Holding pipe when anodising??

[BevelParticipant @bevel]

Brilliant guys, Andy's method very similar to mine but more technical. I have a fish tank heater set at 20 when it's cold and monitor the anodise bath with a thermometer to make sure it doesn't get too warm. I have ice on hand to introduce to an outer bath if it starts heating up. My dye is heated via an old electric camping stove which again I control with thermometer but I know where to set dials for a particular temp. Like Andy I seal in 90 degree water for ½ hour. Looks like I'm almost there but I will start using scotchbrite with detergent soap instead of my normal brush. Thanks chaps I learned a lot from this thread

[Engine Doctor ( Phil )Participant @enginedoctorphil]

For degreasing try some non caustic truck wash neat or the Tesco kitchen degreaser , it smells nicer comes in a trigger spray and you d9nt have to buy gallons at a time. A good scrub with an old tooth brush shouldnt damage any polished parts or scotchbright pad if your not worried about the finish then a dip into some hot water and the grease is gone. Its strong stuff so make sure no holes in glove or dry skin will occur. Also a prewash before degreasing in some cellulose thinners also works well on very oily messy parts.

Nobody has mentioned using a de-smut dip prior to anodising bath. Not sure of acid content but it disolves any traces of other metals present in the surface of the alloy that will affect the finish .

Edited By Engine Doctor ( Phil ) on 21/05/2023 10:54:29

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

I use 10% nitric acid for the desmut / bright dip, but it's getting hard to get hold of these days. I'll have to try HCl and nitrates one of these days.

[BevelParticipant @bevel]

Why do you think these chemicals are getting harder to purchase fellas? The cynic in me thinks its partly down to all these crazies living amongst us hell bent on earths destruction and another part thinks its possibly the snowflake elf + safety dominated society we live in. Be good to know what others think??

[Andy_GParticipant @andy_g]

Posted by Engine Doctor ( Phil ) on 21/05/2023 10:48:55:

Nobody has mentioned using a de-smut dip prior to anodising bath. Not sure of acid content but it disolves any traces of other metals present in the surface of the alloy that will affect the finish .

That is something I am interested in, but have never used. What problem does it solve?

I have had a couple of odd results:

Some sheet that displays a streaked pattern when anodised, but confined to the original surface – if you machine the surface, it disappears (this is dyed a pale yellow):

One of the chunks of alloy I have comes out a brassy yellow after anodising, despite the rest of the stuff being OK (From memory, the pieces on the left are H30/6082. The ring on the right is scrapbinium – all anodised together and not dyed.)

I this the sort of thing that de-smutting would address?

(For 'known' alloys, the resuts are consistent).

Edited By Andy_G on 21/05/2023 19:56:08

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