An easy, DIY alternative to anodizing

[wjr]

Just recently I heard about something called alodine. Having done some anodizing in the past with less then great results I was eager to learn more about it. Alodine is a chemical that essentially does the same thing that anodizing does, it just does it chemically. It oxidizes the outer layer of the aluminum and can then be painted with normal metal paint.

Here's a page with another description:

http://www.matronics.com/rv-list/hovan/tips/AlAnDef.html

I bought some of this stuff from here:

http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Alodine_Chromate_Conversion-c109.html?gclid=CNS7yY-r5owCFQdyUAodMlx80A

I purchased the Alodine 1200.

I was ver pleased with the results of it. I painted the sight rail and foregrip bracket of my RT Classic just with using normal spray paint and then applied a layer of gloss coating. I was very pleased with the results. With an airbrush I'm sure it could be made to look even better.

When I get home tonight I'll put up some pictures of it.

This is an incredibly easy way to give your gun a new look yourself. But I must say that is still doesn't quite look as good as anodizing.

[mr doo doo]

sounds interesting, but for some reason the links dont work.

[Dark Side]

Tell me more...

[maglover728]

This sounds cool but as stated above, the links don't work.

[Warwitch]

Good for a backup marker maybe but I would be hard pressed to put powdercoat on my rig much less spray paint. (Duracoat is 10x better than any regualr spray paint too).

[wjr]

Links have been fixed.

[luke]

it just does it chemically. It oxidizes the outer layer of the aluminum and can then be painted with normal metal paint.

First thing that comes to mind is will it take a dye like anno? I know that is not the purpose, but may be worth trying..

[wjr]

First thing that comes to mind is will it take a dye like anno? I know that is not the purpose, but may be worth trying..

I thought this same thing as I typed up this thread. I think I may try it when I get home.

[Pneumagger]

this does not remove the current anodize though, does it?

[wjr]

No, it doesn't remove the anodize. You have to strip it first.

Here's what you've got to do:

1) Strip the anodize. Do this by putting the part(s) in Drano diluted with water. Dilute it at about a 1:3 drano to water ratio. After stripping it sand it with 320 grit sand paper and continue sanding with higher and higher grits until about 800. Then use steel wool. After that polish the part with tripoli compound.

2) Rinse the part with water and soap.

3) Use a toothbush to apply the alodine. It'll stick onto the aluminum, making it gold.

4) Wash the part again in water to get the excess alodine off.

5) Paint the part using any paint meant for metals. An airbrush would most likely give the best results. You may want to do two coats. You could put a layer of clear gloss on to make it shinier. If you wanted to take the paint off for whatever reason you can use paint thinner without damaging the alodine layer.

[Hexis]

The purpose of Anodizing is to harden the surface. The ability of dye the surface and color the metal is secondary. Priming the metal for painting is nothing like anodizing.

[wjr]

The purpose of Anodizing is to harden the surface. The ability of dye the surface and color the metal is secondary. Priming the metal for painting is nothing like anodizing.

Alodine does dramatically increase the corrosion resistance of aluminum. That's more then powdercoat or duracoat can say.

If I ever do this to say, a gun body, then I'm going to leave the inside anodized. Raw aluminum is strong enough for the outside.

Also this process is used to paint lots of aluminum things- bicycles, motorcycles, air planes...

[Toll]

Wouldn't mind doing this to my rail/ some beat up asa's I have kicking around.

Neat find.

[Hexis]

Alodine does dramatically increase the corrosion resistance of aluminum. That's more then powdercoat or duracoat can say.

Yes, corrosion resistance. That's great when you are not dealing with impact damage.

[angrysasquatch]

Anodizing is so thin (10 thou for hard anodizing, I believe) that it doesn't do anything noticeable to keep you gun from being dented (hence "impact damage"). Anodizing doesn't protect your gun from anything other than oxidation.

Sounds like a great alternative to beating yourself up for every scratch you put on your gun, since you could repaint just that spot or the whole thing quite cheaply.