2maneekameras
home on the rangefinder
This thread is a response to a query by Pherdinand with regards to a suggestion I made about DIY anodizing in Gordon Coale's thread about "big iron"
"pitted aluminum; have you considered anodizing the aluminum parts? This would give you a hard protective layer, which could be dyed many colors, it would also seal the aluminum to prevent oxidation. You could actually do this at home with the right apparatus. I used to do this in the early 1970's to aluminum bicycle components."
"Bare aluminum oxidizes if left exposed to air, turning from bright silver to a dull gray. Anodizing will prevent the dulling process...In a commercial anodizing shop, the process begins with parts being hung from a rack to be moved from one vat of chemicals to the next. First stop is an acid bath where the parts are etched and cleaned. Then it's time for a bath to remove the acid (using (desmut chemicals) before being dipped in sulphuric acid( we used to use nitric acid, it depends on the alloy) to open up the pores of the metal. Then an electric charge plates a clear finish onto the metal. For an even shinier finish, some platers offer "bright dip," an acid dip that brightens up the aluminum prior to plating. Clear anodizing will give the metal a shiny look and prevent corrosion. The parts can be dyed a variety of great colors as well. This involves dipping the parts in a vat of colored dye before sealing with clear anodizing. The longer the part is left in the vat, the darker the color will be. Unfortunately, the color will fade if left in direct sunlight (some colors are better than others; black is the most durable). The color coating is also very thin and prone to scratching. Anodizing will add a tiny amount to the size of the part, so be sure this will not cause clearance problems . If you have a tight fit, you can use "scotchbrite" or steel wool to remove the anodizing. Similar to chrome plating on steel parts, anodizing does not fill pits or mask ugly surfaces. You will want to thoroughly polish and prepare your parts first." You should be able to find online sources for chemicals and dyes. In addition you need acid resistant tanks, I use glass aquariums, or borosilicate glass(pyrex is a common brand of borosilicate glass) containers. A low voltage DC power source is also required. Aluminum pieces to as act as cathodes and aluminum wire to connect the cathodes and pieces to be anodized to the power source.
"pitted aluminum; have you considered anodizing the aluminum parts? This would give you a hard protective layer, which could be dyed many colors, it would also seal the aluminum to prevent oxidation. You could actually do this at home with the right apparatus. I used to do this in the early 1970's to aluminum bicycle components."
"Bare aluminum oxidizes if left exposed to air, turning from bright silver to a dull gray. Anodizing will prevent the dulling process...In a commercial anodizing shop, the process begins with parts being hung from a rack to be moved from one vat of chemicals to the next. First stop is an acid bath where the parts are etched and cleaned. Then it's time for a bath to remove the acid (using (desmut chemicals) before being dipped in sulphuric acid( we used to use nitric acid, it depends on the alloy) to open up the pores of the metal. Then an electric charge plates a clear finish onto the metal. For an even shinier finish, some platers offer "bright dip," an acid dip that brightens up the aluminum prior to plating. Clear anodizing will give the metal a shiny look and prevent corrosion. The parts can be dyed a variety of great colors as well. This involves dipping the parts in a vat of colored dye before sealing with clear anodizing. The longer the part is left in the vat, the darker the color will be. Unfortunately, the color will fade if left in direct sunlight (some colors are better than others; black is the most durable). The color coating is also very thin and prone to scratching. Anodizing will add a tiny amount to the size of the part, so be sure this will not cause clearance problems . If you have a tight fit, you can use "scotchbrite" or steel wool to remove the anodizing. Similar to chrome plating on steel parts, anodizing does not fill pits or mask ugly surfaces. You will want to thoroughly polish and prepare your parts first." You should be able to find online sources for chemicals and dyes. In addition you need acid resistant tanks, I use glass aquariums, or borosilicate glass(pyrex is a common brand of borosilicate glass) containers. A low voltage DC power source is also required. Aluminum pieces to as act as cathodes and aluminum wire to connect the cathodes and pieces to be anodized to the power source.
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
There are lots of metal-refinishing supplies on the website of the Eastwood Company (suppliers to the car-restoration hobby): www.eastwoodcompany.com