Annodizing
(the cheapskate way)
This
comes from Dave
in Georgia, one of the regulars on the
HSM message
board. These are (mostly) his words and
instructions, all I've done is attempt to clarify.
WARNING!
This involves dangerous chemicals that could severely injure
or kill you. These chemicals also produce noxious fumes that are also
dangerous. When disposing of dangerous chemicals, take them to the
proper Hazmat disposal center. DON'T dump it down the drain!
My
anodizing outfit, a roll of aluminum mig wire, a small transformer,
a bridge, a variable slide resistor and a amp meter. and a bunch of
buckets.(note: you can use a battery charger for a power source, just
keep in mind that small chargers will severly limit the size of the
part your able to do)
Tie the parts up with the mig wire firmly, if you lose connection
it will not work. A hook bent and forced into a threaded hole works
best.
First bucket, drain cleaner, diluted lye solution. I put a $1 bottle
from the dollar store in that 5 gallon bucket.. Any steel will disappear
in there.
Don't fingerprint it.. the wash stripped it clean..
Next bucket, rainwater caught
off the roof.. I slosh it around in there.. Cost = Free..
Next bucket a diluted battery acid solution I put a box of battery
acid into the bucket filled with rainwater.. I put a piece of lead
down one side, across bottom and up other side. This is the common
anode. (heck I don't remember for sure which polarity) cost $5.95
at autoparts.
Take stringer of parts, tie them to a conductor copper, rod, or piece
of tig wire.. Hook other conductor to the bar with clip. With the
12-24vdc applied it bubbles slightly as it is lowered into the acid
solution.. This is a anodize building up.. I used my welder on dc
on some large parts.. it worked.. but using it on smaller parts the
heat increased the reactivity with the acid and it ate off the anodize
as it was being applied.. ANY steel will disappear in there.. if you
break a tap off in aluminum just drop it in here..
when the current falls back on the inline amp meter, anodize is a
insulator.. you can pull it.. I use 12 - 20 minutes as a reference..
Wash it in the next rainwater bucket to remove acid solution.. DO
not fingerprint(ie, get your fingerprints on it, wear latex gloves)it.
I have a 120volt water heater element (available at Home Depot) tacked
welded to a angle, it immerses in a vat of common liquid acid clothes
dye mixed about 2x strength recommended for dying clothes. (not RIT
powder). I heat it till it steams.. I clamp the element onto the side
of the bucket so it is all immersed. I have a ground fault plug in
there. THIS IS THE DANGEROUS PART.
THE ANODIZE is like a bundle of straws, the hot dye fills these straws,
provided you have not fingerprinted the item with oil.. I let is soak
in there for about twenty minutes.. WHEN the shade is correct, pull
it.. wash it.. then put it in another pot of water and boil it/seal
it.. Provided your wire connection has not came loose, and you have
not fingerprinted it you have anodized the part.. Dye comes in lots
of shades.. I have not used the "real" dyes since my colors
are so pretty..
Wear eye protection, the acid, the lye, etc
Note: typically you seal
annodizing with Nickel Acetate, I haven't tried Dave's method so you
might want to experiment before trying this on a Mission Critical
Part. Also you might want to forget about trying this on Cast Aluminum
as the extremely high levels of Silicon in it makes it difficult even
for professional Annodizers.
Here are some links
to help with Annodizing:
Ron
Newman's Annodizing Page
Caswell Plating
