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Author Topic: DC's DIY Anodizing How To  (Read 6085 times)

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Offline Darth Chasm

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DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« on: March 25, 2018, 09:54:20 PM »


Steps, references and links to supplies are in the video description.

Additional note:

Thanks to ARKM for reaching out on a point I misspoke about. I said that titanium doesn't anodize while in fact it does.

Here is some more info on the benefits of titanium for rigging. Note that this is from an industrial POV.

- Titanium is a silvery gray, lightweight metal with a high strength to weight ratio, good electrical conductivity, high heat transfer efficiency and excellent corrosion resistance. Racks fabricated from chemically pure titanium should be used. The titanium racks do not require stripping and are resistant to attack by most solutions used in the anodizing process. Titanium, being higher in price than the alternative, aluminum alloy, is primarily utilized in high volume, long run production lines. Compared to aluminum alloy, titanium reduces rack maintenance costs and is far more economical in the long term.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 01:50:41 PM by Darth Chasm »

Offline erv

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2018, 10:50:46 PM »
watched your 2 recent tutorials, very nice and the satin result you got on that hilt is amazing. Thumbs up

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2018, 06:50:04 AM »
watched your 2 recent tutorials, very nice and the satin result you got on that hilt is amazing. Thumbs up

Thanks Erv! I hope I didn’t make you cringe with my explanation of setting constant current on a PSU  :cheesy:

Offline erv

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2018, 07:15:03 AM »
watched your 2 recent tutorials, very nice and the satin result you got on that hilt is amazing. Thumbs up

Thanks Erv! I hope I didn’t make you cringe with my explanation of setting constant current on a PSU  :cheesy:

LOL ! I skipped that part as it was a quick go-thru of the video while I was in the train, so you're probably lucky ;-) I'm sure it wasn't that bad, and again, results speak !

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2018, 03:33:25 PM »
watched your 2 recent tutorials, very nice and the satin result you got on that hilt is amazing. Thumbs up

Thanks Erv! I hope I didn’t make you cringe with my explanation of setting constant current on a PSU  :cheesy:

LOL ! I skipped that part as it was a quick go-thru of the video while I was in the train, so you're probably lucky ;-) I'm sure it wasn't that bad, and again, results speak !

 :laugh:

Offline Ridire Fíréan

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2018, 05:16:56 PM »
Hey @Darth Chasm !  I liked your video, but, I don't understand what the bath was for.  Were you transposing aluminum to aluminum?  Why not just heat up the hilt pieces and soak them in the dye?  I don't know much about anodizing, but I always assumed it was a plating process and that the bath was used to transfer copper/nickle/chrome/gold/etc. to another metal object.  In this instance is it just a surface preparation for the dying procedure?

The pieces turned out really pretty!  Is there any need to clearcoat over the dye to keep them that way?

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2018, 05:31:50 PM »
Hey @Darth Chasm !  I liked your video, but, I don't understand what the bath was for.  Were you transposing aluminum to aluminum?  Why not just heat up the hilt pieces and soak them in the dye?  I don't know much about anodizing, but I always assumed it was a plating process and that the bath was used to transfer copper/nickle/chrome/gold/etc. to another metal object.  In this instance is it just a surface preparation for the dying procedure?

The pieces turned out really pretty!  Is there any need to clearcoat over the dye to keep them that way?

Thanks. I'll quote the article I used to learn. There are more resources you can read up on online.

"Aluminum and some other metals have a naturally occurring barrier coating that comes about because of a reaction with the oxygen in air. In the case of aluminum, that barrier is aluminum oxide, Al2O3. All processed aluminum has this coating. But, it has long been known that by using an electrolytic process the metal can have additional protection.

In general there are two types of barrier coatings. The first is a thin, hard coating that increases the hardness and insulation properties. The second is a porous cellular structure that allows a dye to fill in the cells and provides a decorative and protective coating. This is the structure that is needed for this project. After the dye has filled the anodized cells with color, the piece is placed in boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes to seal the dye in completely."

Reference: Anodizing and dyeing aluminum without battery acid... - Observations

There is no need to clear coat. The dye is IN the metal not ON it and it inherits the finish the metal had before the process. So if the finish was polished you'll have a glossy color. If the piece was prepped in an etch solution (Lye) then they would have a matte color. The pieces are much "harder" on the surface, therefore more scratch resistant as well.

Hope this helps!

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2018, 09:22:21 AM »
Nice tutorial, DC!

Glad to see I'm not the only user of the mighty two popsicle stick and blue painter's tape anodising rig 

Two things I would add, from my own anodising experience:

You get a lot less splotchy areas and better all round dye uptake if you suspend your anodised pieces in the dye bath in a way that they do not make any contact with the your dye container or anything else. I usually use a set of helping hands to hold my anodised pieces by the leads, at the optimal depth in the dye bath, so that nothing is touching the dye container. Alternately, place the piece in the dye bath on a surface that isn't going to be visible in the finished piece. Most of the time, the splotchier areas on my anodised pieces tend to be the areas that made direct contact with the pot I've got the dye in, or with other pieces that I was dyeing in the same bath.

Two, never use steel wool while cleaning the pieces in preparation for anodising. It gives a nice finish, but filaments of the steel wool, (especially the OOOO, ultra-fine finishing grade stuff) can get caught in small scratches on the surface of the aluminium, get into the anodising bath, and contaminate it. I've got a few test pieces that are black, but with orange splotches where steel wool got in, rusted in the bath, and that was absorbed by the anodised surface. Use ultra fine scotch brite pads instead.
Better late than never.

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2018, 10:56:36 AM »
Nice tutorial, DC!

Glad to see I'm not the only user of the mighty two popsicle stick and blue painter's tape anodising rig 

Two things I would add, from my own anodising experience:

You get a lot less splotchy areas and better all round dye uptake if you suspend your anodised pieces in the dye bath in a way that they do not make any contact with the your dye container or anything else. I usually use a set of helping hands to hold my anodised pieces by the leads, at the optimal depth in the dye bath, so that nothing is touching the dye container. Alternately, place the piece in the dye bath on a surface that isn't going to be visible in the finished piece. Most of the time, the splotchier areas on my anodised pieces tend to be the areas that made direct contact with the pot I've got the dye in, or with other pieces that I was dyeing in the same bath.

Two, never use steel wool while cleaning the pieces in preparation for anodising. It gives a nice finish, but filaments of the steel wool, (especially the OOOO, ultra-fine finishing grade stuff) can get caught in small scratches on the surface of the aluminium, get into the anodising bath, and contaminate it. I've got a few test pieces that are black, but with orange splotches where steel wool got in, rusted in the bath, and that was absorbed by the anodised surface. Use ultra fine scotch brite pads instead.

Thanks! And excellent feedback and additional notes. The blotching is precisely a result of the issue you mentioned!!

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2018, 04:41:10 PM »
No worries. I mean, you taught me the basics of anodising, I'd be remiss if I didn't share what I've picked up along the way.

Oh, one last thing: Steam sealing. Before you plunge your piece into boiling water to seal it, hold it in the steam for a minute or two (tongs, pliers, or gloves help.) The steam starts the sealing process before the piece hits the water. Less dye escapes into the boiling water, and you get a richer final colour.
Better late than never.

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2018, 05:27:43 AM »
No worries. I mean, you taught me the basics of anodising, I'd be remiss if I didn't share what I've picked up along the way.

Oh, one last thing: Steam sealing. Before you plunge your piece into boiling water to seal it, hold it in the steam for a minute or two (tongs, pliers, or gloves help.) The steam starts the sealing process before the piece hits the water. Less dye escapes into the boiling water, and you get a richer final colour.

I think I remember a pen turner, Brad something, doing that. I’ve done it once. I’d have to do it more to see effects. This round I didn’t see much bleeding though.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2018, 06:59:06 AM »
I think I remember a pen turner, Brad something, doing that. I’ve done it once. I’d have to do it more to see effects. This round I didn’t see much bleeding though.

I think we've seen the same YouTube video, then. Personally, I steam seal every time. It does help with the dye bleeding, but it is tricky to get the steam to go into internal surfaces. Great for the outside diameter of an MHS piece, not great at the internal diameter.

The only downside I can think of is that steam sealing does tend to give the anodise a matt finish, but aluminium polish will restore the gloss in no time.

I did once read, on the Finishing.com forums I think, that as the anodise sealing process is heat based, theoretically, one could seal an anodised piece by blasting it with a hot air gun. I've never tried that, and I can't say I would want to, either. I really can't see a scenario where boiling water is unavailable, but it might be worth knowing, in a pinch.
Better late than never.

Offline Morannon

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Re: DC's DIY Anodizing How To
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2018, 07:28:27 PM »
I see another sticky coming your way

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