New to anodizing

[Gunjji]

Hey everyone,
Ive been looking into anodizing for a cpl weeks now. Getting rdy to get the things I need. However Ive read up on sealing and there seems to be two different ways.
1. Using a sealer chemical bath at 180 degrees
2. Just boiling water

Any suggestions/tips from the experts?

Thanks,
Bryan

[sswee]

It depends on the use of the part as to which is best. The majority of parts I use the nickle acetate sealer. SS

[Gunjji]

The parts will most likely be dirtbike parts. Some on the engine, some on the shocks and swingarm...

I heard a crockpot is a good choice, most of my parts are small and should be ok in that size tank. Can anyone confirm that the low setting is around 140 and high is 180 degrees or close enough.

The tanks and temp control is the only obstacle I see before I get started.

Thanks

[sswee]

Beware of cast parts. They use all kinds of mixes to get a good pour, to increase strength and corrosion resistance. Some will anodize OK, some not very well due to smut, and some not at all. You'll need some etch. Caswell's anodize/chrome stripper works good and can be used at room temp. Some deox/desmut. It works best at 110*F. For those kinds of part I would use the nickel acetate sealer.

Crock pots work real well. Temp. range on the ones I've used has been 110* to 180*F. You could get a boil with the lid on. The main problem I had using them was size. I couldn't find one big enough for what I was doing. A handful of candy thermometers are useful to keep an eye on heated tank temps. Only problem is they are glass and you have to watch bumping them on hard parts or thermal shocking them to shatter.

White plastic paint buckets with lid work good for tanks but heating in them is problematic. I use the Caswell 300W ceramic heaters and thermostats. The crock pots will work good if they are big enough for your parts. I've used hot plates and 8, 10, 12 qt stainless stew pots for dyes and water boil seal

[Gunjji]

Wow,

Thats some good info,

Thanks man

[Gunjji]

Ok, instead of posting a new topic, I will continue with this one.

Next question is the power source. Ive been thinking of buying a battery charger and a dimmer switch to control the flow. Its the big charger you see in garages with the two wheels.

But then this "3 Amp Constant Current Rectifier" caught my eye and was wondering if this is more suitable for my needs.
The parts I want to anodize are off my dirtbikes. Nothing as big as a swingarm although the tanks Im looking to use would certainly fit a swingarm size. Like a coleman cooler, but a 5 gal bucket would sufice my needs.

Whats the max Sq. Ft this 3 Amp Constant Current Rectifier will properly anodize? And what would that anodize time be?

If I ask any idiot questions, please feel free to smack me around a bit. I learn that way, lol...

Thanks Guys...

[sswee]

The 3A CC/CV PS will max out on 96" SA at a 4.5A CD. To grow a .5 mil coating would take 80 minutes.

Unless you have the charger, dimmer, and a couple of DMM's, cost wise your better off with the CC/CV PS. It's too bad Caswell doesn't still carry the 20A CC/CV PS. You can find them on the net for around $300 or cheaper on E-bay but you have to make sure it's CC. I started out with the charger and light bulbs, upgraded to the 3A PS then to a 20A PS.

As far as actual use, the CC/CV PS will eliminate alot of problems. Make your calculations for your setting, set your amperage and it does the rest. It automatically compensates for several of the parameters in anodizing.

Another thing overlooked is aeration or agitation of the tank. If you had the bigger PS, you would still have problems on a larger part due to the heat barrier buildup around the part. Aggressive agitation is needed to combat this problem. Tank temp rising beyond acceptable limits can be dealt with by a larger electrolyte volume, AC unit or chiller.

If you have MS Excel download the 720 rule calculator. You can play with it on part sizes, CD's and run times. Any questions on it or if you want to know how to figure everything yourself, just ask.

Chew on this a bit and see what else you want to know. lol
SS

[Gunjji]

Think this one is good?
PRO-CRAFT RECTIFIERS 10 AMP 110V RECTIFIER
Description: Precision built, duty-duty, solid-state electronic units with a range of power to handle all plating needs. Works by means of the powerstat control, to produce desired voltage.

[sswee]

No, it's not CC capable. Most all like you want will have two sets of knobs. A coarse and a fine adjustment knob for current and the same for voltage.
SS

[kmbrly]

I, too, am new to anodizing. I bought the LCD kit and a 20 amp rectifier from Caswell (it might not be listed on the website - call them and ask about it). I anodized a practice bar using it the other night and was very pleased.

I used the sealant that came with the LCD kit. What type of part could be sealed with plain water?