Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
G'day everyone,
A quick follow up from the auto gearbox project. I machined a lot more aluminium than I was prepared for and the aluminium alloy that I would have preferred to machine was not available (2011 alloy). The alloy I machined was very soft and gummy and stuck to the carbide inserts that I was using.
The underlying carbide is intact and can be removed with sodium hydroxide which I will show, and the carbide insert can be used in future projects.
Cheers
#machining
Remove aluminium with sodium hydroxide
Remove aluminium with caustic soda
Remove aluminium with lye
G'day everyone,
A quick follow up from the auto gearbox project. I machined a lot more aluminium than I was prepared for and the aluminium alloy that I would have preferred to machine was not available (2011 alloy). The alloy I machined was very soft and gummy and stuck to the carbide inserts that I was using.
The underlying carbide is intact and can be removed with sodium hydroxide which I will show, and the carbide insert can be used in future projects.
Cheers
#machining
Remove aluminium with sodium hydroxide
Remove aluminium with caustic soda
Remove aluminium with lye
