Anyone tried home anodising?

Misty memories of anodes and cathodes from school got me thinking why you couldn't bling some alu parts at home? And various online guides on say you can do it in about half an hour with some caustic soda, acid, a car battery, lead, copper and some Dylon dye of your choice.

you try it and shows us ;)-

This fella's had a go and looks OK-ish

Colourszzzz

yeah ive looked into it
i bet it would be great fun
not sure if i will ever get the time to make it happen though?

Home anodised tinfoil hats?

I IS SMEEARTACUS yeah ive looked into it
i bet it would be great fun
not sure if i will ever get the time to make it happen though?

Looked into it last year too, worked out easier/cheaper to take a few bits down to my local anodizer.

You'd have the main problem of getting the sulphuric acid. Chemical companies like Aldrich won't sell to individuals.

It's nasty to handle as well; I get nervous using the properly concentrated stuff and that's with gloves, specs, lab coat, fume cupboard and a few millilitres!

adoubletap Misty memories of anodes and cathodes from school...

Sure you're not thinking of electroplating? Bling up those Phils with some copper!

Anodise THIS

Sam Anodise?

Tramps and the gang did a bit of home anodising when I was in the States. They used my favorite baking pan, I was sad, but then he bought me two new baby blue ones, and I was happy. Now I bake more and make twice as much so I'm pretty sure he would consider the anodising a success.
He also has shiny bars.

....all my spoons are bent like tyre levers too, guess I get new spoons some day too?

we nickelplated some electrodes in the lab, using nitric acid and a power pack the other day ;)

yer just get dale to use his labness to do it for you

flickwg yer just get dale to use his labness to do it for you

maybe not, after what i did to the other specialised lever i gave to hippy ;)

sounds intreeging tell us more

1/2 strength hydrochloric acid and specialised cross-top lever, sit for 20 mins = bubbling heated mess, with moon cratered lever, dissolved clamp ;)

ok then - not giving you a set of nittos

You should have used NaOH, did mine a treat :)

Hi Guys,

Two things:

1 Tynan,
Can you let me know where the local anodizer you got your work done was?

2 Anyone know what would happen if you stripped a frame and anodised it? Would it be durable...?

Cheers.

Matt

2 Anyone know what would happen if you stripped a frame and anodised it? Would it be durable...?

The frame needs to be aluminium of you want it done.

And yes, it would be as durable as the anodising you get on your chainrings, wheel rims etc.

For best results anodisers like to use clean, shiny new aluminium otherwise the results look a bit flat/crap.

Most anodisers also do general metal finishing, such as polishing etc. So you could get an item polished and then anodised for durability/colour.

2 Anyone know what would happen if you stripped a frame and anodised it? Would it be durable...?

Cheers.

Matt

Anodizing leaves a very hard layer on alloy, it makes the alloy more durable than without anodizing.

Anodizing leaves a very hard layer on alloy, it makes the alloy more durable than without anodizing.

Thats actually not totally correct.

By 'alloy' you mean aluminium right?

Aluminium naturally forms a protective hard oxide layer on its surface.

But it doesnt look to great (white & flaky)

The process of anodising however allows specific finishes to be attained and maintained.

I build alloy boats and we have various bits anodised without dye which works fine for giving a smart, shiny finish (gets rid of the white oxide layer). Don't tend to use it for anything that's been welded though as it doesn't adhere well to nicks and uneven bits and can turn out pretty ropey. Having said that, for a frame in good condition with nicely tigged butts, reckon you'd be fine and could look quality. You can always spray over it if it looks shit anyway...