Metal Finishing With Mark Anodising 101

Here's how I anodise aluminium parts in my home shop using mostly commonly available tools and materials. This is not a science video, it's a practical guide to getting good looking, semi professional results with a minimum of fuss. This video is part of a playlist of metal finishing techniques. There is no paid promotion or sponsorship with any of the companies I mention in this video. I paid cold hard cash for everything you see me use!

[@MattsAwesomeStuff]

For anyone curious about the process... aluminum anodizing is completely different than titanium, niobium, tantalum, etc anodizing. Aluminum is the only one that uses dye. When you put it in the tank with voltage (a car battery is fine, there's no need to be fancy controlling voltage or current, it's completely irrelevant, just "some" voltage and "enough" current to proceed at a rate that won't bore you), you're just electrolyzing water, that's it - splitting H2O into H2 and O2. You're forcibly slamming the O2 into the aluminum, creating aluminum oxide, or "rust", that black stuff that forever rubs off on your fingers from aluminum. The H2 goes to the cathode plates (you can use stainless steel cutlery just fine, put it back in the drawer afterwards), and bubbles away harmlessly. Aluminum oxide is among the hardest materials we know, it's used to make sandpaper and such, that's what makes it a great finish. Aluminum oxide formed by electricity creates delicate microscopic crystal tower networks on the surface, like sand castle tubes, straight up, side by side. Aluminum oxide is colorless, or dull grey. When you take it out of the electrical bath, carefully putting it into the dye bath, the dye particles fall between the crystal towers. Then when you boil it afterwards, the crystal towers collapse (they're delicate, boiling is violent). The towers collapse, trapping the dye particles like your sister's toys in the sand. You can leave it in the electric bath too long, I forget what the result is. Too long of towers so the bottom layer becomes crusty and top layer becomes chaotic I think. It's not helpful and kind of ruins the process. As I recall, the crystals grow forever. You end up growing the crystals too long and they break off and it consumes the base material. Conversely, titanium/niobium/tantalum anodizing is completely different. Instead of making crystal towers, Titanium Oxide / (etc oxide) is more like a transparent swiss cheese. Looks like a closeup of bad acne scars. This oxide layer is also electrically resistive, but unlike aluminum doesn't grow forever. It's so resistive that the swiss cheese surface grows thicker and then just stops after a certain thickness. The only way to add more is to increase the voltage so that electricity can punch deeper into the metal. There's no need for current control, the process is complete in fractions of a second. There is no dye involved in titanium anodizing. The transparent layer is so predictably and consistently (microscopically) thick, that it acts like a prism. The thickness of the layer is so precise relative to voltage, that it's a precise fraction of the wavelength of visible light. When you shine white (daylight) at the metal, it reflects some light and refracts others, which subtractively or additively combines the wavelengths so that you perceive it as a color. Different thicknesses of oxide layer result in different colors. So different voltages result in different colors, predictably. I think you start to see some colors around 12v, and up around 70 or 80v you've worked your way through the whole spectrum (after which, it repeats, 2nd order, 3rd order, etc). There's minor iridescence, from some angles a part will look green, others, purple for example. You can always add more thickness with a higher voltage, but not take it away afterwards by lowering the voltage. Unlike with Aluminum which uses dye, Titanium/etc anodizing cannot create all colors. Red is almost impossible for example, you can get pink, pink/gold, and plum, a bit of orange and a brown, but there's no thickness that creates red. Green is very very tricky to get, narrow voltage range. Purple and gold are easy, they reappear twice in broad swaths of the spectrum. It's complicated to explain why the anodizing spectrum doesn't follow the visible spectrum, but, it doesn't. It has it's own spectrum, you can just look it up if you're curious. Titanium oxide is so chemically tough, there are only 3 chemicals strong enough to strip it. One of them, even just the gas from the acid can pass right through your skin and attack your nerves and bones directly, painlessly. I think that's Hydrogen Fluoride? I forget the 2nd one but it's similarly terrifying. Don't use either. The 3rd is an unspecified but safe chemical branded as "Multi-Etch". If you "pass" your color voltage-wise on a project, you can dip it in multi-etch and work your way back through the spectrum as it strips the oxide off. It might be impossible for anyone outside of US or Canada to get access to Multi-Etch, as it's not allowed to cross borders. It used to be only available in the US, but I arranged for some to be made and sold in Canada ten years ago, so now there's 1 distributor for each country and far as I know, that's all. Well, those are the things I know about anodizing.

[@Preso58]

Wow! You know your stuff. I believe that leaving the aluminium in the anodising bath for too long creates a sort of burnt look but I don't know how long that takes to occur. I also recall reading about a type of O ring that was made of an exotic material that broke down with heat to make a Hydrogen Fluoride gas. There was a warning not to touch machinery that had been damaged in fires if there was a chance there were any O rings in it. One surface technician was exposed and it basically burned through his skin like phosphorous and just kept going. Not pretty! I have seen photos of anodised titanium and it does look spectacular. Regards, Mark

[@MattsAwesomeStuff]

@@Preso58 - Titanium actually looks kind of blah. The surface finish is always a dull matte. It's just the surface finish of titantium. Niobium on the other hand looks like it was drawn by angels.

[@Zen_Modeling]

💯🤩🤩🤩💯Now this is the EXACT INFO I WAS LOOKING FOR!!! I’m looking to anodize some (very small) 1-inch or Smaller 1/25 Scale 1061 Aluminum Scale Auto parts that I machine on my Mill/Lathe. I only use Aluminum. Thanks & I'm headed over to your channel now to ✅it out-👉Thank's ☯️Lee

[@switchmaster5860]

I used to anodize for a living.. got a new job and this job was getting parts anodized but was unhappy with the product.. he gave me a mission to find out a home set up we can use to do ourselves. Hoping this video will be helpful in about 1 minute in and you sound very educated on the process so I assume I came to the right place

[@Preso58]

Thanks but this has been a long and at times frustrating journey. The thing was I got a good result the first time I tried it and then a lot of failures. It took a long time to work out what I was doing wrong. The key is definitely to have all your parts scrupulously clean and to ensure good electrical contact with the power supply. Heating the dye helps to speed up the process but it's not absolutely essential. Regards, Mark

[@stephenmurray2335]

Loving this series Mark, many thanks for sharing.

[@chrishayes6458]

First class Vidjeo, very informative. Thanks from the UK. Stay well.

[@bobvines00]

Mark, this is yet another very educational & interesting video. I'm very glad that you thought up this "Metal Finishing with Mark" series. Nearly everyone with a home shop can use some of the techniques on their projects.

[@toast47624]

Good video mate. Watched all of it. Thanks for this.

[@howder1951]

Great video Mark, there is no reason anyone cannot do this in a home shop. Enjoyed, cheers!

[@tomeyssen9674]

Thank you for that! You made it straight forward. Great video. Cheers!

[@somebodyelse6673]

Quite a lot of chemistry happens in your shop. Thanks for spending your time sharing with the community!

[@Preso58]

Yes, but I just wish I understood it all. Sigh, life's too short.

[@EddHawkes]

Thanks for this Mark. It's the best video I've watched on anodising (and I've watched a lot over the last couple of weeks). I'm gathering my materials together now, looking forward to getting started :)

[@Preso58]

Glad it was helpful and thanks for watching. Regards, Mark

[@karlsangree4679]

Great video! Very detailed, extremely informative, and well presented. The main thing I learned is that anodizing is WAY to much like work lol. I had no idea that it was so involved with so many steps. Thanks a million for creating this video. In all seriousness, I've marked it as a favorite and will come back to it if I every decide to try anodizing for myself.

[@stixstudios3380]

Great stuff Mark. Good to hear from another Aussie with an (almost) no nonsense approach! Thanks for the info, cheers.

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. Regards, Mark

[@Tule54]

Another great video on metal finishing! Thank You Sir.

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

Thanks for demonstrating your process. The red seems to match pretty well on my screen! Anodizing is something I've been meaning to try, so it's good to have another point of reference once I finally get around to it.

[@freddotu]

With the kool-aid joke, Mark is one step away from This Old Tony!

[@freddotu]

If one checks the profiles of these "fli*zone" clowns, you'll see they are recent accounts with zero content. Spammers.

[@nikond90ful1]

Thanks for the video Mark. Interesting info. Keep safe and stay well.

[@barryfitch6920]

W watched your videos with interest. I used to be a Technology teacher. Now I'm retired I have plenty of time in the workshop etc. When in 6th form at school, I anodised, using an old aquarium. I used various colours, but always clothes dye, Dylon. I use to boil it in an old saucepan. As well as some castings and turned parts, I also anodised several cycle parts. They did look good. I also used engine turning on my projects, using carborundum paste and dowel. Sticking a disc of leather onto the dowel can help. The results were inpressive.

[@newalla344]

Thank you for your time to make this video, it takes a good person to share information to everyone. Very good videos. From Oklahoma, USA

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. I must say I fell in love with anodising after trying it once and getting a result first time. Unfortunately it must have been a fluke as the next 7 or 8 attempts failed miserably. I am glad I persevered though. I still get failures but it's worth all the work when you get a really nice looking part come out of the dye tank. Regards, Mark

[@THEOGGUNSHOW]

Thanks for taking the time to make this informative video

[@FrankenShop]

I can't adequately tell you how much I enjoy your videos. It's clear that you were an educator and it's clear that you were very skilled at it. The pacing is perfect, the detail is perfect, I can find no fault. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and time. It is much appreciated.

[@Preso58]

Wow, thank you! That's nice to hear. I enjoy the process of making these videos. I felt a bit lost after I retired from teaching because I really enjoyed the instructional part of it and the interaction with my students. What I didn't miss was the constant oversight from government bureaucrats and the increasing demands for reporting and record keeping. KZbin now gives me an opportunity to do what I like without anyone telling me how to do it. Plus, you get nice feedback! Regards, Mark

[@FrankenShop]

@@Preso58 That's really the beauty of KZbin, isn't it? An entire planet of eager potential learners. Just wanted to tell you that I appreciate you and what you're doing. Cheers.

[@MrCubflyer]

You do a great job of explaining everything very well thank you.

[@iteerrex8166]

Awesome stuff Mr Presling. Thank you!

[@Preso58]

Glad you enjoyed it! Regards, Preso

[@TAWPTool]

Awesome video as usual! Thanks for sharing!

[@andyl2201]

Excellent video thanks from the UK 👍😊

[@TunaTomgavin]

I watched your video here about a dozen times. I bought everything needed and my first sample piece worked great. I"ve since done several parts I wanted Anodized, and they all turned out better than expected. One thing I've noticed is temp. seems very important. I did one batch that the acid (Sodium bisulfite) bath temp. was only 65 degrees F. and they didn't do as well. The 140 degree F. die (Caswell die) was very slow to penetrate. Since then I've done several more with the acid bath at 78 - 80 degrees F. with exellent results. Thanks so much for your very informative video. ****** 5 stars. I would recommend this process to anyone wanting to anodize aluminum.

[@Preso58]

I am glad you found it useful. I always run my anodising bath at room temperature but I do heat the dyes. I only found out recently that the PH of the dye is critical. My black dye was always a problem. It only ever made the parts a sort of medium grey. I found this page on the Caswell forum forum.caswellplating.com/forum/anodizing-questions/3885-anodizing-dye-ph and checked the PH of all my dyes with a digital PH meter. Nearly all of them were outside the correct range. Most were too alkaline and I added a few drops of hydrochloric acid to bring it back to the correct PH. Bingo! Now my black dye makes the parts jet black and the dye penetrates much more quickly. Regards, Mark

[@dale9896]

Looks great, well done mate.

[@EmmaRitson]

great stuff. i watched this last night and fell asleep without getting up to comment. enjoyed

[@Preso58]

Thanks Emma, Your stickers and cratex went in the post on Thursday. I'll send you a pic of the label inside the box which explains the different grades. Regards, Mark

[@garagemonkeysan]

Fine video. Very detailed and full of information. Very useful. Mahalo for sharing! : )

[@Handmadeextreme]

Great job and thanks for the tip about the pool PH adjuster. I'v been using battery acid but like you said it's getting more difficult to get hold off. For your Titanium wire TIG filler is not that hard to get hold off in small quantities. Great video. Keep it up! 👍👍👍

[@Preso58]

I have some tig welding rod on order on Ebay but after six weeks I am still waiting. I could have just driven down to the welding supply shop but I must say I resent driving anywhere. To me, time spent in the car is time wasted. Regards, Preso

[@R71D]

Enjoyed learning from this video.

[@davidmiles65]

Hey Mark, I wanted to say thank you for a well-made and educational video. I have been exploring this process and you provided me some great insight and I shall be trying this soon. You have a new subscriber from a Brit born in Glenelg, Au. Keep up the excellent work.

[@Preso58]

David, Thanks for your kind comments. I am glad you found the tutorial useful. Anodising at home can be a bit of a minefield but once you get used to the workflow the results are worth it. Regards, Mark

[@roylucas1027]

Good video. I tried doing the same think but with grandkids magic markers. Came out a bit streaky, rubbed off, but otherwise was a success. Thanks for showing me the right way.

[@cratecruncher6687]

I've been doing "near chrome" nickel plating brass and white metal parts for my car models. So I have had good luck with the Caswell stuff. I also have the power supply and basic rig for doing this anodizing stuff. Thanks for walking us through it!

[@Preso58]

I have some nickel cobalt which is almost the same colour as regular chrome. Is that the same? I find that pure nickel is a bit more yellow than the nickel cobalt. Regards, Mark

[@cratecruncher6687]

@@Preso58 I use the Caswell Copy Chrome or "Nickel Crystals with Brightener" on my tiny brass and copper parts. The crystals are bright green. The brightener is an odorless liquid. It works great on brass and copper. White metal is tricky because the nickel doesn't like to adhere. There is no yellowness, possibly because of the mystery brightener additive. Of course the surface has to be highly polished to get the chrome effect. Scale model chrome looks better in nickel than chrome because of scale effect. Caswell plays close to the chest with their ingredients. Their crystals are probably just nickel sulfate but...who knows without testing. No idea what the brightener is.

[@gordon6029]

Just found your channel. Very informative.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Another great reference video.

[@2lefThumbs]

Turning into a great series, I've been wanting to have a go with anodising aluminium for a while, but sulphuric acid is too messy for my work area, I might try bisulphite, thanks for the tip👍👍

[@jackdub75]

Very informative. Thanks for sharing 🙌🏼

[@windyhillfoundry5940]

Great demonstration, thanks for sharing👌

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. It's always a bit nerve wracking waiting to see if the dye starts colouring the part. You can never be sure. It's like dumping out a hot casting from a mould.....😬 Regards, Mark

[@dennisyoung4631]

Awesome *Purple!*

[@blfstk1]

Good Show Mate...as always. I learned stuff. Harder to do as I get older. Imagine that. Reminds me of bluing gun parts. The clean up and the get ready are much the same. Just different solutions in the final process. High temps with bluing. You make jewelry. Me too.

[@Preso58]

Actually, I don't make jewellery. I guess I'm not creative enough for that. I use the jewellers roll for forming cylindrical and conical shapes in sheet metal. It's good for forming wire and small section angle profiles too. I did actually make some jewellery when I was training at teachers college. We did some lost wax casting in pewter. We had a centrifugal casting machine which you wound up like a lawnmower. Scary as! Regards, Mark

[@mattymcsplatty5440]

Greeting from Christchurch. wow I had not idea it was as simple as electroplating.I guess it makes sense now after seeing you do it. I thought anodizing was a trade secret lol Your parts certainly look pretty flash there Mark. Well done, great video.

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Inspirational and educational. I am definitely going to try my own anodising. 👏👏👍😀

[@Preso58]

Just be warned... you will almost certainly fail the first couple of times you try it but don't give up. Once you nail the process it opens up a whole new set of possibilities for finishing your projects. The materials and equipment aren't all that difficult to come by and the total setup costs are affordable. It's just learning the workflow that takes some perseverance and experimentation.

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

@@Preso58 I hear you. I had a few trials and tribulations with my own experiments with copper electroforming. It’s a challenge until suddenly it goes right, and your technique is perfected.

[@bclare2544]

Very interesting content Mark.

[@joehosie]

Wow Mark! i love the video keep it up!

[@anthonyreddy2834]

Very nice! Tried this a few times but simpler method but wasn't happy with my out come with splotches and light areas. Gonna try your way next! Cheers

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

30yrs ago i used to work at a hardchrome company and one thing we used heaps of was Ajax ! We also used pumice usually after ajax when we needed something real clean - mostly things made of cast iron and after all that cleaning it got wiped down with muriatic acid and immediately put into the chrome solution . Inevitably i will have to sort out a set up like yours - maybe a bit smaller as i know i will get sick of looking a plain aluminium on the model engines i make, one can bare only so many aluminium /brass combinations and i detest painting ! Watch out drinking that XXXX stuff Mark - that stuff will kill a brown dog !☠☠☠☠😁 Thanks for the informative video Mark ! That was probably the clearest explanation i have seen on anodizing in the home workshop !

[@Preso58]

Thanks Ian. I recall watching a video on chrome plating being applied to a massive air cleaner from some sort of American V8 car engine. The number of steps required was incredible. They had to wire up anodes all around and inside the part just to ensure a consistent thickness of plate. Then there were multiple metals applied as well. Copper, then nickel, then the chrome. They didn't reveal how much they charged for the job but I was thinking it must have been at least four figures. I used to send parts out to get anodised and they always came back beautiful but there was a minimum charge and pretty soon you realised that you could invest in your own setup and provided you don't count the cost of your own labour, it's pretty much just the cost of the electricity to do the job. Regards, Mark

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

Mark Presling Many people complain about how expensive decorative chrome is but once i explain the process and how much work goes into the set up they soon see where their dollars are going ! We used to do Hardchrome only which is a Chromium deposit straight onto the parent metal and is used to repair bearing journals, hydraulic rams ,, rollers and to put a low friction - hard wearing surface on dies used in injection moulding machines . This process is much simpler as there is no intermediate coating applied and no polishing operations to perform but i still remember some dies used to take a whole day to jig up - multiple anodes , masking off the rest of the part and then trying to clean everything without disturbing the anodes were all part of the adventure!

[@coreyelliot8509]

We use that dry acid to remove the mill scale off of mild steel works awesome

[@mrmechanical3423]

Brilliant, I will have to give this ago eventually! Great video!

[@mrmechanical3423]

Would also like to exchange stickers with you if you are willing?

[@Preso58]

Sure, email me at [e-mail] and we exchange addresses. Regards, Mark

[@PROJECT1ZERO3]

Mark, gret video, thanks for the info.

[@philclinton9430]

very nice video and thanks for sharing

[@Mister_G]

Thank you for that - I followed your process and it has worked a treat (I did work out the current to get ~ 6A/sq ft which needed 17 - 21 volts).

[@Preso58]

I have never been able to get that sort of voltage when I set up my power supply. It is capable of supplying more than the 15V that was recommended to me but even if I set the power supply to fixed voltage the parts will only take a few volts at a time. I'm not worried though. the process seems to work consistently now that I clamp the hanging wires with screws. Regards, Mark

[@Mister_G]

@@Preso58 I'm not sure what part temperature plays - I think it needs higher voltage as it gets colder. It's been ~15°C here and I set my tank up outdoors. It does work an absolute treat though - thanks!

[@Mister_G]

Just to add some closure to this - I found that I'd made a mistake when calculating amps which is what gave me the ~20V. I do need 17 to 17.5 volts to get 6A /sq ft though. I've anodised a few dozen parts now, and it really does work well - thank you @Mark Presling

[@gerrys6265]

Thank you so much..perfect detail/time...

[@stixstudios3380]

Thanks again Mark. Your method works brilliantly!!! Can't get powdered AJAX anymore, but most household cleaners works fine. I remember when Ajax came in a cylindrical type can in powder form. :)

[@Preso58]

I am pretty sure that most of the household creme and powder type cleaners have the same active ingredients. Regards, Mark

[@localele1]

Nice video of the process and maybe one day I will get around to doing some anodising myself.

[@Preso58]

Michael, the learning curve was steep on this process and many videos will make it look easy using basic kitchen equipment but despite the investment I have always appreciated being able to produce durable and nice looking parts without having to send them out (and pay high costs). Regards, Mark

[@localele1]

@@Preso58 I get parts done but I don't consider them to be pricey for the results achieved.

[@niniliumify]

Thanks for the entertaining education.

[@anonymousgeorge4321]

Great video. Thanks.

[@j.dtarran8302]

This Is Good advice , I've tried this but this is minimalist no fuss advice.

[@Preso58]

Thanks. I really should do a follow up. I have found out just recently that the Caswell dyes that I use are very sensitive to PH levels and some of my dyes, especially the black, were way too alkaline. I bought a digital PH meter and checked all my dyes and found that a lot of them were incorrect. If the PH is wrong the dye won't penetrate or it takes way too long to get the colour depth you would want. Check this link for the different PH levels for each colour. forum.caswellplating.com/forum/anodizing-questions/3885-anodizing-dye-ph Regards, Mark

[@JBFromOZ]

very cool process!

[@ron.owensby]

I think the "Black" looks the best!

[@mikemarriam]

Great tutorial.

[@georgeescaped6035]

XXXX i haven't had one of those in years!!!! can't find them up here in the states. good video thanks

[@griffo3043]

Thanks legend in doing this.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Hey Mark. Very cool. Thanks for breaking it down and making it easy. Those finished parts look the bees knees. I've never cast lead before, but I wondered if I could just level a baking sheet and pour molten lead into that, then pop it out, and bandsaw it down the middle? Those aluminium hanger wires could be made with aluminium tig rods I expect? I'll go back and look at the engine turning one now, and I'm looking forward to the next video too. I hope your delivery happened smoothly today!

[@Preso58]

Craig, casting the lead was easy compared to aluminium. The mould I made was just bandsawn out of two pieces of aluminium sheet. I did it in two parts so I could cut into it from each end instead of having to pierce it. It also made it easier to get the part out at the end. There is another sheet of aluminium underneath and the whole thing is screwed down to a piece of form play. I did find that the lead cooled too quickly to get it to flow out to the edges of the mould so I had to run the blowtorch over the surface to remelt it. This caused the mould to bow upwards at the ends so I had to clamp it down to the bench. As always, by the time I got the second one done I had worked out how it should be done! If you were using a thin metal tray you would need to be careful that it didn't "pop" and splash the molten lead on you. The molten lead is super shiny and smooth but when it cools it gets a crystalline crocodile skin look about it but it doesn't matter for what it has to do. The mill went in OK and I am really happy with it. No damage from transport and the paint is better than I expected. 😁 Regards, Mark

[@CraigsWorkshop]

@@Preso58 Thanks for the info on the casting I'll keep that in mind if/when I try this out. Good news about the mill - can't wait to see it on video. Thanks, Craig

[@markthompson4885]

I subscribed. really like you work. I want to do this so bad.

[@RockingJOffroad]

I may try this someday!

[@ArnoldsDesign]

Those pieces turned out really nice. Strange that it's difficult to get the acid where you're at, but I'm glad to know about the bisulphate now. In US we don't have those restrictions. . . yet. I shot some footage of diy anodizing a couple years back but just never made a video of it. Someday maybe.

[@Preso58]

Well, our federal government loves to get tough on terrorists after the bombings in Bali and a few aborted attacks more recently and we now enjoy restrictions on just about anything that you might be able to make a bomb out of. Which is a bit weird because you could blow up a building with custard powder! Oops, I shouldn't have said that out loud. I recall watching your video on anodising the flagpole finial? I really enjoyed that one. Regards, Mark

[@ArnoldsDesign]

@@Preso58 Custard powder. Who would've thought. They're doing that here too with some chemicals. I don't know what the sulphuric acid would be used for, other than maybe making nitro. Who knows. But for an auto parts store to eye you with suspicion b/c you need some is beyond ridiculous. Like as if there's a high per capita rate of bomb makers.

[@Machine_NZ]

Hi Preso, just watched this again. Got the ingredients and going to do a trial anodise. Wish me luck....lol. Regards Kevin

[@Preso58]

Kevin, good luck with the process. In my view it is worth it to buy quality dyes. I have tried the fabric dyes (RIT) and they don't work for me. Some fabric dyes will colour the metal but they are not guaranteed to be UV resistant and they don't give the same depth of colour as specialist anodising dyes. Heating the dye also makes the penetration quicker but you must not take the temperature beyond about 60C. If it gets too high it will seal off the pores in the metal before the dye can penetrate. Regards, Mark

[@Machine_NZ]

@@Preso58 thanks Preso. I'm experimenting with the RIT dye on some scrap aluminium so will see how it goes. Thanks for the advice. Regards Kevin

[@sodster68]

I'm dyeing to test this myself.

[@swdweeb]

Thanks Mark, been looking forward to this since you hinted at it a few days ago. What happens at the spots that they wire hanger comes in contact with the part? Do you end up with a funny spot at that point? I was under the assumption that anodizing was like plating but apparently not. Thanks for showing your process.

[@Preso58]

Perry, I could see a slight imperfection where the wire was touching but the disc will be fitted into a pocket so you won't see the edge anyway. But anywhere the wire touches will leave an un-anodised area. Sadly, anodising is one of those "black arts" like metal casting. It has taken me years to work out a process that is repeatable. When it doesn't work there is little evidence of what went wrong. You just have to start again and make incremental changes to the process. Regards, Mark

[@swdweeb]

Mark Presling thanks, that’s kinda what I expected

[@georahi]

thanks for this information! if I do all the steps and skip the dye part, will I end up for a matte grey finish that has all the same characteristics of durability?

[@jasonh3109]

Wow! Great video. This is the first time to your channel. This is by far the best anodizing videos I’ve seen! Thanks for sharing. Do you think aluminum 4043 TIG wire would work as a hanger? Thanks again!

[@Preso58]

Jason, I did try using TIG wire and for some reason it eroded away during the anodising process. I am not sure why but I find that the transmission wire I now use is reliable. Titanium is better but I am still waiting on that particular supply. Regards, Mark

[@robstirling3173]

Aluminium oxide is the sintered insulation used in spark plugs. ( Makes good cheap sandblaster nozzles)

[@jaysmith3633]

Thanks for all the great videos, I'm learning a lot. What is the rough size and weight of the lead cathodes?

[@Preso58]

Jay, the bigger section is 200 X 75mm and around 4mm thick. The handle section is 185mm long and 20mm wide. I am just guessing but I would think they are about 400 grams each. Regards, Mark

[@waykem1]

Well done mark, so good the way you explain every process. I know you can get a brushed gold finish, is that the powder its self or the way its preped and applied

[@Preso58]

Getting a brushed or satin finish is all about the metal preparation. The dye is just a colour and it's translucent so you will not be able to hide any surface defects, scratches or dents. I usually don't try to get a mirror finish on the aluminium before anodising. The acid in the anodising tank etches the surface slightly so a part with a mirror finish will still come out as a sort of satin finish when done. Commercial anodising companies use a variety of tricks with temperature and additives to get a better quality of surface finish but that's a bit hard for the home shop. Regards, Mark

[@waykem1]

@@Preso58 Thank you Mark

[@dave_ecclectic]

Caswell also has a chemical called Zincate that allows you to plate aluminum with whatever you want, although the plating process may require a specific metal to plate over first. Since aluminum oxidizes like instantly this chemical prevents that and then dissolves in the plating solution.

[@Preso58]

I did look into the viability of plating over aluminium a while ago. I recall reading about zincate. I think it is also possible to do it with a cyanide copper strike followed by nickel and chrome. Jane kits sell a copper strike solution called Ultra Strike but I have not tried it yet. Regards, Mark

[@pgs8597]

G’day Presso, good video. Just wondering what the shelf life of the mixed die? Cheers Peter

[@Preso58]

I have had mine mixed up in those tubs for about five years. I have only had one colour (gold) go off and I think it was because I contaminated it with something. I had been using it for lots of parts and it gradually stopped colouring the parts and a sort of scum appeared on the bottom of the tub. The replacement colour came as a powder but I haven't mixed it up yet. I think the best plan is just to mix up just enough to colour the parts you are doing. There is enough concentrate to make up about 7 litres of ready dye. Regards, Mark

[@crazytrutas]

@25.18 Beer O´clock! Cheers mate!

[@allbeit582]

Top video, I learnt a lot just now and have to try it myself.....Just to be clear on the sodium bisulfate solution, did you add the 4 kilos to 16 litres of water, or mix the two until it equaled 16 litres total ?

[@Preso58]

The ratio is not really critical. I added 4 kg of powder to 16 litres of water but over time you do get some evaporation and the level in the tank drops. It doesn't seem to affect the process. Regards, Mark

[@DavidKutzler]

I've watched several of your videos and wondered why you don't have as many subscribers as you should. Then I noticed that I hadn't subscribed. Fixed!

[@Preso58]

Yes, that's something of a mystery to me too. Having said that I got a mention on Jeremy Fielding's channel a few days ago via the comments section and since then I have been getting about 40 to 50 new subscribers each day. 😁 Regards, Mark

[@richards6452]

Hi Mark, another great video. I use food colouring dyes from Coles. they work a treat and are cheap. Cheers, Richard PS. How do you drink that 4X? Brings state of origin up and I gag !!!

[@Preso58]

Well, no fear of state of origin jibes for the foreseeable future unless the NRL bully Anastasia into submission! I have never tried any other dyes apart from Rit fabric dye and that was pretty hit and miss. I have heard that non specific dyes can be less colour fast than the specialised anodising dyes. They are supposed to be more resistant to UV light and fading. Regards, Mark

[@paulh71]

Interesting video, thanks for posting. Thought I’d give it a go but having problems finding lead for electrodes. Bunnings have lead sheet but it’s copperised. Not sure if that would upset the process. Otherwise I may just use Aluminium but apparently need 6063-T6. Not sure but I think the stuff they sell in Bunnings isn’t that. Do you reckon it’d make much difference? Did you use 6063-T6 when you were using aluminium as the cathode?

[@Preso58]

I have no idea what the original aluminium cathode grade was. It was just some sheet stock I "liberated" from a skip. The lead I used came from a large block that my father made from old lead acid batteries. Maybe take a look in BCF for some heavy lead sinkers. You may need to buy a few but the cathode probably doesn't need to be as big as the ones I used. Regards, Mark

[@irvine40]

Thanks Mark, going to give Anodising a try this summer. Can you advise on the best way to strip the anodising? I have a few parts I would like to strip & dye another colour

[@Preso58]

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) is the best stripper. You can see the dye coming off in the solution after a minute or two. I just put a couple of table spoons of crystal into about 3 litres of clean water and it works great. Don't leave it in for too long though or you will etch the surface of the part. About 5 minutes is usually sufficient. Regards, Mark

[@irvine40]

@@Preso58 thanks Mark

[@brianconnell9601]

Boiled linseed oil works very well on bare steel to keep it from rusting.

[@Preso58]

That's correct but I find it tends to go sticky and attract dust. Parkerising is the most durable finish I have found for steel parts in my shop. I did a video on the process a while back. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2OVg5iGmNtshpI Regards, Mark

[@corywilson3541]

Love all your videos.. in the process ATM building a little tank to try this anodizing process I do have a question!? I know they say don't pour down drain. Ultimately I'm trying to use PVC 3in x 30 and it is plastic.. just curious would the acid over time eat the PVC? Sorry if this is a dumb question

[@Preso58]

No. PVC is commonly used for things like acid resistant fume cabinets and tank storage in chemical laboratories. It is quite safe to use most plastics with acids and alkalis. Regards, Mark

[@corywilson3541]

@@Preso58 thank you so much for the response. In the process of building it now I will let you know how it turns out!! You the best!!! Oh one last question since the metal piece is roughly 30 in long.. tank about 35in should the cathodes pretty much run long ways the atleast 30 in to cover the surface area of the piece I'm trying to anodize..aluminum is roughly 2.8in x 29in about 2 to 3mil thick

[@Chromevulcan]

A good quality aquarium heater could be a good replacement for the ones no longer available from Caswell.

[@Preso58]

I did buy one of those to heat up a acid etching bath but because they are designed for tropical fish they really don't get to the temperature needed for anodising dyes. I think I was lucky that I bought my Caswell heater before they got scarce. Regards, Mark

[@brianreid4101]

Mark agree with all other comments very well done and informative thank you..My question is will the final rinse in Caustic cause a Satin finish on item yours apears to be quite shiny in end result. Cheers Brian

[@Preso58]

Brian, the caustic solution does etch the surface but in practice, I have never been able to get a highly polished surface to anodise without losing some of the gloss. In commercial situations they use a special acid as a final rinse that chemically polishes the surface. I tend to get a semi satin finish which is quite pleasing and it does help to hide any imperfections in the flatness or polish achieved. I also just recently found out that the PH of the dye is very important. I had a black dye that was almost brand new but it wouldn't give me the deep black finish that I was after. I bought a digital PH meter and checked the level. It was supposed to have a PH of 5.5 and it was more like 8! I was able to add some hydrochloric acid and now it dyes a beautiful deep black in a fraction of the time it used to take. Regards, Mark

[@brianreid4101]

@@Preso58 Mark do appreciate your feedback thank you, my results using your exact formula were very good indeed , semi satin is a good description and no sign of fine scratches as you mentioned so will adhere to your formula ..May I ask another question which is..does the PH become critical with all Caswell Colours ? and should Dye and Solution be stirred before each use if left standing for say 2-3 days or longer? Thank you... I have a friend in Sunrise Road.. Regards Brian

[@Preso58]

@@brianreid4101 Brian, I don't stir my dyes but I do heat them which circulates the liquid via convective currents. The PH is different for each colour. There is a post on the Caswell forum which shows the recommended level for each colour forum.caswellplating.com/forum/anodizing-questions/3885-anodizing-dye-ph I was surprised that my black dye was so alkaline as I made up all the dyes using distilled water which should have a neutral PH. Maybe they go alkaline over time? I have only ever had one batch of gold dye go bad. Maybe it got contaminated with something but all the others I have are several years old and they seem to be still in working order. Regards, Mark

[@brianr4247]

Thats funny that you said you can't throw sulfuric acid down the sink.... Here in the states its used to unclog sinks.

[@Preso58]

That would probably be caustic soda or sodium hydroxide, the active ingredient in drain cleaner. Sulphuric acid is very expensive here in Australia, if you can get it. At one time you could buy it at the auto accessory shop for topping up car batteries but now it's one of those restricted chemicals. Probably associated with bomb makers or meth labs! Regards, Mark

[@melvinneuble3110]

Hey Mark do you have any tip for both striping and refinishing Zamack?

[@Preso58]

If it's chrome plated it can be very difficult to do at home unless you grind it off. Chemically stripping chrome requires some really nasty acids. I believe there is a way to reverse the plating process but once again, I think it needs a lot of specialised solutions and equipment. Jane Kits sell a copper strike that will work on zinc alloys. Once you have the copper plate you can then nickel or nickel cobalt plate over that. Nickel cobalt looks exactly like chrome but it is easier and safer to carry out at home. Jane kits don't sponsor me in any way but I have used their products for some time and they are affordable and they work well in the home shop. janekits.com.au/product-category/electroplating-kits/ultra-copper-plating-kits/ Regards, Mark

[@opendstudio7141]

Nice! Could have anodized and dyed your little jeweled test plate as an experiment. More than likely the jeweling would just disappear. 😊

[@Preso58]

The test plate was stainless steel and it isn't possible to anodise stainless. It can be coloured by heating in an inert atmosphere though. Regards, Mark

[@sheph7ceo799]

I must say you are the only one I know with a “tarted up” band saw. To be clear you operate the process with the power supply in the constant current mode?

[@Preso58]

No, I set the voltage to 15V as constant voltage and just let the parts draw whatever current they need. I know it's not the way you are supposed to do it but it seems to work for me. The whole decorative bandsaw table thing came about from a post on Instagram that I saw by Steve Smith and it sort of got out of hand. 😁 Regards, Mark

[@graemetho9805]

The local cleaning supply store at morayfield has Mo-Flo, drain cleaner which is sulphuric acid and has 1835gm/L of sulphuric which going by the SG is about pure H2SO4, for $55, Blackwoods about $75

[@Preso58]

That's interesting. I found it almost impossible to buy bulk sulphuric acid from the auto accessory store. You used to be able to buy a 4 litre container for topping up car batteries. Now, you get treated like a bomb maker if you try to buy acids like Nitric and Sulphuric. Regards, Mark

[@graemetho9805]

@@Preso58 Turned out to be $46 inc with an ABN, and no questions asked.

[@ArmwrestlingAsh]

Got some.handy stuff on your channel, hoping you could upload a video or breakdown of your burner for your furnace, I see lots of things on you tube about them and have made a couple that replicate them but quite simply they suck!

[@Preso58]

Ash, If you email me I can send you the engineering drawings for the burner design. I have had several people ask me about it so it was easier to just create the 3D model and the 2D drawings. You can find my email address on the "about" tab of my channel. Regards, Mark

[@ArmwrestlingAsh]

@@Preso58 just checked the 'about' section and it doesnt pull up any emails unfortunately. I am [e-mail] Your drawings would be extremely helpful!!

[@rsjunkie4919]

Hi mark, how long do you find the sodium bisulphate solution to stay affective? Does it need replacing often?

[@Preso58]

I have only had to top up the water which probably evaporates over time. However the raw chemical is so much cheaper than Suphuric Acid that you could make up a new batch for less than $20. Regards, Mark

[@rsjunkie4919]

Thanks for the information mark. I am in the Uk and obtaining battery acid is difficult. I have ordered sodium bisulphate, have read online it doesn’t last very long but it seems cheap enough...

[@classicrestouk]

You should talk about hard anodising too

[@Preso58]

Sadly, I've never tried it but it should be doable in a home shop. I was very fortunate to be able to tour a workshop of the Toyota Rally Team here in Australia and they were taking steel parts off the stock Toyota sedans and replacing them with aluminium parts which were hard anodised in an attempt to save weight. The main parts were all underbody parts which were subject to wear and tear from gravel and stone strike. Regards, Mark

[@classicrestouk]

@@Preso58 hard anodised parts are very hard wearing. I don't understand the process myself as it's been a long time since I studied anodising. I know it creates a layer which is penetrated in the surface - so the bond is extremely strong but I can't remember how the process is different to get it from regular to hard.

[@billbaggins]

That all looks simple enuf for a simple bloke to try, now i just need to make something from aloominmoimnim. Hydrochloric acid should be available from Bunnings, I bought a 5l bottle about 18 months ago, or try a concrete supply place.

[@Jack_C_]

You need sulphuric acid, not so easy to get.

[@Preso58]

Bill, hydrochloric acid might etch your parts. Sulphuric acid is more or less inert with aluminium but it's expensive if you can get it.

[@billbaggins]

oops, I must have chemical lysdexia🤦‍♂️ Reminds me of a silly thing from high school now... My science teacher took a drink but he will drink no more, for what he thought was H2O was H2SO4

[@koutaratel8012]

I bought some sulfuric acid today from a place in preston, melbourne. $40 5 litres 98%. No questions asked.

[@koutaratel8012]

No questions asked.

[@Preso58]

That's interesting. I was treated with suspicion when I tried to buy some. However the pool chemical alternative is much cheaper. Regards, Mark

[@The52brandon]

Actually, I buy 95% sulfuric acid in 32oz bottles for like $7 as drain opener. So not only is it still widely available, but it's actually sold for the express purpose of pouring down the drain

[@Preso58]

Unfortunately, that option was not available to me. The drain clearing solutions sold locally are alkaline (sodium hydroxide). If you can get relatively pure sulphuric acid and it's cheap then that would be the way to go. Regards, Mark

[@brianreid4101]

Mark I do follow your guideline as best I can , but having a drama where the Dye does not take to very edge of Knob of amplifier using Caswell Dye, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[@Preso58]

Brian, I now clean my parts using a product called "Simple Green". It is a household cleaning concentrate with a citrus base. I put the parts into a plastic bag and fill it with the cleaner, just enough to wet the parts, and then the whole bag goes into my ultrasonic cleaner. I run it for about 10 minutes and then wash the parts under lots of running water. From their they go straight into the anodising tank. As long as you don't touch the parts with bare hands they should be uncontaminated. It's a good idea to do a water break test just in case but the ultrasonic cleaner gets into threaded holes and through holes that are not easy to clean with a brush. I have seen a similar issue around the edges of holes where the dye won't take and I am sure it is to do with contamination from cutting oil and grease. I also rinse the parts straight after they come out of the anodising tank with lots of running water. Just spraying them with a spray bottle isn't enough. In the anodising trade they call this step "swilling" and it is done in very large tanks of clean water. Any residual acid left in cavities or around sharp edges can stop the dye from penetrating. It's also a good idea to check the PH of your dyes. I was having an issue with my black dye and I found that it had a PH of about 8 and it should have been around 5.5. I bought a digital PH tester and found an online guide for Caswell dyes which listed the target PH for each colour and they are not all the same. I can lower the PH with just a few drops of hydrochloric acid and now the black dye penetrates quickly and it produces a deep jet black. I also heat the dyes to about 55C. Check out this link forum.caswellplating.com/forum/anodizing-questions/3885-anodizing-dye-ph Regards, Mark

[@brianreid4101]

@@Preso58 Appreciate the quick and informative response..Will take on board your suggestions.. I do use Simple Green but not my Ultrasonic cleaner, the running water could be one of my problems so will try that, so that is tap water not Di.Min water. Thanks again ..Regards Brian

[@Preso58]

@@brianreid4101 our tap water comes from rainwater tanks so it is relatively pure. If your water supply contains chlorine or dissolved minerals you might be better to use distilled water. You may need to experiment. In my view, the key is to use a large volume of water and dunk/swill the parts. Good luck.

[@Preso58]

@@brianreid4101 our tap water comes from rainwater tanks so it is relatively pure. If your water supply contains chlorine or dissolved minerals you might be better to use distilled water. You may need to experiment. In my view, the key is to use a large volume of water and dunk/swill the parts. Good luck.

[@brianreid4101]

@@Preso58 Thanks again Mark..

[@brianoates1849]

I have some motor bolts I'd like to nickel plate have the supplies. Time is another factor and turbulence. Would u like to plate them

[@kennethkustren9381]

Does it stop Galvanic Corrosion ?? Methinks perhaps so. The Bus bar issue ... Conductive Grease ?

[@Preso58]

Kenneth, anodising creates a tough and hard layer which is far less active than the raw aluminium so it should be much better at resisting corrosion whether it is caused by corrosive atmospheres or galvanic corrosion. Most aluminium window frames are either clear anodised or hard anodised to resist corrosion in salty environments. I used to clean the bus bar before I started anodising but due to the light weight of some components and the fact that aluminium will oxidise almost instantly after it is cleaned the very slight resistance can ruin the anodising process. Clamping the wire has solved the problem. Regards, Preso