?¿tank and part size for anodizing¿?

[upncoming]

Iv been powder coating with good results for a few months and would like to add some anodized parts to my projects. well the LCD kit comes with 5 gallon tanks that would be good for small parts but from reading around in this forum it seems the parts must be at least 2"-3" away from the plates.

so i guess one of my questions i have is mostly everything that i would want to dip is taller or wider then the tanks offered in the LCD kit. ( valve covers, intake manifolds, brake calipers ) stuff like that. So does the parts have to be totally covered in the mixes or could the dipping be complete in half's at a time

[M_D]

There may be some instances and parts of the process where the part may be partially submerged and then reversed, but for the most part that will not work well at all. One of the keys to obtaining a nice anodize job is a consistent layer of anodize over the entire part, this will give an even color. There would be an area around the parting line that would either overlap or have some deficiency. Dying one end and then the other would also make it impossible to end up with an even color over the entire part. Sealing the part one end at a time may appear to work initially, but age will bring out the unevenness also.

Although you didn’t ask per se, here are some points I will make about tanks;

Generally speaking, the anodize tank needs to be the largest one, due to the cathodes and the space between the parts. Also, there should be either an air or pump actuated agitation system for frequent use (takes up a little room), other wise you may get by with hand agitation for more limited use. The sealer, being it is heated to the high temperature of boiling or near boiling, also can use some extra tank height to help reduce the need for constant refilling to due evaporation. If you were doing a lot of work, this gets to be a hassle when you have little margin between the tank top and exposing the part because of low fluid due to evaporation. The rest of the tanks can be closer in size to the actual part. There are options that may not cost a lot, as you can use most polyethylene containers, although you do need to consider the safety aspect of having acid in a larger flimsy container. Also, hot sealer will soften polyethylene (normally rated to a maximum of 150º F) and could present a hazard if it were to burst open. It could burn someone, and if it were to burst open and not be detected the heaters are likely to cause a fire.

Most of the readily available containers that are larger than the buckets are thin, and thus weaker. Round containers are stronger against liquid forces. If you can find a place to purchase used plastic barrels, they can be a good source for upgraded containers and are usually priced reasonably. They are available in various sizes, 55-60 gallon being the most common, but there are 15, 20, 28 gallon sizes, among others.

You might check this thread out and follow it concerning cathode to part distance and arrangement.

http://www.caswellplating.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=3381

[upncoming]

Just looking around on the net for some tanks. i came across this site that has a 30 Gal Reconditioned Plastic Drums and is a
really good size for what i need. heres the link to the site http://www.bayteccontainers.com/30galfoodgra.html do you think these would make for good tanks