DIY annodizing

[thefool]

dont use copper wire, go for 6061 aluminum wire.

[CoolHand]

Copper in an ano bath is bad juju, avoid it at all costs.

Your bath will dissolve the copper, and your ano will turn splotchy. Trust me, we did it once already.

For hookups, we used aluminum TIG welding filler rods.

In a pinch, you can use just dead soft aluminum wire. Alloy doesn't matter, just make sure it is aluminum.

Lead works very well for the cathode, as does aluminum sheetmetal. Foil just falls apart in a week, and you have to sweep it up and strain the bath. A big chunk of lead works very well, and will not dissolve away, but the best is to line the whole perimeter of the tank with a 6" wide strip of aluminum sheeting (we used 0.040" thick, but that doesn't matter much) turned on edge. It lasts very well, and by it going all the way around the tank, you limit cathode shadow.

[wjr]

Okay cool. Thanks for all of the help.

Holpefully my last question though. What grade/concentration sulfuric acid is used? I was looking at my local chemical distributors website and I saw something called "ACS" grade and "laboratory" grade. Also on wikipedia it mentioned the more common concentrations and their uses. However it didn't mention anything about what concentration was used for anodizing.

[CoolHand]

Go to autozone and buy car battery electrolite.

Then mix it according to whatever you get off of caswell's forums, I can't recall offhand.

[wjr]

Awsome. Thanks alot. I was thinking that I would have to order the stuff. It sounds like I can get everything locally.

I'll be sure to post my results.

[thefool]

battery acid should be about 50/50 with water.
make sure you add the water to the acid and not the other way around.

if your looking for good cathods, take apart a car battery and use the lead plates, theyll work perfectly.

id try doing a test piece first before jumping onto parts, ecpecially with rit dyes. the black comes out a puke green.

if your having trouble getting a good anodic layer and need a new power supply

good luck though. And be sure to work in a ventilated area and keep the solution at around 70 degrees fernghit to avoid pitting. Lower your power supply wont handle and higher will pit the parts.

read http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html , its very helpful

[billmi]

battery acid should be about 50/50 with water.
make sure you add the water to the acid and not the other way around.

Only do that if you want to be burned by acid and wear a mask like the Dread Pirate Roberts.

The general labaratory mantra is Always add acid, otherwise it may boil and spatter the acid on you.

See:

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/safety/faq/always-add-acid.shtml

Labratories, and areas where acid is used often have industrial signs stressing this rule:

http://www.speedysigns.com/signs/WARNING_Always_Add_Acid_To_Water.asp

[Hexis]

Only do that if you want to be burned by acid and wear a mask like the Dread Pirate Roberts.

The Dread Pirate Roberts was pretty cool, maybe it would be worth it.

[thefool]

oops sorry
wasnt thinking, thats what i ment.

anyone know where you can get sulfuric acid anymore though??? I can' t get battery acid or anything the only thing i've found is drain cleaner but its a bit dirty for my tastes.

[SR_matt]

drain cleanr IIRC is caustic soada and u use that to strip not to anodize.

go to a battery shop, they shoudl have battery acid which is sulferic

and dont forget your protection, goggles, gloves, boots, apron, face shield and resporator as a minium (the face shild more when ur moving stuff in and out and pouring)

better to be safe than sorry (no matter how cliche its soooooOOOooo true)

i was looking at doing an ano kit but i dont have the money i thought id have

good luck
-matt

[thefool]

no- proffessional drain cleaner (called rooto is something like 90-93% sulfuric acid, they sell it at true value for $5 a quart) its dirty though. i tryied napa but they said that they stopped selling battery acid. Any other ideas. I may just be a New York thing.

Lye is the best for stripping although i hear they stopped making the red something lye which was the best.

[SR_matt]

hmmm mabye in NY you need a hasmat thing to get it if you cant get it at a battery shop.

-matt

[behemoth]

no- proffessional drain cleaner (called rooto is something like 90-93% sulfuric acid, they sell it at true value for $5 a quart) its dirty though. i tryied napa but they said that they stopped selling battery acid. Any other ideas. I may just be a New York thing.

Lye is the best for stripping although i hear they stopped making the red something lye which was the best.

eBay.

-- Also, its red-devil lye.