Stripping Motor Anodizing Off

[sleepy23]

Just wondering if anyone has stripped the anodizing off of a motor and polished it up? my 6s is a little scratched and with my color scheme on my truck, a polished can would look a lot sicker than the big purple one. any tips or previous experiences? i know how to do it and have the stuff, just curious about the practicality.
thanks

i've never thought about that but it sounds like a good idea, cause the purple motor would kill my colour scheme of silver and blue. how are you planning on getting it off? the oven cleaner trick?

I've heard that Greased Lightning works great. Put it on, let it soak for 40 minutes and wipe off. It's as easy as that!

But this is a motor we're talking about here, I don't know that you want it to soak like that. Maybe acetone? I know that Easy Off oven cleaner also works.

[Jasper]

I've polished the stock aluminium parts of the savage. I used BBQ spray for getting the anodizing of the parts.



I've put all the anodized aluminium parts in a plastic box with the BBQ spray in it.



After 15 minutes all the parts had the silver look.



But you can't put the motor in a box of BBQ spray. So I think you have to brush with a toothbrush or something like that.

Then you have to sand the motor with grain 1000-1200 if there are a few scratches. Then you pick up some polish pasta and put it on a lap and then scrub it over the motor.

I used this polish pasta



When you have scrubbed all the polish pasta away, you see a new shiny look!



I hope you understand my story, because some of the words are hard to transulate for a Dutch men.

[Serum]

Well, here's what i did;

I used scotch brite. And dead shortened the three wires from the motor with a tie wrap, placed the 5mm shaft in my drill. It comes off pretty easy.

Jasper, i use caustic soda.. It does the same, only in a blink of an eye.. In about 2 seconds the colour is gone.. It can't be done on a motor though..

@jasper;

Be aware, dabid is laying low in the bushes to jump anyone who makes mistakes.. ;)

that looks cool, i might polish all my aluminum parts when i get them and make them shinny.

would that stuff harm the motor? what parts would it damage?

[Serum]

simple don't use it. Its bad for the bearings, and very likely it also hurts the isolating layer of the copperwires.

[Batfish]

I had read a previous post by Serum about using Scotchbrite and a drill to remove the anodizing. It worked great on my Feigao 10L, although I must have been doing something different since Serum said it was "easy" for him. It took me about 45 minutes of spinning that motor around and holding the Scotchbrite lightly against it. I think my trigger finger on the drill cramped at least once :)

Still, I'm very happy with the results and didn't have to use any chemicals or liquids on my motor. :)

[Serum]

it took me 3-4 minutes, i've got a rather powerfull dril, nothing fancy though.. A hitachi, i thought it does 2850 rpm's

I did 4 feigao's like this. The first was the worst.. (like usual) i took of too much, underneath the purple layer is another hard layer (looks dark gray when sanding) you'r better of if you leave that one on... It's easy to polish as well. I used the brown scotch brite.

I will make a movie of how i do it.. I don't know what i do different.. Perhaps you took of the 2d layer as well Joe?
A 20XL wil be harder than a 7XL (lower internal resistance keeps the rotor better in place...)

I have tried Serum's method on my 8s also. I was using the green scotch brite with a crappy Black & Decker cordless drill (doesn't spin too fast). Now I have a pink motor! :)

I need to find some of the maroon scotch brite and a faster drill.

[Batfish]

I used the green as well...now that I think about it, that's probably why it took so long.

Griping aside, though, I'd do it again and again (even at 45 minutes) before I'd try chemicals and liquid to do the same thing. :)

What about a Dremel sanding flapwheel? That'd take it off real good, but prob. not all too evenly.

[sleepy23]

the greased lightening works great...i used it on some of my other parts. i planon trying to rub it off or something other than soaking my motor in fluid..
anybody have any nice polished motor pics?

[RC-Monster Mike]

The only recommendation I have is to keep the chemicals away from the motor wires and don't let any get inside the can, either. The glue that holds the windings to the can can let go if it is disturbed by the chemicals. I think a non-chemical way of doing it would be the best, safest way-even if it takes a bit of time.