Hiya guys, hope you can help answer a few questions, I am new to anodizing!.
I am from the UK and will be gathering my own kit, very basic at first, but then develop it!.
I want to idelly start a sideline in anodizing car bits n bobs (throttle bodies, alternator casings etc), maybe even bigger Cam Covers etc oneday.....
I intend to use a storage box (plastic) as my anodize tank, with two aluminium sheets as cathodes at each end (8x8 i expect). Battery acid 1/4 and 3/4 dionised water as my electroyte.
A Car battery charger will be used as my power supply.....and for now I will be using fabric dye to dye components, although if i get "good" results, ill look at upgrading to a propper setup (before doing things for other people), with Caswell dyes.
I have 3 main questions that would help me get started!
1) One of my peices i plan to anodize has 3 mild steel fixings in it, can i dip these anyway, i know they wont get anodized, but they cant be removed
. OR will they wreck the peice?
2) If you use Aluminium Cathodes, dont they anodize too and have to be replaced (due to loss in conductance?).
3) Current Density. I dont really understand how to work out timings, I have seen the 720amp minutes thing, I assume I have to start the peice going, read the current draw, and then work out the time required based on surface area? As i wont be able to control the current much (battery charger), so I assume i must read the current first and then calcultae timings?
Many thanks in advance
I am from the UK and will be gathering my own kit, very basic at first, but then develop it!.
I want to idelly start a sideline in anodizing car bits n bobs (throttle bodies, alternator casings etc), maybe even bigger Cam Covers etc oneday.....
I intend to use a storage box (plastic) as my anodize tank, with two aluminium sheets as cathodes at each end (8x8 i expect). Battery acid 1/4 and 3/4 dionised water as my electroyte.
A Car battery charger will be used as my power supply.....and for now I will be using fabric dye to dye components, although if i get "good" results, ill look at upgrading to a propper setup (before doing things for other people), with Caswell dyes.
I have 3 main questions that would help me get started!
1) One of my peices i plan to anodize has 3 mild steel fixings in it, can i dip these anyway, i know they wont get anodized, but they cant be removed

2) If you use Aluminium Cathodes, dont they anodize too and have to be replaced (due to loss in conductance?).
3) Current Density. I dont really understand how to work out timings, I have seen the 720amp minutes thing, I assume I have to start the peice going, read the current draw, and then work out the time required based on surface area? As i wont be able to control the current much (battery charger), so I assume i must read the current first and then calcultae timings?
Many thanks in advance

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