Dangers of Electroplating?

[throwinallthepaint]

What dangers can come of annodizing? how can I avoid these dangers? and I've heard that the fumes can be kind of strong, How strong are they, if you do it in front of a window then have the fan blowing out of the window would that help at all?

[-AAPB-Eric]

Fumes - Strong, if you stick to the 1/3 ratio its OK. I dont notice it really, but my partners and a few freinds are sensitive to harsh chemicals and are affected by it even with the vent system. If you strenghten the acid concentration then its much worse. The acid fumes are carcoginic by nature.

Thats my only concern. The degreaser, dye, deox arent bad at all. The sealer is a bit overwhelming and smells a bit of naphtalene (moth balls). Again, your sensitivity to chemicals may make this different for you. Ive been working with chemicals for a long time and I have gotten used to them.

Few are brave enough to use Nitric acid, that stuff is nasty.
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A fan is ok, but not great. You do need a proper vent system/fume hood.

The stuff is flamable. With the ceramic heaters we have had some close calls with fires.

Chlorine gas sometimes is produced depending if your doing designs, also pretty nasty.


None of these chemicals are 'safe'. Even the buffing will contaminate your air, blacken your mucus membrane (nose & respiratory tract) and affect your lungs. You should take many precautions and safety steps. After that, then yes this is fine and the chemicals associated wont be much of a problem with the LCD method.

[mcaswell]

I'm not sure where AARB got the idea that our anodizing chemicals are flammable, they are all water based.

As for chlorine gas, I'm not sure how he produced that either. Chlorine and acid mixed together produce this. I don't recall any or our products with chlorine in them.

The anodizing tank has a mist suppressant, so you should not smell any sulfuric acid. If you do, it's time to add more mist suppressant.

[ken_the_stp]

Perhaps he was referring to the hydrogen gas that is produced during some of the anodizing process. When concentrated hydrogen will burn/explode. Adequate ventilation will prevent the gas from concentrating.

[-AAPB-Eric]

Originally Posted by ken_the_stp

It would seem to me that an induction based heater would be for this situation . With an induction heater the container or a ferric mettle placed somewhere in the liquid to be heated. Induction based heaters can also regulate temperate more precisely than any other type if heater. You could use this technology easily with the dye and dissolved lye. But i am not sure if you could put the deox desmut in a stainless steal container.

nope not in deox. I have a few for dye, sealer, SP degreaser... deox I still stick to ceramic.

To clarify, use proper precaution with venting and your fine. If your doing this small scale, a fan would be ok, but go to homeless depot and get a kitchen fume hood for like $30, I find they work wonders and cut down on fumes that are emmited.