How to Anodizing Aluminum

Anodizing Aluminum

Anodizing Aluminum by Ron Newman

The following procedure is for anodizing aluminum parts. Anodizing will protect the aluminum parts by making the surface much harder than natural aluminum. Aluminum oxide is grown grown out of the surface during anodizing and then becomes aluminum hydrate that is extremely hard. The porous nature of the anodized layer allows the product to be dyed any color that is required. The method I describe is Type II anodizing (room temperature) and gives an anodized layer of .0002" to .001" (half which is grown into the surface and half out of the surface). Parts anodized will become slightly larger by about .0005" Type III (hard coat) anodizing is done at much colder temperatures and at higher current densities and can reach thick nesses of .002". Type III anodized surfaces can typically only be dyed black or dark green due to the denser pore size. I do not cover hard coat procedure due to it not being in the "home brew" category due to the colder acid temp and high current density that would be required to perform it. The anodizing guide will show show you how to perform the more popular Type II anodizing (Room Temp) using the home brew hanging wire method with materials found at typical hardware and auto parts stores, (bare bones method). Almost everything you need can be found locally except anodizing dyes and sealer which I sell small quantities on this site.

Here are a few parts d done one with this system on my brother in laws car. Note the red pulley and water pump housing anodized in Red, anodizing is not just for hose fittings. The next photo shows an after market skid plate that was anodized and dyed red http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (1 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

to match the bike's colors. Yes just about anything aluminum can be anodized, even these aluminum horse shoes!

A little custom color on your bike parts gives it a one-of-a-kind look. It is possible to do d o 2 tone color anodizing as these front fork tubes show blue on the inside and gold on the outside. See the anodizing guide for multi color c olor anodizing methods.

Please e-mail any suggestions or questions concerning this procedure to Ron Newman.

I just updated the new Oct 2004 edition of the anodizing guide. "A Practical Guide to Anodizing Aluminum at Home"

old Nov. 2002 edition edition

http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (2 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

New Oct. 2004

Anodizing Aluminum

The new guide has more detailed information on anodizing that is not covered on this web page or the first book, plus sections on vibratory tumblers and media, Bright Dip electro polishing, and fade/splash/mask fade/splash/mask anodizing methods. The guide covers large and small current density anodizing methods from simple 1 gallon lines to larger chiller based cooled anodizing tank systems. This is a must for anyone wanting to setup an anodizing line with all the latest tips and tricks used to day to produce spectacular results. If you would like a copy you can order on-line below (Pay Pal), or send a check for $20 plus $5 priority mail shipping (USA only) along with your return mailing address to---Ron Newman 114 Ardmoor Ave Danville PA 17821 I also take orders over the phone using credit card.

Call 570-275-7935 9:00am to 4:00pm EST to place an order by ph one. Or just use the on-line order form below (Pay Pal based) if you can. Also join the anodizing101 group on Yahoo. Myself and others on the group will be glad to help first timers get started. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anodizing101/ New----Basic

2 gallon starter starter kit

$114.00 for a 2 gallon anodizing line with 8 colors plus sealer and cleaner. Good for most common aluminum alloys such as 6061. Note the 2004 anodizing guide is sold sol d separately.

New----Advanced

2 gallon starter kit

The 2 gallon advanced kit contains everything included i ncluded in the basic kit above plus 2 gallon gal lon deox/desmut for anodizing alloys such as 2024. This kit works on 1000 to 7000 series alloys. Same exact anodizing chemicals used in modern manufacturing manufacturing today. Just on a smaller scale! Only $144.00 Note the 2004 anodizing guide guide is sold separately. separately.


Anodizing Aluminum

Both the basic and advanced 2 gallon starter kits include the following 8 colors as shown except Teal. Teal can be ordered individually if needed.

The 2004 edition guide and one of the 2 starter kits is recommended for first timers! This web page is only a sample of a home brew anodizing setup, you will still need to get a copy of the guide before attempting anodizing. Besides kits, I also offer all anodizing chemicals in small 2 gallon and 5 gallon quantities to make your own kit.- see order section below. All dyes are professional anodizing Dyes from "US Speciality Speciality Color Corp" same as commercial/ industry uses. Plus new technology mid temp (180 degree) sealer. Black dye is the new BK Excel E xcel brand that gives a great jet black finish. These are some of the best chemicals out there today! The basic and advanced kit will save most "do " do it yourselfers" money buy not selling buckets, wire, fish tank heaters like other kits do. I sell just the guide, dyes and chemicals that you can't get locally, Everything else like Battery charger, battery acid, buckets, aluminum wire, etc, you can pick up cheap your self. No need to spend a fortune on a high priced kit that includes items you may already have on hand.

On-Line Order section using Pay Pal

Please note only the guide and basic kit can be shipped to non USA

addresses.

Guide and Anodizing kits 2004 edition Anodizing guide $20

total cost with shipping is $25.00

2004 edition Anodizing guide NON USA locations $25 due to higher shipping cost total cost with shipping is $30.00 http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (4 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

Basic 2 gallon kit $114.00 does not include guide Basic 2 gallon kit NON USA locations $129.00 does not include guide Advanced 2 gallon kit $144.00 Shipped ground due to ORM-D classification of desmut.

2 Gallon individual supplies pick color gold

2 gallon individual Dye $10 "see photo above for colors"

2 gallon Black Dye $28 2 gallon Teal Dye $18 2 gallon Sealer $12 2 gallon Deox/Desmut $30 Shipped ground due to ORM-D product Classification. 2 gallon Cleaner $12

5 Gallon individual supplies 5 gallon individual Dye $23 " see photo above for colors" pick color

gold

5 gallon Black Dye $60 5 gallon Teal Dye $34 5 gallon Sealer $28 5 gallon Deox/Desmut $70

Shipped ground due to ORM-D product Classification.

5 gallon Cleaner $28


does not include guide

Anodizing Aluminum

There are basic steps in the anodizing process as illustrated above. They are covered in the anodizing guide and briefly covered on this page to give you an idea what is required. Not all steps are needed such as etch and desmut depending on what alloy and the type of surface you expect after anodizing. q q q q q q

Submerse part in 140 degree cleaner for 5 min, rinse Etch part in room temp caustic solution (lye) 10 to 30 seconds or longer if matte finish is desired, rinse Desmut part at room temp for 1 to 3 min if previously etched or alloy calls for it such as (2024 alloy), rinse Anodize part at 4 to 12 ASF for calculated duration at room temp, rinse, r inse, rinse again Dye part in 140 degree dye for 15 seconds to 15 min, rinse Seal part in 180 degree Nickal Acetate sealer for 20 min, rinse and hang to dry

To start, lets take a look look at a fairly advanced advanced anodizing line. The following photos show a medium anodizing station station setup: A plastic tank for sulfuric acid in a sealed vented wood box, power supply, and optional AC unit. Normally an AC unit is not required, but this system was used continually and needed cooled down in the th e hot summer weather. First timers would simple have a 1 gallon bucket as there anodizing tank along with other 1 gallon buckets/containers for dye and sealer tanks.

A cleaner, desmut, and sealer tank along with a sink. This happens to be a larger 5 gallon line based on simple coolers.


Anodizing Aluminum

Below you see a tank for each color dye. A 1 gallon container based line would be much smaller and less expensive. 1 gallon containers could be lined up to make a compact anodizing line, of course you would be limited to doing only small parts. This Th is 5 gallon anodizing line can do parts up to 17 inches long.

Before we get to the anodizing procedure, let's talk about prepping the aluminum part first. Anodizing hides no sins, so put a good finish on your parts before anodizing them. A good general rule is.... what you see is what you get after the part is anodized; however, anodizing does tend to t o slightly magnify the surface texture so lean toward a smoother finish when prepping the part. Know that a small amount of the gloss will will be lost after it is is anodized. For a bright glossy surface on your anodized part, steel wool or wet sand it and then polish it with a buffing wheel using tripoli compound.


Anodizing Aluminum

For a matte finish, just steel wool or sand it using an emery cloth. There are other non manual ways ways to prep the parts surface before anodizing. anodizing. I use vibratory tumblers with with different grades of media for sanding and polishing the parts before anodizing them. This allows a large quantity of parts to be done easily. But for quick "one off" parts, buffing on a polishing wheel using tripoli compound is the quickest way. Or, you can just anodize the part right after machining machining it. Just make sure you clean the part first. Here is a photo of parts that came right off my CNC lathe. lathe. They were cleaned with with simple dish detergent and anodized. No other prep work work was done.

Multiple vibratory tumblers can also do finish work. work. Each tumbler can be dedicated to a different type of media. In this case, the first tumbler has 40 lbs of 1/4" plastic triangle media impregnated with silicon silicon carbide to sand the parts. This tumbler runs wet and requires a flow-through water system to flush the debris out of the media. It runs anywhere from 12-48 hours, depending on the surface surface required. It will remove remove mill/machine marks and deburs all all edges. The second and third tumblers use dry polishing media. Rougue treated walnut shell produces a bright mirror-like surface after about about 72 hours. Each tumbler sequence takes between 12-96 hours to prep the surface. It is a slow process but many parts can be done without supervision or sweat. The tumblers and the media used in them are not cheap, so unless you need to do hundreds of parts at a time, I would suggest buffing them by hand. I cover vibratory tumblers, media, and how to build them in the new 2004 Anodizing Booklet. I even show how to make your own tumblers.

-----Stripping or restoring existing anodized parts----You can strip off the existing anodized layer from any anodized part by placing the part in a caustic solution for an hour h our or so. Just mix a few tablespoons tablespoons of lye and water in a plastic container. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves gloves for this procedure!! Place the part in the solution solution and monitor its progress.


Anodizing Aluminum

The Lye will dissolve dissolve the old anodized layer, about .001" thick. It takes a while for it to start breaking through the layer. layer. It's a little slow at at first. The first ten minutes or so not much action will be seen. seen. Bubbles and smut will rise rise up as an indicator of its progress.

It is a good idea to help the process along by wiping the smut off the part to allow the acid to get to fresh aluminum. Just wipe off the part with a rag every 5-10 minutes until the old layer is completely gone (wear gloves and goggles). goggles). Only bare aluminum should be seen when the part is finished. If the aluminum part turns a dark color then it needs to be desmutted due to the alloy type. For example, 2024 aluminum alloy has 5% copper in it. The lye eats the aluminum off the surface but leaves the copper behind which in turn tarnishes to a dark color. Desmut is the opposite of a caustic solution such as lye. Desmut (normally ferric acid based) eats the non aluminum metals off the surface presenting a purer p urer aluminum surface to be anodized. I include desmut in the advanced anodizing kit for folks doing unknown or non typical 6000 series alloys. It could come in handy and does not hurt to use it on all aluminum alloys. Ok, back to stripping our part--


Anodizing Aluminum

When the part is completely uniform (no remaining spots), rinse it off and buff it back to a shine. Stripping aluminum this way will create a matte finish. Polishing it back to it's original surface is is up to you. At this point, the part can be re-anodized re-anodized and dyed any color just like a freshly machined part. Note: if the aluminum part has other metal or steel parts pressed into it, do not re-anodize the part. Metals other than aluminum will will dissolve away during the anodizing process. Here is the re-anodized part! See the 2004 Anodizing Booklet for additional information on how to strip and restore aluminum parts

restored browning gun parts.


Anodizing Aluminum

Here is a part that all machine marks are removed and a nice matte finish was produced just by letting them in stripper for about 1/2 hour (etched). It really r eally covered up any imperfections nicely. As you can see the part was then engraved with letters by machining through the dyed anodized surface exposing raw aluminum.

The finished part!

Enough about prepping and stripping parts. Let's get to the anodizing procedure.

PROCEDURE http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (11 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

The aluminum parts need to be clean. Oil from machining, polishing compound and fingerprints from handling the parts must be cleaned off.

The cheapest way of cleaning the part is to use dish detergent with hot tap water and scrub the part. Use a tooth brush to get into any tight corners if needed, or you can use a professional cleaner that comes with the anodizing kit. Commercial anodizers always use a cleaner bath step. Here I am using the Professional "740" aluminum prep cleaner that I include with the advanced kit above. It requires the parts to soak for 5-10 minutes at 150 deg F. I use thermostatic controlled 1100 watt submersible heating elements in my tanks. A cheaper alternative is to use fish tank heaters or simply microwave a plastic container of the solution up to the desired temperature. The cleaner solution can be reused hundreds of times. Note: most of my tanks use simple "aquarium" air pumps for agitation and have aluminum hanging racks to hang the parts from. You may also notice I'm using the same size 5 gallon gallon coolers for all of my tanks in this example. This would be considered a 5gallon anodizing line. My main anodizing anodizing tank is much larger. More on that later----

The hanging wire method requires----you guessed it, an aluminum wire connected to each part.


Anodizing Aluminum

You can buy aluminum 12 gauge wire from Radio Shack S hack for this purpose.

Connect an aluminum hanging wire to the part. This will provide the electrical connection when anodizing. The wire also provides a way of suspending the part in the various tanks (cleaner, dye, etc.) and keeps the part from being touched or handled. I force thread the wire into an existing tapped hole. Just double the wire up, or pound it to a point to fit your your tapped hole. This connection must be very tight tight or it will fail during the anodizing process. Use pliers if needed to crank the wire into the hole. The wire is softer than the aluminum alloy and will simply take the shape of the hole without damaging the threads in your part. Remember, wherever the wire touches the part it will not anodize and will not take any dye. Pick the connection spot so it will not show on the finished part. If the part does not have a tapped hole then you need to get creative by pinching the wire against against the aluminum or wrapping it it around or through a hole. Just remember, where the wire touches it will not anodize or take any dye.

Setting up an ANODIZING tank-----------------Mix up a solution of sulfuric acid in a plastic container. The mixture should be anywhere from 15%-25% sulfuric acid to http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (13 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

water ratio depending on the current curre nt density you will be using, more on current density later. If you are using battery acid, it already has some water in it so mix 50% battery acid to water (equal amounts). That should put the ratio a little over the th e high sidebetter then 20%. You can source sulfuric battery acid at your local auto parts store. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves when working with with sulfuric acid. Remember the 3As rule!!!!! Always Always ADD ACID!!!! Never add water to acid. Please put a good amount of water in your tank first, then slowly add the acid to the water. If you add water to pure acid it could blow (boil) up due to the reaction. A good amount of heat will be noticed when adding the acid. By the way, the acid will will last many years if you are careful about rinsing your parts before putting them in it. Dragging chemicals over from previous steps is really the only way you will contaminate contaminate your acid solution. With a little care it could last a very long time, However at some point (years of use) there will be too much aluminum and other metals from anodizing non pure aluminum alloys. The acid will require changing after many hundreds of anodizing runs. If it turns brown then iron/steel got in the acid bath and it should be replaced. Remember- only aluimnum or titanium should be in contact with the acid. Note: Baking soda can be used to neutralize spilled sulfuric acid. Just sprinkle it on until it stops fizzing. Next you'll need a cathode cathode or cathodes. Two cathodes, one on each side of of the tank works well. The cathode is connected to the negative side of the power power supply. The cathodes can be lead or 6061/6063 6061/6063 aluminum alloy. alloy. Both work well but lead lasts lasts longer. Lead sometimes has unknown alloy metals in in it. If you want to be sure just use 6061 or 6063 aluminum. The cathodes should stick out of the acid so a heavy gauge ALUMINUM wire can be connected from the cathodes to the negative side of the power supply. The size of the cathodes can have have up to 3 times the surface area of the size of the parts you are anodizing. I break this rule all the time. I routinely anodize one small part with the large cathodes in place without any ill effect. Remember, no other metal should touch the acid! If you have to little cathode area then shadow effects (light /dark areas) can be a problem on your finished parts. Make sure you have enough cathode area and they are spread out a bit.

The cathodes used in this tank are lead sheet.

6061 aluminum is used as cathodes in this configuration. configuration. It is recommended that the cathodes be removed when not in use, however I don't bother. The aluminum ones here are turning black black after about 4 months in the acid without being removed. The lead ones were in the acid acid for more than 4 years!

This configuration was one I used for small parts year's ago. It used small lead cathodes wired to the negative side of the battery charger using aluminum wire. Note the alligator clips for hanging the parts. A battery charger or a DC power supply capable of providing at least a few amps of current is required. A small set up can use a manual 12 volt 6 amp battery charger, but I would recommend using a manual 12 volt 50 amp charger/starter. charger/starter. DO NOT try and use an automatic automatic battery charger. The automatic chargers get fooled by anodizing and ramp down the current, they simply do not work! The manual one used in this example puts out about 20 volts on the highest setting and will provide up to 50 amps. Next to the battery charger is a rectifier designed for plating and anodizing. It is a 15 volt volt 50 amp adjustable supply. It cost $500, the simple simple battery charger cost $80. The adjustable voltage rectifier can be adjusted to any voltage so as to produce the desired current density required. A typical battery charger only has a few settings and nothing in between. so adjusting it is just a matter of picking the closest setting and adjusting acid strength and cathode area to dial in the correct current density. Some folks will plug there battery charger into a electric light dimmer d immer circuit to be able to control c ontrol the output. http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (14 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

This works for small battery chargers, but don't expect the dimmer to hold up if a large 50 amp charger is used,. A typical dimmer is only rated at 600 watts. The larger the current draw, the faster the part will anodize. But too much current can burn the part. High current anodizing also causes higher temperatures in the tank that can cause the parts to pit due to localized heat around the part in the acid. Again, use air bubble lines in the tank to keep things stirred up and temperatures uniform. Don't try anodizing too fast at high current levels unless you have some experience with the process. Follow the current/time guideline below. This subject is what trips up first time anodizers, so please get the guide and test your setup on a scrap aluminum part before doing real projects.

Anodize at a current density range range of 4 to 12 amps per square foot of part. Adjusting the acid ratio and cathode size will affect how much current is drawn during anodizing. Of course, the voltage produced by the battery charger has a great deal to do with current draw as well. Use different settings on the charger to try and stay in the middle of the current density range. Lower current densities require longer durations and produce a brighter silver looking looking anodized surface. Anodizing at higher current densities is much faster and produce the typical Yellow tint looking surface. Of course the surface will be dyed any way so the natural color is really not that th at important. However the yellow tint will effect the dyed color a small amount. My anodizing tank also has an electronic temperature gauge (simple indoor/outdoor gauge) to provide a means of monitoring the temperature of the acid to make make sure it does not exceed more than than 78 degrees F while anodizing. anodizing. The temperature of the acid rises while anodizing. anodizing. The larger the tank of acid, the slower slower the temperature will rise during anodizing. Small tanks may only be able to do one run at a time before being forced to wait for the acid to cool back down. The part can start to burn or pit if the temperature of the acid is too high while anodizing. The ideal temperature range is between 68-73 degrees for Type II anodizing. My old system had an AC unit blowing into the sealed box to cool the acid down to around 65 degrees before starting an anodizing run. I can then maintain a normal temperature range with the AC running while anodizing. You don't need to have an AC unit like in this example if you are only doing a few parts. Most people would just do one run and then wait for the temperature to cool back down before starting the next. But too much of a "cold thing" thing" is bad. Don't go below 65 degrees! The colder you make the bath, the less less current will be drawn for a given size part. Anodizing at 50 degrees would require double the voltage coming out of the power supply. A typical battery charger is only going to put out between 15 to 20 volts so it will not work. Stick with the normal range of 68 to 73 degrees for Type II anodizing. 50 degree anodizing is basically hard coating or type III anodizing, however the required current density is 24 ASF and at that high of current level much higher voltages are required. See my my anodizing guide for Hard coat coat anodizing procedures. BTW-- A stick-on fish tank temperature gauge also works well for monitoring the acid temperature. Next, suspend the aluminum part in the acid using the attached aluminum aluminum hanging wire. Connect the positive terminal of the charger to the wire holding the part and turn on the charger. The part should not touch the plastic plastic container or be placed too close to the cathodes in the tank. See the new 2004 Anodizing Booklet Booklet for "how to" build aluminum aluminum racks and related rigging methods. Titanium wire can also be used and does not anodize along with the part, so it can be used again and again with no stripping involved. Aluminum wire anodizes with the part and once anodized does not conduct electricity therefore it needs to be stripped back down to raw aluminum before being reused re used each time. Normally the wire is discarded after being used once.


Anodizing Aluminum

Ramp up the voltage slowly if possible. Start the charger at the lowest setting for a few seconds then click up to higher settings until a good current density is being drawn. Sometimes applying full power abruptly can cause the electrical connections to fail at the wire to part contact point. If the electrical connection to the part is not tight, it will fail during the process and only the aluminum hookup wire will will be anodized, not the part. The current should rise then level off off in the first few minutes of anodizing. As the anodized layer finishes building on the part you may notice a small drop in current about at the calculated duration time noted below. This is normal; however, however, if the current drops suddenly during the process that indicates that the connection to the part has failed. failed. If the current is too high, the connection connection wire may burn off. Use a 12 gauge wire when possible for the hanging wire. If the current keeps rising as the part anodizes then check the temperature. The hotter the acid gets the more current will be drawn. Remember, the temperature has to be kept within within limits or your part may become pitted.

Bubbles will start foaming off both the cathodes and a little from the part. I would advise not breathing the fumes, and would suggest some way of venting them away from your work area. I put the plastic tank in a sealed wooden box with a fan to vent the fumes out a nearby window using a simple dryer hose. Next lets figure duration, it is important to anodize for the correct amount of time. There is a point in time as the layer is grown that the process reaches the dissolution point. Where the coating gets no thicker (typically .001") and the sulfuric acid is eating away the layer at the same rate it is being grown. If the dissolution d issolution point is exceeded then the part will start to "burn" or look pitted. Decorative anodizing is about half way to the dissolution point and is common on manufactured items that durability is not a factor, but color needs are. Figure out how long to anodize the part using the following Duration rule - 720 amp minutes per square foot of part or 12 amp hours per square foot of part for close to full thickness (just under the dissolution point), Remember the current density is between 4 to 12 amps per square foot. Duration and and current density are two different things!! The Duration and current densities are covered in the guide. The sample part in this example has 42.4 sq " of surface and is drawing 2 amps according to the meter on the power supply. 720/2 =360 amp min, and 42.4/144 42.4/144 = .294 sq'. So 360 times .294 = 105 minutes in the tank. The current will automatically automatically http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (16 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

adjust for more or less parts up to the capacity of the charger's amp rating being used. So, stay under its maximum rating or the charger may overheat. Your anodizing setup's current density and anodizing rate will differ due to different battery chargers, tank sizes, acid ratio, and cathode sizes. Anodize a 1 square foot test te st part (12x6" sheet) to see what current density your system wants to run at, adjust the setting on the charger, acid ratio, and cathode size to get the system to operate with in current density ranges. Then calculate the duration based on the current draw and do some scrap parts to see how every thing is working.

Notice the color of the anodized part. p art. Most alloys show a pale lemon tint if using a higher voltage based current density range. The following photo shows the color of th ree 2024 aluminum alloy samples - natural aluminum, anodized, and dyed black.

Can you tell which part below lost it's electrical connection during anodizing by looking at the color?

The 2nd from top failed during anodizing. anodizing. See the lighter shade, unlike the others. Rinse the part with COLD water after removing it from the acid tank. Do not use hot water as it may start to seal the pores in


Anodizing Aluminum

the aluminum hydrate layer before you have a chance to dye it. Once the part is rinsed well in cold water, it is time to dye the part to your desired color. Violet dye was used on this Jr. dragster.

Mix the dye according to the manufactures instructions. The powder based dyes mix normally at 2 grams per litter of water, except black which tends to be about 4 times that. Heat the dye to about 140 degrees F. Hang your anodized parts in the dye bath for anywhere from 15 seconds to 15 minutes depending on the shade desired. If you want a light pastel shade of the color, keep the time short. If a deep solid color is what you are after, let let it in the dye for the full 15 minutes. Anodizing dye will last years if you are careful not to cross contaminate it with sulfuric sulfuric acid from the anodizing step. Remember to rinse well between tanks. Also, don't forget to seal the dye container when not in use to prevent evaporation. By the way - just add a little water to the dye, anodizing, cleaner, and all other baths to bring the water level back up due to evaporation. I check and adjust mine before each use.

Here is a 5 gallon blue dye tank with the heater pulled out and hanging rack installed. You can simply use a plastic container and microwave microwave it to heat up the dye if needed. It does not have to be http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html http://www.focuser.com/atm/ anodize/anodize99.html (18 de 22)30/03/2005 19:46:44

Anodizing Aluminum

anything fancy. Rinse the parts after removing them from the dye tank. Now it is time to seal the pores and lock in the dye by sealing the part. All commercial anodizing dye requires a Nickel Acetate based sealer. Just place the parts in 180 degree sealer for 20 minutes, rinse and let dry over night. Stay away from the low temperature sealers they tend to leach out a good deal of color during the sealing process. See the new Anodizing Booklet for detailed information on sealing. sealing. Or try the new Mid temp sealer that is easier to use and maintain then the old fashion boiling type. The Th e new Mid temp Nickel based sealer is what I offer in the Dye and sealer kit.

If you do not want to dye the part and just want to seal the natural anodized color, just skip the dying step and seal it as outlined above. The natural anodized color color will change slightly. If the part does not take the dye, it means it is not anodized fully. Look for--- failed electrical connections, too little current draw, not long enough anodizing time, too small of cathode size, automatic battery charger or too weak acid. Check the wire, if it takes the dye but the part does not, then the connection failed at some point during anodizing.

Note the middle part failed to take the black dye due to not being fully anodized. The electrical connection was at fault. The part was returned to the anodizing tank BEFORE sealing. It was then anodized fully after fixing the connection and re-dyed.


Anodizing Aluminum

For anodizing other aluminum alloys such as sand cast and dye d ye cast aluminum special prep is required. See the anodizing guide for information on anodizing cast aluminum. It is nortorous for being the most diffacult aluminum alloy to anodize due du e to the high silicon level in the alloy.

Plastic coolers, buckets, and storage containers all work well for setting up an anodizing line. Please see the booklet for splash, fade, mask and other multi color dying procedures along with masking steel parts to protect them prior to anodizing.

Doing fade and multi color anodizing is great fun if you take the time and practice. There are amateur anodizers with very small modest systems doing outstanding multicolor parts. p arts. This was a simple 2 color fade job. The 2004 edition guide will show you how to multiple color fades, splash, and other cool effects.


Anodizing Aluminum

Here is a 2 color splash anodizing job using u sing hot pink with orange splash. If you are the creative type you can see the possibilities doing multi color anodizing. It is not hard, it just takes a few practice scrap parts to get up and running. runn ing.


Anodizing Aluminum

Top of page


How to Anodizing Aluminum

Recommend Documents