Tig welding with magnets around and aluminum cleaner

[youngnstudly]

Has anyone tried cleaners that have sodium hydroxide? I've seen mention of 'greased lighting' cleaner to remove oxides/anodizing.

?????

regards
JohnG

I don't know anything about welding over any type of cleaners that remove anodizing, but easy off oven cleaner will remove anodizing well. I don't know how well that stuff removes oxides as compared to other methods. I used some Easy Off to remove the factory anodizing on one of my fuchs a few years back. I would a$$-u-me that you'd want to get the basic stuff with the least amount of ingredients in it (odorless for example). The question is whether or not the other ingredients in oven cleaner can be safely heated to welding temps without causing some reaction that will rot your brain and make your eyeballs spin counterclockwise.