Another run, getting better

[rclint]

I made another run today, 3 parts at .5 square foot, ps set at 6 amps CC mode, ran up to 19 volts, the just hovered around 18.3 for the entire time, I did get very little white powder after I was finished, but I think I could run for 30 more minutes set up like this get a thicker anodize growth, for now I'm happy with this, the color didn't take as well as the half mill test before, but you can tell by using sand paper that this is much harder.

This setup gave me 12 amps per square foot, I cooled the water with ice before I started, ~60*, still have not gotten my pump so agitation was by hand. My mask failed again, I used spar finish, It may be failing because I'm bead blasting before i anodize as a clean step.

The 170-325 grit glass beads gives a super fine matte finish, wow this is a great finish to anodize over. I'm going to try rubber cement on the mask next, I would buy the stuff from caswell it's cheap, but the darn shipping is as much as the mask LOL. Can you bead blast over the mask, if not how are you cleaning ?

Clint

[sswee]

Re: Another run, getting better

The white powder is just a little dissolution. Running at 60* kept it at a minumum. When you get your agitation going it should help even more. The bead blasted surface is alot different on dyeing. Etching helps get better color on blasted surfaces. Glad to hear it's going well. SS

[rclint]

Re: Another run, getting better

A couple of things I noticed this time. Using 12 amps per square foot the anodize coating was very yellow/bronze looking, it was not solid, just a hue color, and I think the dye did not show as well because of this,and because the pores may have gotten small ? I do know this is some more hard stuff, the only reason I'm even adding color is I want to be able to detect wear, I put the sand paper to a part 1 hour after it finished, I got not color on the paper, and what looked like some scuff marks but may wipe off, I was wondering how tough anodize is... it's tough if done like this. I will keep using the 12 amp per square foot method on this work piece, but for a color purpose I will use the 6 amp per square foot method and keep the layer around .5 mil

I have a 10/22 I plan on anodizing, well maybe a few of them, one will be black, one left clear or silver, the question would you dye it silver or leave it clear ? Anyone have a part they have anodized using the caswell dye which would look like aluminum ?

I had some of the thick wire from Radio Shack, I just wanted to see what it would do with the sput welder, it tacked the part just like the other wire, had to use more juice, but the connection would have held way more than what i need, right now I'm using the big wire for hangers, I'm about out of the supplied wore for the sput welder, I need to order some more, what size are you using ?

Clint

[sswee]

Re: Another run, getting better

The putters I do at 8ASF to 1 mil have that slight gold hue to them but take color good.I may have to try goig up to 12ASF just to see what happens on them.

I have a pic of color chips for all the colors Caswell sells in the album. The only one that looks alumiinum or silver is the no dye chip. Its the last one in the set.

I have several different sizes of wire from the 8ga Radio Shack to some .032" from Ace hardware made for jewelry I think. The size I use depends on the part. The 12ga or 14ga works for most parts although I use more 8ga or 10ga for the putters and car parts.

SS

[rclint]

Re: Another run, getting better

Those color chips are neat, I can't really make out some of them, the grey looks almost black. I guess one cold do a shorter dye time, I will probably just seal it clear.

I'm still waiting on my pump, I will be getting the utility sink soon also, the storage thing I'm using is to flimsy, etc etc etc blah, should have got the utility sink to begin with. All this heating is a pain also, so I plan to get some 2 gallon jugs somewhere, I may use up the 1 gallon jugs I have now LOL for the die, get a pot heat on the stove.

The chiller we talked about for is looking better and better, I have done some parts already, but have no where near cleared my $$ back, I have a run to make tomorrow, if all turns out well I may dump the money on the chiller and be done with it.

One more thing, the wire used for electric fence is aluminum, not sure what alloy, but I may give some a try, dirt cheap, and the size needed for use with teh sput welder.
I think this may be addictive !!

Clint

[sswee]

Re: Another run, getting better

The Gray NLN did come out almost black until I had used it for awhile and the Gray BL was the same but with a blue tint. If you want to see any colors in particular let me know and I'll get a better picture for you.

I still haven't put my pump into use. I have a run to make before I can take everything down to change out the tank and plumbing. The 15gal setup I used made me nervous because it was flimsy and I kept expecting to open the shop door to find a split tank with a big mess to deal with. Heating was a pain until I got a bunch of 2gal paint buckets with lids from Home Depot and the 300W heaters with the thermostat from Caswell.

The chiller is the last piece I need for mine. It'll let me organize everything more streamline.

Let me know how the wire does. It is easy for me to get , just one of the things I haven't gotten around to trying.

SS

[Tim Wiltse]

Re: Another run, getting better

Clint,

Rubber cement will NOT hold up in the acid tank. It is fine to use as a mask for dying though.

Later,
Tim

[rclint]

Re: Another run, getting better

Clint,

Rubber cement will NOT hold up in the acid tank. It is fine to use as a mask for dying though.

Later,
Tim

Thanks Tim... Will the caswell mask hold up in the tank ?

Clint

[acidrain]

Re: Another run, getting better

I've used rubber cement lots of times as a mask to protect ferous metals, and brass. The one time it didn't work is when I didn't let it dry thoroughly.
I usually thin it down just a bit with lacquer thinner so it's not so stringy.
I strongly suggest a test first though.

[rclint]

Mask....

Well I never have time to do things right, I had some plasticote 500* engine paint, and some ceramic paint. I put the ceramic paint (1200*) on first, then let dry, put the black 500* engine paint on, heated up good with hair dryer and perfect mask, even better when I boiled my part to seal the paint peeled right off.

Side not I would have been happy to order some mask from Caswell, and on my next order I may order some, just the shipping kills me ($10) so nothing to take away from Caswells' product, but if your in a pinch this may help, can be purchased at the local walmart (the 500*) paint, next time I'm not going to do the ceramic 1200*, the 500* plasticote engine paint held up well.

Clint

[acidrain]

Re: Mask....

Well I never have time to do things right, I had some plasticote 500* engine paint, and some ceramic paint. I put the ceramic paint (1200*) on first, then let dry, put the black 500* engine paint on, heated up good with hair dryer and perfect mask, even better when I boiled my part to seal the paint peeled right off.

Side not I would have been happy to order some mask from Caswell, and on my next order I may order some, just the shipping kills me ($10) so nothing to take away from Caswells' product, but if your in a pinch this may help, can be purchased at the local walmart (the 500*) paint, next time I'm not going to do the ceramic 1200*, the 500* plasticote engine paint held up well.

Clint

Hmmm... that is a very interesting idea you have there.
So let me get this right; The mask you are describing is applied to the raw ano, and masked for dye/graphics purposes? Or was it applied before ano as a way to protect areas from the acid?

[Paintbalaguy]

Re: Another run, getting better

I had problems with caswells green goo masking agent, I couldnt get it to spread evenly on a area that was just a stripe so the lines were way crooked and if it gets into any nooks or cranies then thats when it realllly sucks. I have to admit though it does what its soposed to do, I used it on the area through the whole process and it stayed on like it had before the anodizing.

[rclint]

Re: Mask....

Hmmm... that is a very interesting idea you have there.
So let me get this right; The mask you are describing is applied to the raw ano, and masked for dye/graphics purposes? Or was it applied before ano as a way to protect areas from the acid?

before the ano to mask off the acid, prevent anodizing. I need a rectangle piece on a part for a electronic eye to read which has to be polished to a mirror finish (before anodizing). I bet it would work on anodized part as well, if it did not absorb the paint into the pores. I was very happy the way it peeled off in the boiling bath to seal the pores on the anodized part.

I used electrical tape to lay out the part to be masked, I may be making this sound way more complicated than it was, total work time 5 minutes maybe, counting using the hair dryer, if you try this make sure you use the hair dryer, it heats the paint and it's almost rubber like on top of the aluminum when it peeled off in the boiling bath, bet way I can describe it. i wished I had taken pictures, but parts were needed last week, the mask is what i have been working on. 3 Took 3 runs to get my learning curve on anodizing, it still needs a bit of tweaking, but I'm happy (and addicted also maybe ?)