Has anyone here annodized aluminum camera bodies black

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68degrees

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How difficult is this. I like black on cameras, paint is ok but I think black annodized aluminum or blue would be cool. Has any of you ever done this before at home?
 
It's very, very difficult to do after a product has been manufactured. It requires major disassembly and prep, and any type of electrochemical process poses risks to the piece. Also, most cameras are made of plastic, not aluminum.

Dante
 
As an example, Leica lens bodies are made of aluminum and typically black anodized.

Leica black bodies are either painted brass or black chrome. Their famous black chrome finish was introduced with the M5. But bodies are not black anodized.
 
Ive seen black anodized aluminum and I really like the look. Most vintage cameras that I like are made of aluminum. Kodak signet, reflex, medalist, argus etc. Naturally the camera would be totally disassembled and the individual parts chemically prepped and annodized but I have no experience doing that part. What damage to the metal are you talking about? What bad can happen to a camera body when annodized? Would the chemicals be expensive?

Thank you
 
Years ago, American Photographer magazine published a chemical formula to turn light stands black under working papers, tech tips. I've searched , and searched but can't find it ...
 
Entirely possible to re-anodise aluminium or its alloys - and you can have it done in several colours. Pink!? 😱)

However, anodising is a specialist craft, and you'll need to send your bits to a metal finisher, who will first remove the old anodising using a corrosive chemical process.

Also, be careful whom you send your bits to: you want a company that is used to dealing with restoring motorbike and car bits, as they're aware that these parts are often irreplaceable! It's been known for companies that deal mostly with industrial parts to treat them carelessly, so they come back damaged or poorly finished.

Re-anodising isn't cheap - it'll cost a few tens of dollars for a camera - but far cheaper than a professional repaint. And anodising is of course very durable, so it'll remain perfect for many years.
 
The parts actually have never been anodized. They are unpainted brushed aluminum. Is it really that difficult to do in the home workshop? Whats all involved? Part of the fun for me is not just taking pictures or having the camera but saving it and then making it my own so its like no other. There must be a way to do this at home for low cost. If anyone has experience doing it, it would be great if you chimed in much appreciated thanks.
 
68degrees said:
The parts actually have never been anodized. They are unpainted brushed aluminum. Is it really that difficult to do in the home workshop? Whats all involved? Part of the fun for me is not just taking pictures or having the camera but saving it and then making it my own so its like no other. There must be a way to do this at home for low cost. If anyone has experience doing it, it would be great if you chimed in much appreciated thanks.
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Never done it - but I'm a trained chemist and engineer, so know what's involved.

Whether or not the aluminium has been anodised before, the surface layer needs stripping off chemically. The part you're anodising must be 100% perfectly prepared - which means no trace whatsoever of either paint or the original metal surface. It is crucial that the surface is entirely fresh through chemical stripping.

Anodising can be done at home, and you can add dye to the process, but anodising is not straightforward, and likely to give poor results without a lot of practice. And you need dangerous, corrosive chemicals - strong (25%) solutions of sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide - plus a heap of equipment (tanks, pure aluminium rods, a car battery) and several other chemicals and bits and bobs. Oh, and full protective gear - goggles, gloves, work suit.

If you want to know more, Googling "home anodizing OR anodising dye" or similar should give you results.

Really, not a good idea to DIY unless you're used to chemical processes.
 
RichC said:
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Really, not a good idea to DIY unless you're used to chemical processes.
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Well I do black and white film developing, does that count as chemical processes? haha jk

Sounds very involved and dangerous. I think Ill try it. hahah more humor.

Ill do some research but Ill probably just give up on another dream add it to the scrap heap. 🙁
 
Stick with paint. Simonez Tough Black really is tough, and comes in gloss or satin black. The spray cans are a bit more pricey than standard paint, but worth it.

If painting aluminium, you must first spray on a coat of special "etching" primer for aluminium, which bonds to the metal. If you don't use the primer, any paint you put on aluminium won't stick - it'll very quickly flake off. Aluminium isn't keen on being painted!
 
RichC said:
Stick with paint. Simonez Tough Black really is tough, and comes in gloss or satin black. The spray cans are a bit more pricey than standard paint, but worth it.

If painting aluminium, you must first spray on a coat of special "etching" primer for aluminium, which bonds to the metal. If you don't use the primer, any paint you put on aluminium won't stick - it'll very quickly flake off. Aluminium isn't keen on being painted!
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Rich thanks for the head up!
 
I've looked at this occasionally and passed on it.

I've looked at this occasionally and passed on it.

And I see you are getting a lot of good information. I can't recall, but it seems to me that anodizing involves a process that builds up on the parts, so tight fitting parts that slide over each other, like a top hood over a body, may present some difficulty.

That said, there seem to be a lot of Youtube videos about anodizing and other plating processes.

Toxic fumes would be one of my big alerts. It's an electrochemical process with fumes bubbling off the tanks being used for the job.
 
kuzano said:
And I see you are getting a lot of good information. I can't recall, but it seems to me that anodizing involves a process that builds up on the parts, so tight fitting parts that slide over each other, like a top hood over a body, may present some difficulty.

That said, there seem to be a lot of Youtube videos about anodizing and other plating processes.

Toxic fumes would be one of my big alerts. It's an electrochemical process with fumes bubbling off the tanks being used for the job.
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What Ive read so far there is two kinds of annodizing. A thin and a thick. Thin is the kind you can do with a home kit. I think its .0001 Im not sure I have to check and clearance for camera bodies shouldnt be an issue but with the industrial grade it can be . according to the article. Ill try and find it.
 
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