing antennas and removing light corrosion, we had people who knew a lot more than I did about airplane skin and corrosion for the heavy work.
Lewis

src="http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1892.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
:
:
:I used Turtle Wax rubbing compound and a couple medium toothbrushes with the heads bent. Maybe I should keep going with that. A disability limits my right arm and I am right handed so it'll be a process but do you think I can try a rougher grain compond and do it in stages? Although I think Warren is right about the etching it's pretty stubborn.
:

:::The chassis in your Hallicrafters is metal. ( Aluminum does not rust ) Mouse pee is ammonia that will etch and rust the chassis. Try Navel Jelly with a Q-tip. Let set awhile then wipe off. This should take way rust. The spotting will still be there though. Not much you can do about that.
::
::
::Warren:
::True, aluminum does not rust, but in my airline days, I removed many an antenna and tied back the co-ax under the baggage bins so sheet metal could reskin the bottom of the airplane from Fluffy and Fido being carried on planes and following their needs on top of the belly. Alumium will not rust, but urine will corrode it from here to who laid the rails. That is also why mercury isn't shipped on airliners. We used a liquid called "Alodine" that gave a layer of controlled corrosion, like bluing a gun, but eventually the airplane got a new bottom when the corrosion made it unsafe to hold cabin pressure. Small patches can be polished out and Alodined to delay the reskinning for a while. Aluminum polishes easily. Use car buffing compound.
::Lewis
:::
::
::
:Thank you for the replies! Lewis funny you mentioned car buffing compound as that is what I used to get me this far and it worked very well compared to the before
:
:
:
:
:I used Turtle Wax rubbing compound and a couple medium toothbrushes with the heads bent. Maybe I should keep going with that. A disability limits my right arm and I am right handed so it'll be a process but do you think I can try a rougher grain compond and do it in stages? Although I think Warren is right about the etching it's pretty stubborn.

Frank:
An electric toothbrush with an old head on it?
Lewis

:

:Frank:
:An electric toothbrush with an old head on it?
:Lewis
:
::
:
:
ha just saw this-I have one somewhere that may be the ticket! Thanks Lewis:)

:my Hallicrafters sx-88 was home to rodents in the previous owner's basement as it sat.
:I did what I could to erase the spots where mouse pee burned the chassis (I am thinking the chassis floor is aluminum?) here's pics of after my efforts
:http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1897.jpg
:http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1896.jpg
:http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1900.jpg
:as you can see there are still spots left that I cannot ease-can anyone please give me some tips how you would do this? Thank you
:Frank
:

Quick check for aluminum? Use a magnet. That's how I check metal roofs. You can't fool the magnet.
It looks like Al, but could be plated steel or an alloy. You can lighten pitted spots by wiping on some silver paint, then buffing the area. The paint stays only in the pits.

::my Hallicrafters sx-88 was home to rodents in the previous owner's basement as it sat.
::I did what I could to erase the spots where mouse pee burned the chassis (I am thinking the chassis floor is aluminum?) here's pics of after my efforts
::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1897.jpg
::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1896.jpg
::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1900.jpg
::as you can see there are still spots left that I cannot ease-can anyone please give me some tips how you would do this? Thank you
::Frank
::
:
:Quick check for aluminum? Use a magnet. That's how I check metal roofs. You can't fool the magnet.
:It looks like Al, but could be plated steel or an alloy. You can lighten pitted spots by wiping on some silver paint, then buffing the area. The paint stays only in the pits.
:
Hey John, looks like it's metal. Thank you for the smart tips! The paint thing just may be the only way in the end.

Rustoleum makes a line of hammertoned paints that looks nice. Did a chassis on a GE in a bronze color and looks very similar to a Zenith finish

:::my Hallicrafters sx-88 was home to rodents in the previous owner's basement as it sat.
:::I did what I could to erase the spots where mouse pee burned the chassis (I am thinking the chassis floor is aluminum?) here's pics of after my efforts
:::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1897.jpg
:::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1896.jpg
:::http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/ridgerocker2001/IMG_1900.jpg
:::as you can see there are still spots left that I cannot ease-can anyone please give me some tips how you would do this? Thank you
:::Frank
:::
::
::Quick check for aluminum? Use a magnet. That's how I check metal roofs. You can't fool the magnet.
::It looks like Al, but could be plated steel or an alloy. You can lighten pitted spots by wiping on some silver paint, then buffing the area. The paint stays only in the pits.
::
:Hey John, looks like it's metal. Thank you for the smart tips! The paint thing just may be the only way in the end.
:

:Rustoleum makes a line of hammertoned paints that looks nice. Did a chassis on a GE in a bronze color and looks very similar to a Zenith finish
:
John thank you for your tip. I honestly don't have the nerve enough to go around in there with a rattlecan.
I went and got a can of that Barkeepers Friend and am going to try it next. Thanks again for all the help!

Frank,
If you can find the right color, shake it well, pull the lid, and spray a little into the lid. Then use a Q tip to apply to each spot. Metallic colors may be a little more difficult with the Q tip.

marv

::Rustoleum makes a line of hammertoned paints that looks nice. Did a chassis on a GE in a bronze color and looks very similar to a Zenith finish
::
:John thank you for your tip. I honestly don't have the nerve enough to go around in there with a rattlecan.
:I went and got a can of that Barkeepers Friend and am going to try it next. Thanks again for all the help!
:

:Frank,
:If you can find the right color, shake it well, pull the lid, and spray a little into the lid. Then use a Q tip to apply to each spot. Metallic colors may be a little more difficult with the Q tip.
:
:marv
:
Hey Marv-that's good idea-thank you. I will do that if I go the paint route-applying the paint then feathering it around. I tried some of that barkeep stuff and it is pretty good stuff. I can get into it with that and see how far I can go.