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Posted: 11/3/2002 9:32:16 AM EDT
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Someone was asking me about home anodizing so I am reposting my process: 1) Prepare the surface by sanding, cleaning, and sandblasting 2) Etch with a lye solution for a few seconds. 3) Rinse 4) Desmut/deox for 2 minutes (I use Caswell's solution) 5) Rinse 6) Anodize for >=90 minutes using a 2:1 distilled water to battery acid solution. The + lead of the power suply connects to the part, the - lead goes to a lead plate in the tank. Try to keep the solution as cold as possible by doing it on a cold day or using a double ice bath. Aggitate the part often (turn off the power before touching the tank bar so you don't kill yourself). 7) Neutralize the part in a baking soda solution 8) Rinse with distilled water 9) Dye for an hour (I use Caswells anodizing dye). I found that I get better results at 120 to 130 F instead of the suggested 140 F. 10) Rinse 11) Boil in a nickel acetate solution to seal the anodize for about 30 minutes 12) Rinse and apply wd40 |
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I have a deep-freeze (chest freezer) that is currently not being used. I'm wondering for these anodizing processes that require the temperature to be held low if it might be a good idea to chill the solution in the chest freezer, and to do the actual anodizing in the freezer with the "coldness" cranked all the way to max. I'm not sure it would be any more effective than an ice bath (what's a "double ice bath"?) but it might be less of a PITA. ~Wolfrick |
Unless I'm mistaken, a "double ice bath" means that the container with the acid solution sits in another larger container of ice water. You can't just add ice directly to the acid bath because the ice would dilute the acid solution as it melts. |
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A lot of good information here about anodizing. However I saw no mention about rubber apron, rubber gloves or full face shield and acid nuteralizer in case of accident. A face full of battery acid can leave you blind and or disfigured for life. I'd rather pay to have it done professionally. IMHO |
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Here's a step-by-step process with pictures to go along. www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html |
Something I just remembered from Chemistry 101...you can add more acid to an acid or water solution, but you should NEVER add water to acid solution. I believe it will cause the acid to heat up instantaneously. I suppose this would go for adding ice as well, but I never put that to practice.
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