You can anodize the whole light without taking anything apart as long as you want it all treated the same way. The PD's do not have a modular light engine that can unscrew. The MCPCB holding the LED is clamped down on a ledge via the screw that you see on the backside of the converter board. You need to remove this screw and unsolder the leads from the LED. The MCPCB comes out the front and the converter lifts off the back end of the head.
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Anodizing Titanium
- Thread starter McGizmo
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You can anodize the whole light without taking anything apart as long as you want it all treated the same way. The PD's do not have a modular light engine that can unscrew. The MCPCB holding the LED is clamped down on a ledge via the screw that you see on the backside of the converter board. You need to remove this screw and unsolder the leads from the LED. The MCPCB comes out the front and the converter lifts off the back end of the head.
luxlunatic
Flashlight Enthusiast
I finally found some time to give this a try.
I wanted to see just how "holdhold" I could do this using stuff on hand at the house. All I need is a power source and an alkiline solution.
I recall reading somewhere that boran (main ingredient of Borax soap) could be used to make a alkiline solution. So I mixed up 2 teaspoons in 6 ounces of distilled water. Alkili solution, check!
I had a box of maybe-never-to-be-used 9 volt batteries. Power source, Check!
I wired up three 9 volts in series for 27 volts and had a go with a Gizmo mini Ti clip. And the result...
Managed a nice gold fading into a purple. Wow, that was easy! But not quite the colbalt I am looking for, lets wire in another 9 volts to bring it up to 36 volts and try a PD clip.
Now thats closer to the color I was looking for but too much character, too blotchy. Seeing the different results(not color), I think the blotchiness comes from the different surface textures of the pieces, mini clip=polished, PD clip=raw. So I found another one of my PD clips that had a smoother raw finish and got this great blue.
Thats awesome!!!
Now I am feeling more confidant. Lets go bigger!
Seeing the better results from the smoother surfaces, I decide to go for my Ti-PD, which was at one time completely polished(all machining grooves gone) but I since returned it to a satin finish with scotchbrite.
Here is a before look at it with the scotchbrite finish.
And here it is after anno.
Now thats what I'm talkin about! A nice cobalt, in person its a bit more purple but this was as close as I could edit it to represent properly.
The clip came out with a bit of spotty character but it looks good. Very consistant over the head and body with some spots on the bezel and screws but hardly noticable in person, I really dig it! And it can always be removed with scotchbrite(tested that on a clip beforehand).
After anodizing and rinsing, I buffed with a cotton rag and it gave it a deeper iridescence, and a bit more purple.
I will have to try some other solutions to see if results vary, and maybe try a proper power source! But I proved to myself that it can be done with household stuff!
That was a fun little project and I managed some good results, IMO, and gave my old PD a new look, very satisfied! Thanks to all in this thread for posting up your results and info and to Don for the video to make it look oh so easy!
I wanted to see just how "holdhold" I could do this using stuff on hand at the house. All I need is a power source and an alkiline solution.
I recall reading somewhere that boran (main ingredient of Borax soap) could be used to make a alkiline solution. So I mixed up 2 teaspoons in 6 ounces of distilled water. Alkili solution, check!
I had a box of maybe-never-to-be-used 9 volt batteries. Power source, Check!
I wired up three 9 volts in series for 27 volts and had a go with a Gizmo mini Ti clip. And the result...
Managed a nice gold fading into a purple. Wow, that was easy! But not quite the colbalt I am looking for, lets wire in another 9 volts to bring it up to 36 volts and try a PD clip.
Now thats closer to the color I was looking for but too much character, too blotchy. Seeing the different results(not color), I think the blotchiness comes from the different surface textures of the pieces, mini clip=polished, PD clip=raw. So I found another one of my PD clips that had a smoother raw finish and got this great blue.
Thats awesome!!!
Now I am feeling more confidant. Lets go bigger!
Seeing the better results from the smoother surfaces, I decide to go for my Ti-PD, which was at one time completely polished(all machining grooves gone) but I since returned it to a satin finish with scotchbrite.
Here is a before look at it with the scotchbrite finish.
And here it is after anno.
Now thats what I'm talkin about! A nice cobalt, in person its a bit more purple but this was as close as I could edit it to represent properly.
The clip came out with a bit of spotty character but it looks good. Very consistant over the head and body with some spots on the bezel and screws but hardly noticable in person, I really dig it! And it can always be removed with scotchbrite(tested that on a clip beforehand).
After anodizing and rinsing, I buffed with a cotton rag and it gave it a deeper iridescence, and a bit more purple.
I will have to try some other solutions to see if results vary, and maybe try a proper power source! But I proved to myself that it can be done with household stuff!
That was a fun little project and I managed some good results, IMO, and gave my old PD a new look, very satisfied! Thanks to all in this thread for posting up your results and info and to Don for the video to make it look oh so easy!
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AlecGold
Enlightened
Thanks for this very usefull insight!
Perhaps some of the blotchiness came from using borax. If I understood it right using a different alkine solution could result in less blotchiness. Or more. But other people can perhaps enlighten us on this point??
Perhaps some of the blotchiness came from using borax. If I understood it right using a different alkine solution could result in less blotchiness. Or more. But other people can perhaps enlighten us on this point??
Just wanted to add that I read this thread a few months back have finally got to playing around.
My very first attempt was with the thumbstuds of my sebbies.
A try with a lummi wee & preon...
They came out okay but I no longer rushed the prep work.
I started cleaning my pieces more religiously with a degreaser & then acetone.
Here's a try on a stonewashed finish
Came out even but not that brilliant in color because of light deflections over the beadblast/stonewash surface.
& here are my two most recent tries.
Eventually, I'd like to be able to get a consistent pink & green colors as well but for now, I'd like to avoid having to use an etcher.
I wanted to thank Don for this thread& his video. Going thru my stash of titanium to & having to :thinking: about what piece & color to do next is a lot of fun.
THANKS A BUNCH!
AZ
My very first attempt was with the thumbstuds of my sebbies.
A try with a lummi wee & preon...
They came out okay but I no longer rushed the prep work.
I started cleaning my pieces more religiously with a degreaser & then acetone.
Here's a try on a stonewashed finish
Came out even but not that brilliant in color because of light deflections over the beadblast/stonewash surface.
& here are my two most recent tries.
Eventually, I'd like to be able to get a consistent pink & green colors as well but for now, I'd like to avoid having to use an etcher.
I wanted to thank Don for this thread& his video. Going thru my stash of titanium to & having to :thinking: about what piece & color to do next is a lot of fun.
THANKS A BUNCH!
AZ
kaichu dento
Flashaholic
Those look great! Nice pics too! How durable is the blue finish?Just wanted to add that I read this thread a few months back have finally got to playing around.
A try with a lummi wee & preon...
I enjoy reading through this thread. I must say that Don is a true artist. That anodized painting is super cool!
I have been really interested in the science of anodizing titanium. A couple of years ago I bought a voltage regulator and started messing around with bath anodizing and painting. I have learned a lot about how different finishes of titanium take to different colors, but sometimes the stuff can be unpredictable. I'd like to mess around with heat anodizing too, but don't have the tools or work place right now.
For those who are interested in messing around with it, I would recommend you buy a few of the Snow Peak ti short sporks. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to refinish.
Here are a few pics of some things I have anodized:
Ti PD-S with my voltage regulator in the background
Sporks
Misc stuff
I'll have to admit though, that I prefer natural finish titanium over anodized titanium. One of my favorite anodized finishes is Peter Atwood's tropical anodized finish. One of my favorite anodized items I have seen is Souptree's LS27 with Peter's tropical finish. Two very talented people collaborating equals a really super cool tool! 😀
I have been really interested in the science of anodizing titanium. A couple of years ago I bought a voltage regulator and started messing around with bath anodizing and painting. I have learned a lot about how different finishes of titanium take to different colors, but sometimes the stuff can be unpredictable. I'd like to mess around with heat anodizing too, but don't have the tools or work place right now.
For those who are interested in messing around with it, I would recommend you buy a few of the Snow Peak ti short sporks. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to refinish.
Here are a few pics of some things I have anodized:
Ti PD-S with my voltage regulator in the background
Sporks
Misc stuff
I'll have to admit though, that I prefer natural finish titanium over anodized titanium. One of my favorite anodized finishes is Peter Atwood's tropical anodized finish. One of my favorite anodized items I have seen is Souptree's LS27 with Peter's tropical finish. Two very talented people collaborating equals a really super cool tool! 😀
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Dog Chaser
Enlightened
Wow. Where do I sign up for one of those small capsules? Keep up the great work. I'm sure you can take it even "furthur". 
mhphoto
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
- Messages
- 112
Here is another sample of heat anodized titanium:
Sorry to bring a zombie thread back to life, but WOW!
I'm thinking about flame anodizing a titanium pen, and I'm curious about the design. The thin spiral looks like raw titanium is some places. Did you just anodize around the "path", or did you anodize the entire thing to the bluish/purple color and then made the "path" by further subject it to heat?
Thanks!
DM51
Flashaholic
You should also see exodus125's thread in CPFMP - he does beautiful work. 🙂
cw_mi
Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2010
- Messages
- 200
Here is another sample of heat anodized titanium:
Love the colors on this !
Flame anodizing results is a spectrum of colors, depending on the temperature reached. The surface texture makes a difference, as shown in this picture. The Clasp has a smooth shiny surface, which colors brightly and easily, whereas the clip is sandblasted and achieves a much more subtle color.
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