Alternate solution heating idea?

[dagobert]

This might also apply to the anodizing forum, but what I am thinking of would be for a dual plating/anodizing workbench set-up. Has anyone has any success trying to use copper tubing to plumb hot water around the plastic tanks with insulation wrapped around it as a heat source instead of the ceramic heaters? By using a hot plate heated main water tank and a water pump to circulate the heated water (controlled by valves) through the tubing around each of the tanks that need heating, would that transfer enough heat through the plastic (if both the tubing and the tanks were wrapped in insulation)? Just trying to figure out some way to avoid having to buy all the different heaters needed to set up a dual set-up for both chroming and anodizing.

[mcaswell]

Now you've introduced copper into the tank. This will contaminate a nickel tank and really screw up anodizing. No, the Caswell heaters are the best

It isn't broken!

[dagobert]

Oh, OK, I realize I didn't express it right. What I was thinking of was wrapping the copper tubing around the outside of the plastic buckets/tanks, and then wrapping around that with insulation.

But on the subject of the tank heaters your kit uses, won't it mess up the solutions to move them from one tank to the other, or does each tank have its own dedicated heater(s)? Also, if I am trying to set up a bench with both the triple chrome and LCD processes, could they both share the same SP Degreaser tank? Thanks.

[fxstcguy98]

Just my opinion, but running all that copper tubing (you probably want at least 3 or 4 wraps for a 6 gal bucket), valves, pumps, insulation and a sorce for heating up the water sounds like it might be more expensive in the long run than just using the heaters. What size of kits are you thinking of buying. If you get the Caswell 4.5 gal triple chrome kit, it comes with all the heaters in the kit, one for each solution, then you would only need a couple more for anodizing.
As far as using the same heater for different solutions, I don't think that would be a problem as long as you rinse them well between solutions. I WOULD USE A SEPERATE HEATER FOR THE CHROME AND ONLY USE IT IN CHROME. If you rinse the heaters and switch tanks, then wait an hour or so for it to get up to temp, you might find that having a heater for each solution is well worth the cost of your time.
Hope this helps.

[bhhodges]

you would be much better off with having a heater for each tank that needs one instead of having to switch back and forth and cleaning 100% inbetween changing from one to another. you would have at least 5 times invested in copper pipe-insulation-water heater,ts,elbows etc etc for what a heater would cost.


bill

[dagobert]

OK, so much for that idea. Thanks for the input from everybody. My funds are tight, and I'm trying to save enough to set up a small hobby business doing both chroming and anodizing, and am looking for ways to save where I can on costs. Never hurts to ask.

[kickn]

The ohter thing - I know this is a bit old but I was just lurking - is that your copper pipe idea still lacks temp control does it not?