# Anodizing Aluminum Tools



## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

After building my router table and lift. I knew I was going to have to coat the plate aluminum top in order to use it. After all the machining was done I gave it a good anodizing coat. Can't begin to tell you how easy it was and how well it turned out. Could have sent it out but would have been costly.

Found many sites on the net for DIY anodizing and while they had differing ideas. All basically were saying the same thing. Battery charger, acid and distilled water. Two hours of my time and that's about it. 

After the anodizing it sucked up a coat of wax and remains slick as snot on a door knob. I could have added a color but I didn't have anything large enough to boil the top to set the color.

The first picture is the ano bath the other is the finished top.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## ChiknNutz (Apr 22, 2011)

Right on! Have never looked into "home bilt anodizing" always thought it required more specialized equipment. Thanks for sharing.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

ChiknNutz said:


> Right on! Have never looked into "home bilt anodizing" always thought it required more specialized equipment. Thanks for sharing.


It's stupid simple. I searched a lot of posts on the subject and found most didn't buy the needed supplies on line they just picked them up locally. Most were looking to coat with a color which is really the best way to color something aluminum.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Nice woek!

I had no idea I could do my own anodizing.

How 'bout sharing some links with us?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

jharris said:


> Nice woek!
> 
> I had no idea I could do my own anodizing.
> 
> How 'bout sharing some links with us?


Just Google it. I don't really have one that I thought was right for my project. I searched quite a few before I was ready. Funny thing though either it works and works well or it doesn't work at all and nothing is changed or ruined. I honestly thought it was working but didn't really know for sure until I pulled it out of the water. I thought I wanted to share my experience here due to the fact that it solved a problem with aluminum tools, was very easy to do and had worked without a problem. Hardest part was finding something larger than 24" square to immerse the top in.

Also anodizing produces a very porous surface which makes the wood slide easier and allows waxes to adhere to it. It's also a very very hard surface and stops the oxidizing.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Murphy's Law (Dec 15, 2011)

Al - would you mind telling us what we're seeing in the first pic? It looks like a laptop computer with some wires connected somehow. It appears to be sitting on a plastic tub of some sort. What the . . . ?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*anodizing...*

Do they call it that because one of the electrodes is the "anode" and it's an electolysis process taking elements from a metal and depositing them to the aluminum? I could google it but that just occured to me. What is the sacrificial metal? :blink: bill


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

jharris said:


> Nice woek!
> 
> I had no idea I could do my own anodizing.
> 
> How 'bout sharing some links with us?



Tons of articles out there:


http://www.thefintels.com/aer/homealuminumanodizing.htm


Cheap, and easy. And it's fun making your parts in several colors.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

Murphy's Law said:


> Al - would you mind telling us what we're seeing in the first pic? It looks like a laptop computer with some wires connected somehow. It appears to be sitting on a plastic tub of some sort. What the . . . ?




To me, it looks like he's using the lid, upside down for a shallow, flat pan. The wires are the positive and negative electrodes.


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

This is gonna be fun!


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

'way cool! I'll have to go practice on the tent poles that always leave my hands black. Thanks.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Murphy's Law said:


> Al - would you mind telling us what we're seeing in the first pic? It looks like a laptop computer with some wires connected somehow. It appears to be sitting on a plastic tub of some sort. What the . . . ?


It's the only thing I could find big enough to lay a 24X24" table top in without using a lot of acid. It's the top of a trash container. The kind you roll out to the curb to be dumped at trash pick up.

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> Do they call it that because one of the electrodes is the "anode" and it's an electolysis process taking elements from a metal and depositing them to the aluminum? I could google it but that just occured to me. What is the sacrificial metal? :blink: bill


Well I think it's really just a controlled electrolysis that "plates" the aluminum surface because you can use lead on the negative side as well. The loop of aluminum with the + connected to it is set in the hole with enough spring in it to make a good connection.

When the process is finished the battery charger acts just like it does when a battery is charged. 

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

H. A. S. said:


> To me, it looks like he's using the lid, upside down for a shallow, flat pan. The wires are the positive and negative electrodes.


You would be correct. A bit crude but worked very well and I only needed 7 gal distilled water and 64 oz of sulfuric acid. the water was $1.15 a gal and the acid was $18.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

SteveEl said:


> 'way cool! I'll have to go practice on the tent poles that always leave my hands black. Thanks.


I think the one common aspect I found in any article I read was prep is everything. Wash it with degreaser type soap and then with lye solution. The lye etches and removes any oxidation. It also is one of the few things that will remove anodizing.

go for it

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

H. A. S. said:


> Tons of articles out there:
> 
> http://www.thefintels.com/aer/homealuminumanodizing.htm
> 
> Cheap, and easy. And it's fun making your parts in several colors.


This is a very good article and it describes my experience all but the coloring. It's my understanding many have had good luck with Rit dye from the local store.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Second set of anodizing. This time I used color. This was more of a learning experience then I thought it was going to be. First try came out uneven. Following the steps outlined on many sites proved to be important.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## kinghong1970 (Jul 28, 2011)

very interesting indeed... how does one dispose of sulfuric acid once done?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

kinghong1970 said:


> very interesting indeed... how does one dispose of sulfuric acid once done?


Simple. Mix in some baking soda, or put it in a plastic jug and use it in your swimming pool to control pH. It's sold for that purpose. I kept mine and used it 4 more times before it lost its punch.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Standup Philosopher (May 22, 2012)

As a metal worker and wood hobbyist, a safer and cheaper solution to sulfuric acid is simple distilled vinegar. I use it when I plate any kind of art that someone wants plated (copper or zinc). I also use my stick welder as a power source, and a 5 gallon bucket as a tub provided the piece fits. It is a very simple and surprisingly quick process. I have not anodized Al yet but it's the same process.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Standup Philosopher said:


> As a metal worker and wood hobbyist, a safer and cheaper solution to sulfuric acid is simple distilled vinegar. I use it when I plate any kind of art that someone wants plated (copper or zinc). I also use my stick welder as a power source, and a 5 gallon bucket as a tub provided the piece fits. It is a very simple and surprisingly quick process. I have not anodized Al yet but it's the same process.


Thanks for the info.The sulfuric acid is not bad to work with in my shop. I didn't have any problems maybe because it isn't a very strong solution. The first piece I anodized was 24"X24"X1 1/4". I used 7 gal of distilled water 64oz of sulfuric acid. 

Do you know of a method to use on cast iron c clamps to keep them from rusting? 

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Standup Philosopher (May 22, 2012)

Just a good lubricating/penetrating/protecting oil like CorrosionX. Something I have heard of but have not tried is to bring an oil such as motor oil up to about 300°F and bring the cast iron up to the same temp then submerge the cast in the oil and slowly bring down to ambient temp. For lack off better terms, deep fry your clamp. Th re theory is that the oil thins and the pores in the car iron open up.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Standup Philosopher said:


> Something I have heard of but have not tried is to bring an oil such as motor oil up to about 300°F and bring the cast iron up to the same temp then submerge the cast in the oil and slowly bring down to ambient temp. For lack off better terms, deep fry your clamp. Th re theory is that the oil thins and the pores in the car iron open up.


Sounds almost exactly like seasoning a cast iron skillet (with veg oil). If you want to try it, give your clamps a coating with veg oil (use a cheap veg oil spray) and put them into a 300 degree oven with some aluminum foil under it to catch dripping oil. After 45 minutes or so, pull the clamp(s) out and re-coat them with oil. Return to oven for another hour, turn off oven and leave clamp in it until cool. It produces a thin, slick hard layer that will keep rust off for a long time. I don't think it would gum up the threads as the layer is very thin.


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## Standup Philosopher (May 22, 2012)

trc65 said:


> Sounds almost exactly like seasoning a cast iron skillet (with veg oil). If you want to try it, give your clamps a coating with veg oil (use a cheap veg oil spray) and put them into a 300 degree oven with some aluminum foil under it to catch dripping oil. After 45 minutes or so, pull the clamp(s) out and re-coat them with oil. Return to oven for another hour, turn off oven and leave clamp in it until cool. It produces a thin, slick hard layer that will keep rust off for a long time. I don't think it would gum up the threads as the layer is very thin.


Exactly, but I wouldn't use veggie oil. Since we are talking about wood working here, I would suggest mineral oil or something else that is clear and light. With metal working motor oil might be a little better against heating and corrosion.


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