Removing aluminum "buildup"

[carlcnc]

Last year someone posted about soaking cutters in a solution that would remove the thin build up of aluminum form the backside of a carbide bit.
I rarely get get a clump welded in the cutting edge or flute ,but very thin layers build up
on the backside to the point that the cutter rubs in the cut
have tried every keyword search I can think of but can't find the post with the name of the magic solution.
Anyone else remember the post ??
thanks
Carl

[jb_chu]

Carl, This post is from March 19th of this year and don't know if it is the one you saw.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/29/40100.html

There is also some information on the bottom half of page at:

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/saw_blade_cleaning.htm

And a few comments from a blog at:

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-5989.html

Maybe this will help until you find the specific post you read from last year.

JB

[carlcnc]

JB
removing pitch or glue build up with oven cleaner
is a snap, was always a necessity for my saw blades when cutting teak
I guess I could try it on the alumium.let er soak overnight

thanks

[carlcnc]

UPDATE

believe it or not,ketchup dissolved most or all of the buildup on my cutters,the key seems to get that thin film of oxidation off first ,I did it by scraping with a razor blade,followed with a few swipes with 320 wet-or-dry
coca-cola also seems to work though slower

[coach]

I beleive you. BUT what would posess one to even try ketchup. Just thinking out loud.
I use commercial bit cleaner I think from Woodcraft. I keep it in a spray bottle and use it on bits and on the collets then clean with denatured alcohol.
I used oven cleaner but it is so caustic it is a bit of an irritant.
ketchup huh. lol just having a little fun.
thanks for sharing.
David

[mitch_prest]

ketchup is actually a recommended method to clean copper bottomed pans... so not so strange to use it on tools

[carlcnc]

Bit cleaners work fine for wood,pitch etc but will not remove this thin layer[s] of alumium
I was googling "dissolve aluminum" and found a page about when aluminum foil touched the ketchup on top
of a meatloaf it ate a hole in it.
turns out ketchup and coke have a ph of 2.5,2.1
tomato sauce was used to scrub steel ship decks for decades, don't know if the navy still uses it though.