04orgZx6r
Enlightened
Recently, I've been working my way into the custom and modified world 
One of the only things that I haven't been able to change is the color of my flashlight, mostly because I thought it would be to hard or cost to much.
I've been searching around on the Internet on ways to Anodize Aluminum, and thought I would share my research and trials with you guys.
I think you will be surprised at how easy and especially how cheap it is.
To start this off, I'm just going to go through the steps of what I have found to work.
There are many different ways to do this and some really neat methods as well, such as splash anodizing, but I have no idea how to do that:mecry:
I'd appreciate any information you have to share as would others.
First things first, you need to go shopping/rummaging through the garage!
Distilled Water
Clothes Dye in Your choice of color(RIT works well)
Battery acid(Don't let this stop you, I payed $8 for a gallon at Napa!)
Cathode(basically just a piece of Aluminum, more on this later)
Car Battery charger(Not an automatic one though, don't have one? Ask your neighbor.)
Plastic tubs(for rinsing and dye)
Anodizing tank(any plastic tub will do)
Aluminum Wire(12 guage is best, can be purchased from McMaster Carr online)
Anodizing remover( I just use the Drano crystals, but you can also use easy-off oven spray)
Am I forgetting anything?
This is where I share all of my secrets! Ok so I don't have any secrets but this is how I do it.
Setting up the Tank!
I just used an old paintball tub I had laying around for my tank.
I got the cathode(hunk of aluminum from my local scrap yard) installed using the aluminum wire. This way you don't have to worry about the charger lead getting into the acid, Only aluminum should touch the acid.
As you can see from the pictures the negative lead goes on the cathode end and the positive lead goes on the part end.
I just used a piece of aluminum to hang the parts on.
Next you have to fill the tank with your acid solution. 50/50 distilled water to battery acid.
Important: Always add acid, pour in your distilled water first then add the acid. Do not go the other way around!
Prep your light!
To remove the original Anodize coating I use these Drano Crystals.
Just mix them in with water in a container and drop your parts in, but be very very careful, caustic soda will eat away at your clothes and burn your skin on contact!
Monitor the process, this solution will eat away at aluminum also so don't keep it in too long or make the solution to strong, Trial and error, its best to start with practice parts, trust me I know :mecry:
After you take the parts out, rinse them off with water.
If you want a matte finish on the parts, take some steel wool to them, if you want a more shiny anodize, then you need to polish those parts.
From this point on its best to keep the parts wet, as in don't let the parts dry to long in between steps
After that its best to clean your parts, anodizing shows everything, even fingerprints. I use some dishsoap with warm water and a toothbrush. Then rinse with water.
While I'm cleaning I take the aluminum wire and bend it inside the part. It's important to make it tight for a good electric connection, also wherever the wire touches won't be anodized.
Ready to Start, well almost
Now that you have your parts prepped and the tank set up, you need to get out your tubs.
Fill one with water for rinsing.(use cold water!)
Fill the other with your dye solution(The less water you use here the darker the color will be.)It's a good idea to mix your dye with luke warm water to make sure it mixes in with the dye completely.
Also you need a pot of boiling water to seal the parts in after you dye them. Heat seals the pores that the anodizing process opens, so be sure to rinse with cold water.
Ready to anodize
Okay, now that you have your tank set up and your parts cleaned, all ready to go.
Before hooking up the charger, hang your part from the positive voltage bar in the acid solution. This process may generate some heat, however to keep the temp down you can Freeze a bottle of water and put it in the tank. Now if your charger has two settings turn it on the lower setting first, then after you plug it in raise it up to the higher setting.
Now there is a mathematical equation to figure out how long to leave it in, but I find that the voltage will peak and then I take the charger off, remove the parts, rinse them in the water, put them in the dye until the desired color is reached and then sealed in the boiling water.
Have any of you ever tried this? I found it to be really easy to do, well a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Any Ideas on how to do neat things like fades and splash anodizing?
Heres my next project, I got it in the barbarian sale:twothumbs
I would like any ideas you have on how to anodize this one, I'm going to wait until I can do something really cool like Splash anodizing. So if you are in the know, please post here on how to do it, or at least your Ideas I'll post pictures when I'm done. :devil:
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions or comments, Just ask!:twothumbs
Disclaimer:Try at your own risk, I will take no responsibility, should you try this on your own.
One of the only things that I haven't been able to change is the color of my flashlight, mostly because I thought it would be to hard or cost to much.
I've been searching around on the Internet on ways to Anodize Aluminum, and thought I would share my research and trials with you guys.
I think you will be surprised at how easy and especially how cheap it is.
To start this off, I'm just going to go through the steps of what I have found to work.
There are many different ways to do this and some really neat methods as well, such as splash anodizing, but I have no idea how to do that:mecry:
I'd appreciate any information you have to share as would others.
First things first, you need to go shopping/rummaging through the garage!
Distilled Water
Clothes Dye in Your choice of color(RIT works well)
Battery acid(Don't let this stop you, I payed $8 for a gallon at Napa!)
Cathode(basically just a piece of Aluminum, more on this later)
Car Battery charger(Not an automatic one though, don't have one? Ask your neighbor.)
Plastic tubs(for rinsing and dye)
Anodizing tank(any plastic tub will do)
Aluminum Wire(12 guage is best, can be purchased from McMaster Carr online)
Anodizing remover( I just use the Drano crystals, but you can also use easy-off oven spray)
Am I forgetting anything?
This is where I share all of my secrets! Ok so I don't have any secrets but this is how I do it.
Setting up the Tank!
I just used an old paintball tub I had laying around for my tank.
I got the cathode(hunk of aluminum from my local scrap yard) installed using the aluminum wire. This way you don't have to worry about the charger lead getting into the acid, Only aluminum should touch the acid.
As you can see from the pictures the negative lead goes on the cathode end and the positive lead goes on the part end.
I just used a piece of aluminum to hang the parts on.
Next you have to fill the tank with your acid solution. 50/50 distilled water to battery acid.
Important: Always add acid, pour in your distilled water first then add the acid. Do not go the other way around!
Prep your light!
To remove the original Anodize coating I use these Drano Crystals.
Just mix them in with water in a container and drop your parts in, but be very very careful, caustic soda will eat away at your clothes and burn your skin on contact!
Monitor the process, this solution will eat away at aluminum also so don't keep it in too long or make the solution to strong, Trial and error, its best to start with practice parts, trust me I know :mecry:
After you take the parts out, rinse them off with water.
If you want a matte finish on the parts, take some steel wool to them, if you want a more shiny anodize, then you need to polish those parts.
From this point on its best to keep the parts wet, as in don't let the parts dry to long in between steps
After that its best to clean your parts, anodizing shows everything, even fingerprints. I use some dishsoap with warm water and a toothbrush. Then rinse with water.
While I'm cleaning I take the aluminum wire and bend it inside the part. It's important to make it tight for a good electric connection, also wherever the wire touches won't be anodized.
Ready to Start, well almost
Now that you have your parts prepped and the tank set up, you need to get out your tubs.
Fill one with water for rinsing.(use cold water!)
Fill the other with your dye solution(The less water you use here the darker the color will be.)It's a good idea to mix your dye with luke warm water to make sure it mixes in with the dye completely.
Also you need a pot of boiling water to seal the parts in after you dye them. Heat seals the pores that the anodizing process opens, so be sure to rinse with cold water.
Ready to anodize
Okay, now that you have your tank set up and your parts cleaned, all ready to go.
Before hooking up the charger, hang your part from the positive voltage bar in the acid solution. This process may generate some heat, however to keep the temp down you can Freeze a bottle of water and put it in the tank. Now if your charger has two settings turn it on the lower setting first, then after you plug it in raise it up to the higher setting.
Now there is a mathematical equation to figure out how long to leave it in, but I find that the voltage will peak and then I take the charger off, remove the parts, rinse them in the water, put them in the dye until the desired color is reached and then sealed in the boiling water.
Have any of you ever tried this? I found it to be really easy to do, well a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Any Ideas on how to do neat things like fades and splash anodizing?
Heres my next project, I got it in the barbarian sale:twothumbs
I would like any ideas you have on how to anodize this one, I'm going to wait until I can do something really cool like Splash anodizing. So if you are in the know, please post here on how to do it, or at least your Ideas I'll post pictures when I'm done. :devil:
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions or comments, Just ask!:twothumbs
Disclaimer:Try at your own risk, I will take no responsibility, should you try this on your own.
