Anodizing Titanium

SuperFly · Post by **SuperFly** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:44 pm

I have to start by saying I have not tried this, but it seems like cool info so I'll pass it along. I found this over at Mini-zRacer.com:

"As for how I did mine, I filled up a small glass of coke. I wired up three - 9V batteries in series. I stripped about 3" of the negative lead and turned it into a coil (hoping that the electricity would be better spread around the fluid). I then put a spring loaded clamp on the positive end. Being very careful, you dip the screw (clamped to the positive side, using the last 2 or 3 threads) into the coke. Lots of bubbling will occur right around the screw. After about 3 - 4 seconds, it slows/almost stops. Pull it back out and you'll have an anodized screw. The best thing about titanium, is that the layer built up is extremely durable to repeated removal/insertion.

NOTE: Don't let the positive lead actually touch the coke, cause you'll cause a short and you'll make the screw go black. (while it's not a big deal with the lower voltages, it could be a huge deal with the higher ones, you could give yourself quite the wake up shot.)"

This site shows some color charts:

http://www.valhallaarms.com/wyvern/tita ... dizing.htm

another thing I learned about anodizing both titanium and aluminum is that the anodizing process creates a layer of molecules on the surface of the object that are much harder than the raw metal, so anodized parts would be less prone to damage.

evoraptor · Post by **evoraptor** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:34 pm

So, according to what you did and that scale that they had, the screws turned out to a purplish tinge? I should try this.. but I don't have any titanium anything.

SuperFly · Post by **SuperFly** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:45 pm

I haven't tried it yet, but that's what I would expect to happen based on that chart. I don't know what kind of danger you might get into by wiring more than three 9-volt batteries, because it would be cool to get up around 40 volts for that nice saturated blue.

I only have one titanium part (ball diff shaft) at the moment, and I can't afford to be messing with it right now. I might get myself a titanium screw set just to try it out.

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:29 pm

SuperFly wrote:I haven't tried it yet, but that's what I would expect to happen based on that chart. I don't know what kind of danger you might get into by wiring more than three 9-volt batteries, because it would be cool to get up around 40 volts for that nice saturated blue.

That's what I was thinking.

edit: You think some rubber gloves might insulate you? Rubber soled shoes? Gotta be some way to protect yourself.

sg219 · Post by **sg219** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:43 pm

That low of a voltage is nothing.

You need to get up into the high 1000's before you get really shocked.

http://www.amasci.com/emotor/voltmeas.html

Trying this would be cool.

steelwoolghandi · Post by **steelwoolghandi** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:38 pm

Well it does say you can also do this to aluminum I would like to try it with that as I have aluminum tubing and other aluminum parts I would like to anodize!

SuperFly · Post by **SuperFly** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:58 pm

I think the way it works with aluminum is different. I think the anodizing process with aluminum just creates a layer that is "anodized" and receptive to dye, so the color is achieved through dye rather than voltage.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 1:06 am

this is cool, similar process to electroplating.

i wouldn't be too scared to try it out, the worst thing that could happen is going to be cosmetic. i doubt there will be any damage that will affect it's performance.

stampede_dude · Post by **stampede_dude** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:46 pm

30v 100ma can kill ya.

civicsr2cool · Post by **civicsr2cool** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:46 pm

i wouldnt worry to much about gettin shocked. its the amps thatl kill yah not that voltage. 9-volts are pretty weak.
in my class at college our instructer keeps tellin us dont be worried bout the amount of volts, that wont kill you, its anything more than .5 an amp

we get shocked all day experimenting with motor control projects.

i would like to anodize my rc18t turnbuckles blue but i dont think i can get that dark associated blue im after.

cj · Post by cj » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:47 am

Found a site a while back on the Aluminum anodizing.

http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html

He has done some fading and splash anodizing.

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:25 am

civicsr2cool wrote:i wouldnt worry to much about gettin shocked. its the amps thatl kill yah not that voltage. 9-volts are pretty weak.
in my class at college our instructer keeps tellin us dont be worried bout the amount of volts, that wont kill you, its anything more than .5 an amp we get shocked all day experimenting with motor control projects.

Exactly right. The best example of this is a static charge, 50-100,000 volts, but very close to no amps.

Thing is, 1 9-volt battery gives you a fun little jolt to the tongue, but what would 5 9-volts feel like? I think I'd rather try to avoid that.

I think the way it works with aluminum is different. I think the anodizing process with aluminum just creates a layer that is "anodized" and receptive to dye, so the color is achieved through dye rather than voltage.

I'm pretty sure you are correct, but I'm thinking the color is added during the anodizing process, and not after but I could be wrong, I just have a vague memery from something I read years and years ago.