anodizing removed, no what?

aussiebuddha

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Aug 26, 2007
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I had an old scratched ultrafire 602C, and I'm trying to give it some new life.
I removed the anodizing (well most of it) with caustic soda with a concentration of *no idea* just by eye.

Most of the anodizing on the outside of the body is gone, but there are still 2 or 3 places in the thread where it has not gone, and I'm afraid to leave it sitting longer for fear of damaging the whole thing.

I'm happy to live with that, now what?

I'd like to polish it to mirror finish, but i tried with the dremel buffing tool and paste and it seems to do nothing, just gunks up with black (i guess aluminium) but no polishing effect.

Any ideas?
 

greenLED

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Most of the anodizing on the outside of the body is gone, but there are still 2 or 3 places in the thread where it has not gone, and I'm afraid to leave it sitting longer for fear of damaging the whole thing.

I'm happy to live with that, now what?

I'd like to polish it to mirror finish, but i tried with the dremel buffing tool and paste and it seems to do nothing, just gunks up with black (i guess aluminium) but no polishing effect.

As long as those spots are small, they won't interfere with anything.

Yup, the black stuff is the gunk you're removing. I'd use a big ol' rag instead of a Dremel. Those Dremel buffing tools get too dirty too soon. With the rag you can find a clean spot and keep removing the polishing compound.
 

Yoda4561

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If you hand polish use a flitz type polish or even better I'd get some mothers aluminum/mag wheel polish.
 

aussiebuddha

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well I ended up using.
sandpaper and elbow grease

400 then 600 then 800 and then 1200 grit.
after that, I used the dremel to buff with polish compount.
It ended up very nice, but not as "mirrory" as i wanted.

Problem is, now it doesnt thread anymore. so either i used too much elbow grease and sanded the thread by mistake or it was the caustic soda.

bugger!
i guess i can't fix it anymore now, it looked so nice :-/
 

Centropolis

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I am very interested in doing this to maybe my KD Buckle or a Fenix E01. Is there a thread that talks me through the process and the material to be used? I did read one really long thread about people attempting to remove the HAIII but the instructions are kind of scattered and also a but confusing. There were also a lot of trail and errors described so I don't know what works and didn't work.

I need really beginner's instructions.

Thanks in advance to whoever will provide me or direct me to the info.
 
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aussiebuddha

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i'm not the right person to tell you how to do it, as I've stuffed up myself. :p

Anyways, keeping to the subject, i have now a light where the threads dont screw together.
I've managed to temporarily fix it with teflon tape, but is there any thing else i can do as a more permanent and neat fix?

Cheers
 

3rdrock

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Mar 23, 2008
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i have now a light where the threads dont screw together.
I've managed to temporarily fix it with teflon tape, but is there any thing else i can do as a more permanent and neat fix?

Cheers

It looks to me you are saying 2 different things.:thinking:
It will not thread together.......Use a very small file to repair threads,I have used a old file I repaired the points on my car/lawn mower to repair threads.

Temporarily fix with teflon.........So the teflon takes up the space from where you removed the height of the threads?
If your light opens on both ends,I would use JB Weld to lock the one end on.That is permanent,You also could removed the oil/lube and super glue it together,you may be able to remove it later for repair or upgrade.
 

FsTop

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Next time, keep the light screwed together when you strip it chemically, so the o-rings protect the threads. And put something absorbent inside in case any caustic liquid gets in.
 

greenLED

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Next time, keep the light screwed together when you strip it chemically, so the o-rings protect the threads. And put something absorbent inside in case any caustic liquid gets in.

I've stripped tons of lights and never had this problem, even with really concentrated NaOH solutions.

Aussie, you didn't sand the threads by any chance, didya'?
 

freedom2000

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Mar 3, 2008
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I am very interested in doing this to maybe my KD Buckle or a Fenix E01. Is there a thread that talks me through the process and the material to be used?

I need really beginner's instructions.

Thanks in advance to whoever will provide me or direct me to the info.

I think that the best solution is what has been said upper :
sandpaper and elbow grease

400 then 600 then 800 and then 1200 and even 2000 grit.

You can get "mirror" when finishing with sand paper "high number" UNDER water. This is probably the most important --> under water.
I did it on the goal cages of my babyfoot --> the result is really fantastic (2 hours per cage...). Here is a link that I have found for 2000 paper (polimalin a French site). If you need translation I can help :wave:

JP
 
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greenLED

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Doesnt' really need to be under water; as long as the fine sandpaper is kept moist, it'll be OK.

For the ultimate mirror-finish touch, steel wool in 000 or finer, and then some Flitz polish.


A caviat of highly polished bare aluminum... it scratches if you look at it the wrong way! :green:


...and for those of you wanting to learn more about removing anodizing, here's *the* reference thread on that:
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=58899
 
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