Best thing about youtube for me is learning to construct and process things. Loving this anodising journey, thanks Tom!

Good job- I will check out the other videos based on the helpful information in this introduction to anodizing. Very professional results and a nice tidy set up to work with too- well done.

The tanks in the table is a great idea. The PVC piping for the air another great idea and your heaters, nice setup great execution completing it. As with many things improvements will find there way in. Thank you for posting the video.

What to say Tom? Just WOW! Great anodizing setup and your aluminum treatment plant. I like it at all and even more next to watching in operation. Thanks

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Milan.

You might not be the best cameraman :) , but for workmanship when machining and attention to detail , you sir are amongst the best !!!! Thanks for sharing

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Easy for you to say. Try shooting a movie when you are the director, the actor, the props man and the camera man, oh and sometimes the stunt coordinator. It's enough to drive you batty. :) Thanks for watching. Tom

Hi Tom, You sure built a clean system - right down to the wiring in the control box! Nice and compact but yet very functional. Thanks for showing us. Reid

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Reid, I'm glad you liked it. Tom

Thank you for taking the time to make this

Quite informative and well worth the watch. You've done a nice job on the anodizing rig. I tip my hat in respect.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jim, glad you enjoyed it.

Very nice setup Tom. Thanks for sharing!

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Herb.

That is a great looking setup and a interesting looking part too. Thanks for showing us.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

Thanks for posting the link and the complete building instructions because I need to build something like it for Nickelplating.

PPE is your friend. Dealing with these chemicals without any gloves or even glasses? wow, just wow. I like your setup and obvious attention to detail. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

zerodegreec Good point. Glasses, or better yet a face shield would be appropriate. The electrolyte is not that concentrated, but the sodium hydroxide etch definitely is. Thanks for watching. Tom

@zerodegreec

9 жыл бұрын

On that same note, do you know what your neutralizing solution is for the chemicals you are working with? For example, Lye is not neutralized by water. You need vinegar. Knowing what to do when things go wrong is very important.

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

zerodegreec I'm not trying to neutralize the lye, just rinse it between steps. There is five pounds of baking soda within reach for the acid.

Awesome set up and very informative man! Good work!

G'day Tom what a bloody ripper of an idea, fantastic! Regards John

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+John Kinnane Thanks John.

Hi Tom... Very interesting, cool build, great demo and explanation! Love to see a shop tour....there is a lot to learn from a "packed" shop Chuck

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chuck.

@michaelmurray9154

10 жыл бұрын

That's a slick setup. Good video tom!

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Michael Murray Thanks Michael.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chuck.

Excellent Tom. That's the second time I've watched it and I going to watch it again! Can we please have some more on anodizing! In fact can we please have some more of the shop work :) Regards, Allan

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks Allan. I'll probably fire up the anodizing system when the clamp knurling tool is complete. The aluminum parts would look nice if they were brightly colored. Tom

@douglasbattjes3991

2 жыл бұрын

@@TomsTechniques you got that right Tom, nice orange, purple or violet . Do it

Awesome setup. Thanks for sharing.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bill.

Awesome set up!!

You gave me an idea to place everything in my unused parts washer. Thanks.

When you were spraying the part at around 9:00 I could see the brown to silver cleaning action. Thanks for the info, checked out the info on your website and it makes a great reference point. I'll be looking to anodise parts that will need a tank maybe 800mm x 400mm, so I got some home work to do.

I noticed there was NO Mention of the cameraman...Good..! Great video. I never really saw the applications to anodizing aluminum parts and your setup is wonderfully simple. Thank you. Peace :)

I like your setup very much but for three minor aspects. You do need a bucket with baking soda/water in case the acid gets splashed or spilled... I'd use food color to identify it. You would be able to use it as of course it will neutralize the solutions if you splash or spill. You also should clearly label your tanks in case something happens and fire/police/rescue squad stumble across your setup. If they don't know what it is they will call a hazmat team and all hell will break loose for you.

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

I have ten pounds of soda within easy reach to neutralize the acid. Good idea about labeling the tanks. Tom

@peacock1993

4 жыл бұрын

@@TomsTechniques any chance of a list with part numbers for the electrical items? It would really be helpful. Thank you!

@TomsTechniques

4 жыл бұрын

I pretty much built it on the fly, so there are no schematics or part numbers. A lot of that info can be found on the build thread: kzread.info?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmadmodder.net%2Findex.php%2Ftopic%2C9113.0.html&v=BtYHcsq7s5A&redir_token=O5OiZ4W4G_oqbVhM62wC1Iu50EB8MTU3MDAzMjkwM0AxNTY5OTQ2NTAz&event=video_description

Very interesting Tom, thank you for sharing! Ray

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ray

Brilliant video, thanks for sharing that!

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Is that ever neat Tom! Thanks for the demo.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Tom

I did learn a lot from your video. So thank you. I found a master kit to get me started with a video that gives step by step instructions for $260.00 A awesome deal.

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help. Tom

@deanadams9599

7 жыл бұрын

Hi Tom would you please tell me how much lie to add per gallon of distilled water?

Tom, Very good video clip. I read about the anodizing build on MadModder and it was good to see it in action. Always wanted to build a setup like yours, but didn't have any idea where to start and how much space it would take up. I like the concept of it being double duty and serving as a work bench also. Keep up the good work.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bob. The lack of space is what kept me from doing it sooner. Now I not only have an anodizing setup, but an assembly bench as well. I put a link to the MadModder build thread in the video description. Not sure if anyone reads it though. Tom

Awesome setup and a very nice video. I'm currently exploring your website. Have a small CNC quasi-mill on order and just received a HF mini lathe(still in the box). Excited about getting into metal working. An old wood turner.

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks Gary. There's a lot to explore on the website. Tom

Tom, great setup. My question is what is the flow rating Liter/ min on the air pump? I am looking for similar agitation in a 5gal bucket.

Ditto, ditto, ditto lol. "That's all there is to anodizing" - Bloody hell Tom, there wouldn't want to be much more, that's a hell of a process. Great setup you have! If I had to do that from scratch with no cool setup like yours, it would be a hell of a task! Thank's, neat video. Would have been nice if you mentioned each tank contents in some detail. Cheers SG

Great job, very interesting

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+sharkinfested Thank you

Cool set up, one stop shop (table) haha! Some friendly advice - chance your cathode that's in your acid bath to Lead. You will constantly be changing to new ones with aluminium, where lead. You will never need to change. (Just like lead is used for batteries Lead Acid Batteries) All the best. EDIT:Also titanium wire can be used over and over to hold your pieces too.

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks. The anodes have since been changed to lead once the aluminum ones went away. :)

thanks for sharing. for safety, I'd recommend to keep more distance and a greater barrier in between sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide. Like a flap that allows only one side at a time. When one side is accessed, the flap closes and seals off the other side. I'd also suggest to have an easy to access bin of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize any spilled acid. If you value your skin and eyes, gloves, face shield, eye protection, are also bare minimum safety precautions. Have fun, stay safe.

Hi Tom, I've picked up many useful pieces of info from your channel, sincere thanks. I may have a few tips for anodizing as I've been doing it for years. Cathodes: Use Lead, it can be left in the tank. Sulfuric acid will cause a sulfate deposit, but it drops off when the current is passed through (similar to a car battery). The yellow cast on thick anodize is from impurities, probably from the previously dissolved cathodes - aluminium is nearly always alloyed (Si Fe Cu Mn Cr V etc). Within reason, the colder the tank the harder the anodize layer. Thick anodize is more prone to cracking if the part flexes. Titanium and Zinc can be anodized, but there's little point as the oxide tends to fall off. I use Titanium wire to hang parts. I can give specifics if anyone is interested. Thanks again for all your useful tips. Kurt.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Hey Kurt, That's a good idea about the lead cathodes, but with the feds shutting down all of the manufacturers, the price of lead sheet has gone off the charts. The only stuff I could find was $30 a square foot for 1/16". The first parts I ran actually had that yellow tinge. According to the Ron Newman book, the color of the coating is a function of time. It sounds like impurities must have the same effect. I have been looking for titanium wire so I don't keep burning through my supply of aluminum welding rod. I haven't done a lot with it yet, but what I have done has turned out well. It is a pain to use in the winter though. The last time I used it, it took forever to get the temperature up on the anodizing tank (I keep the shop at 50º). Maybe a heater is in order for that tank as well. Glad you are enjoying the channel. Tom

@bikefarmtaiwan1800

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Kurt- thanks for the useful tips. I understand that cast components can not be anodized very well. In your experience do you know if polished cast items can be clear anodized and then sealed to lock in the polished surface?I'd appreciate your ideas on this matter, thanks in advance.

Fantastic. Thanks Tom!

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+Chris Uhlik I see you found it. Thanks for watching. Tom

Very interesting Tom. Like others, been wanting to do this, and/or powder coating, motorcycle parts both new and restoration parts. I need to watch this many more times. I wonder if you can do something like the Dow 9 process in this setup?

Tom, thanks for showing your setup. Looks great...though labeling might help when you don't use it for a while...maybe on the valves and a "cheat sheet" on the underside of the bench top? The colored switches look perfect for when you have all the dye colors in play! John Grimsmo has shown titanium anodizing in a couple of his videos. It appears to be different from aluminum in that dye is not required, and the color varies with the voltage used. This can be problematic at times. He had a knife side with graphite inlays that had wire filaments in it (called lightning strike I think) and the difference in conductivity resulted in color variations near the inlays. Colors achievable include yellow, gold, green, orange, brown, blue, and purple. I think the voltage ranges are something like 20 to 80 volts.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

I think that once the air valves are set up for all the tanks, they can just be left alone. Eventually there will be a trim panel with cutouts for the buckets, so the valves will be covered anyway. A cheat sheet for the process is a great idea. It is a lot of stuff to keep track of when you don't use the system very often. Thanks for the info on titanium. Now that you mention it, I do remember that voltage is used to create the colors. Tom

External Rinse System = bucket of water and a spray bottle hahaha. Great video, looks like an awesome setup.

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

That's my low water use contribution to the green cause. :)

Very interesting. I would like to see one thing with your setup, labeling the buckets with what they have in them. As my dept's safety officer, I would hate to have to go in and figure out what was in each bucket. Also label each of the switches and the pump valves. It just make for a neater workshop.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

That would make sense if other people were using the set-up, but since I'm the only one, I pretty much know what is in each tank and what all the switches do. Thanks for watching. Tom

So you seem to be the best resource on youtube, I want to Anodize a 2003 PowerMac G5 case a Space Grey. It's quite the task and I am not sure what approach i should take. What advice can you give me?

Thanks for the upload, Tom - great setup you have there! A quick question, though - what kind of containers are you using? Do you know what kind of plastic they are made from? Thanks, and I am subscribing now!

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

They are rectangular 5.3 gallon polyethylene buckets that I got from BayTec Containers. If you follow the link in the video description, there is a lot more information available. Tom

Nice set up. I pull my anodes out of the acid solution, to prevent them from getting dissolved. Also, you can do the math and adjust your anodizing time for a shorter period. Doing a lot of parts the solution heats up quick.You have enough current you could do type 3 at about 55 degrees and get a much tougher coating. Frozen 2 liter pop bottles help to keep the acid temp low. We had thought about routing a high volume fountain pump through a bucket of ice water and line the tank w/ plastic tubing to keep the temp low.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Richard, I was surprised to see that the anodes had gone away so quickly. They are already redesigned to hang on the edge of the bucket so they can be removed after use. I've noticed that longer times produce parts with a yellow cast, which I assume is a thicker, more durable coating. Shorter times and higher current make more of a clear coating. Not sure how far it can be pushed before the dye starts complaining. Tom

@richardkicklighter1202

10 жыл бұрын

Toms Techniques Aluminum is like a sponge, the electrolysis will continue to eat away at the metal. At some point you will reach the law of diminshing returns ie: more time will gain no benefit. The 1 hour thing is just a general guide line, pretty much recognized as an industry standard. When we are in a pinch and the wedge slipps; crank up the amps, keep the temp low as possible and blow through. The difference occurs if you run 2 different batches of the same part for the client with differnt dyes (trust me they will know!) I made a bunch of threaded aluminum pins to screw into the parts for the anod to clip to. This was after discovering the anode lead will eat the part at the contact point, and, will not take dye at that location. One of my "rocket scientists" ruined about $1,800 worth of machined parts. because the lead was attached to a critical hole, changing the diameter. As far a durability of coating, that will only be accompolished by going to 24V DC @ lower temp. The dye & nickle actetae sealer will remain the same

@stevenkonet1580

10 жыл бұрын

Richard Kicklighter "This was after discovering the anode lead will eat the part at the contact point" i was wondering about this. looks like many people use an aluminum welding rod to hang the parts to be anodized on/attach the DC line to. does the welding rod create anodizing issues at the point of contact to the parts from what you've seen? seems as though some people spend just as much, if not more, time making up jigs to hold the parts as they do anodizing them so as not to create issues in this area.

very nice setup bro...tnx a lot...

@TomsTechniques

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Dear Tom, As always, I'm amazed by the amount of knowledge\capability you have, wish I was at your level! If I may, other than cosmetics, does anodizing a part has any effect on its material properties? Like strength, hardness, electrical conductivity, etc. Thank you very much for sharing all this with us! :) -- Arye Segal.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Arye, Anodizing provides protection from corrosion and it is very hard, so it also helps protect against wear. It is a non-conductive surface. Thanks for watching. Tom

very cool!

Super! I do some electrolysis to clean rust parts. I like the idea of the pressurise air. Does the liquid stay inside the tubing when not in use ? It would be a great video to see how you manage the space in your shop. Great setup. Thanks

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Yes Robert, the liquid stays in the tube, although the level is very close. I was concerned about it getting to the neighboring tanks and causing contamination, but it seems to work fine. Tom

That controller is slick.

That is a very nicely done setup. Ive been wanting to get a anodizing and plating setup made for some time. Think ill get around to it this year. Where dis you get those temp controllers? I would like to make something like you have done.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

The PID's came from www.lightobject.com/. The heater, thermocouples, SSR's, etc. came from eBay. The buckets came from Baytech.com. If you look at the build thread in the description above, it will provide a lot of the details. Tom

Tom, Great video. Have you hooked up your chiller yet. I am currently rebuilding out setup and looking to bounce some ideas of someone. Let me know.

@TomsTechniques

6 жыл бұрын

I haven't used it much lately, but would be glad to discuss some ideas. Contact me through my website. Tom

Hi Tom, You can anodize in hot weather also without a chiller by using Sulfuric/Oxalic acid solution. In my anodizing line I use 150/30 g/L solution at 27-28C all the time with good results.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'll have to give that a try. Where does one buy oxalic acid? Tom

@nixnn

10 жыл бұрын

Here in Latvia I can buy it freely in a local chemicals store. In US it looks like you can buy it on eBay at least: www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=oxalic+acid&_sop=12

Hello Tom. Nice setup. I would like to play around with this application. Do you have a basic drawing of the frame and electronics?

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Sorry Warren, but all I have is a SolidWorks CAD file which probably won't do you any good and the electronics was designed on the bench. If you check out the build thread in the video description, it will provide additional details. Tom

very instructive video and a good way to set up in a small shop. not sure how old this video is but can i ask when sealing the part the solution looked very discolored would this not this pass on to a lighter colored anodized part before it has chance to seal

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks. The sealer was fresh in the video and I haven't notice any effect on color.

cool stuff :) What type of sealing bath do you use? Nickel acetate like anoseal 1000 or other stuff?

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

It's a mid-temp nickel acetate solution from U.S. Specialty Color Corp.

Great setup :) Could you Please make a video of the details how you make your buckets.

@TomsTechniques

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry, but that project is long over with. You may want to check the build thread in the video description.

Hi Tom! I was wondering that if you use the alcohol to clean each step for cleaning and remove the minerals does it give some results too? Or it's quite pointless to clean it with alcohol? I'm asking because I'm planning to built some laboratory also. Sorry for my langugage skills but English is not my native language - from Estonia, Northen Europe or Eastern. Near Russia :)

Great set up! Just out of curiosity, how often do you have to change the acid solution and the dye solution?

@TomsTechniques

6 жыл бұрын

I've only had to change the acid solution after my original aluminum cathode dissolved. I'm still on my original dye batches, but it doesn't get a lot of use. Tom

I had a Hard Chrome plating set up in my garage but got worried because I had part of my kidney removed because it was cancer. I scraped the whole set up. So be careful and make sure everything is well vented.

@urjnlegend

3 жыл бұрын

Did the chrome stuff cause that issue? What advice do you have to people working with anything?

This has very much peaked my interest, and I signed up to your website do get the plans to build something similar. I have one question though......what do you do with the chemicals, or contaminated water, or acid if you have to dump them? I wouldn't think that you could dump them into a city sewer, and as I live in the country, I wouldn't be too sure about dumping them into a septic system. I know our shop had very strict regulations against hazardous materials.

@dsfs17987

9 жыл бұрын

Will you be surprised if I tell you that all the chemicals found in this vid (and there is 1 step missing - deoxidizing/desmutting of certain aluminum alloys is required after etch) can be bought in any reasonable hardware store and don't require any special disposal means? caustic soda is used as a drain cleaner, dry form powder with some aluminum in it (basically that is your etch tank), car battery acid - 20% sulfuric acid, dilute that with the same amount of DI or RO water and you have your anodizing tank, degreasing and deox/desmut can be done with household laundry and bathroom cleanup products, some mechanical brushing may be needed though - and that is about all there is to it, you can get near perfect typeII anodizing finish on any alu alloy, including 2024 and 7xxx series. Regulations regarding disposal of these waste waters (rinsing) are there to keep large workshop operations in check, none of this sort of hobby scale anodizing will make any sort of impact on any city sewage system, and lets face it, maybe 1 in 10000 houses will have a setup like this in their garage, and when you're completely done with it, take a big bucket, pour your anodizing acid in it and start adding in your etch tank contents, mind the obvious safety of heat generated by the reaction, keep adding more soda until there is no obvious signs of reaction, if you have the means - measure the ph, and when it is neutral, you are pretty safe to discharge the contents into sewage system, dilute them with tap water, that is how they will do it in the hazardus waste disposal facility.

Another interesting video Tom! You should be on TV :) I do doubt though that this is a small work shop with all the toys you have in there! Unless you are a time lord and this is a tardis ...

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks. The shop is 23' x 24' and is packed to the gills. I'm thinking about adding a bay on the back for the project car and someplace to store the stock. That would make a lot more room for machines. Tom

Great video. One of the best I've seen on KZread for this. Could you explain the difference in the hardcoat process vs anodizing. I know there's a temp difference but what else.

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Toby. Hardcoat is anodizing generated in a near freezing electrolyte solution. The resulting coating is thicker than type II and has much smaller pores, so it can't be dyed like type II anodizing. Tom

@TobyRussell

7 жыл бұрын

If it's not dyed then why is it black?

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Hardcoat is sort of a greenish grey color. Ugly, but very durable. The type of anodizing I do is Type II and it can be dyed most any color imaginable. Tom

@TobyRussell

7 жыл бұрын

Oh so it comes out that color straight from the cold anodizing process. Thanks

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Yes. The color will vary, depending on the alloy of the aluminum.

Tom that is a very cool setup indeed. I like your PID temperature controllers and power supply setup I can tell you have spent some time working in a lab (missile switches, chassis box, strain reliefs...). I'll have to checkout your build thread,I̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶y̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶e̶m̶i̶s̶t̶r̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶e̶a̶l̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶i̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶v̶a̶i̶l̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶o̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶a̶p̶e̶.̶ OK I checked out your build thread, nice work. For someone who claims to not know electronics it looks good. I know you have fuses in there somewhere...

I'm one of the lucky ones in my previous life I was a field service engineer in the biotech sector of the world and I have every single part needed to build every single thing that you have their. It's funny I already used a feedback loop using those controllers mine happened to be watlow controllers. you might find it useful to get a Sonic bath for one of those slots as well. I just got my hands on a Grant killer which is a very expensive piece of equipment that I was going to use on my Mill for cooling but decided not to is it's just too damn expensive for a process like that

Tom, one amazing shop setup you built there. One question, does anodizing add any dimension to the piece? I know that paint and powder coating can minutely change the dimensions of the part, does anodizing a .6502 wide piece remain .6502? .6508? .6532? Just wondering. Lied.. 2 questions.. With the thimble in the previous video, is it possible to selectively anodize just the division marking? Just the front face?

@aryesegal1988

10 жыл бұрын

Would really like to know the answer to these two questions as well! :)

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Type II anodizing like this will add up to about .0002" to each surface. Only aluminum and titanium can be anodized. You are out of luck with the steel thimble, although you can electroplate it or fill the graduations with paint to make them more visible. Tom

Hi Tom, indeed a great video. Much appreciated. Please can you tell the ratio of Water and Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic) for etching process. Also, if it requires heat at what degrees in Fahrenheit. How long the 6061-6063 needs be in the container to get matte finish. Thanks a lot.

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+Kaiser Haider The etching solution is 100 g/l sodium hydroxide and water and is used at room temperature. Cleaning only takes a few seconds. I haven't done much experimenting with textures, but I imagine it would have to be a trial and error thing for various alloys. Tom

@qaiserhaider

8 жыл бұрын

+Toms Techniques Great. Thanks a lot Tom. I am permanently tuned in to your channel for useful tips and techniques.

What do you use in the sealer tank to seal the part? I found a book for sale,but no sealer. I found what I need but thank you for responding.

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

It's a mid temp nickel acetate sealer form U.S.Specialty Color Corporation.

How long do the baths keep and how often do you have to remake them?

Thanks for the great info / video Tom , may I ask what are the black reducer connection parts that connect to the pvc pipe at the tank points ? Thanks

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

Those are 90° hose barb to NPT adapters. The threaded side screws into custom bulkhead fitting made from a PVC bushing adapter.

@odmods

5 жыл бұрын

Toms Techniques thanks Tom

@odmods

5 жыл бұрын

Toms Techniques any chance you wouldn’t mind helping me please, Just wondering is it possible to heat my dye & sealer in stainless steel pots or would the stainless have an effect on the dye/sealer and contaminate them ? Thanks for any help it would be appreciated

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

Stainless is a definite no no. Only plastic (polypropylene or polyethylene) or glass is acceptable.

Have you tried pH Down (I think it's sodium bisulphate ) as an alternate to sulphuric acid ?

Nice job. Where did you get the buckets with the hinged lid?

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Baytec Containers

@Toms Techniques - Do you have or could you provide a video of how you built the Controller? I am very much interested in how you did that. Very nice setup by the way, thank you for the vid

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+lm0315 There is a link to the build thread in the video description above. You should be able to see enough in the pics and description to build one. Tom

Tom, can you please enlighten me on your air tube system. I've dying trying to figure out what you used to go from the bucket to the tubing, size of tubing, basically everything for aeration.

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

Did you follow the link in the description to the build thread? There are lots of good pics and descriptions there of the setup. Basically I just used a homemade bulkhead fitting that made from a CPVC threaded adapter bushing. I could have used a commercial fitting, but I'm cheap. Other than that, it's just off the shelf Tygon tubing and plastic fittings. Tom

Hi Tom. I notice how you rinse the part of after coloring, before the sealing. Is there any risk of rinsing of the color? Kind regards

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

No, not at all. It's very important to thoroughly rinse between every step to prevent cross contamination. Tom

Hi Tom, I'm new to this. Are there any lines or discoloration where the wire touches the part it is hanging on? Thanks for your time.

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

Yes, as with any anodizing the wire or rack will leave a mark. You have to plan ahead and locate the wires accordingly, normally in a drilled or tapped hole where it won't show.

Tom, are there temp sensors in the dye buckets? How do the thermostats know when to switch on?

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

All the dye buckets are wired in parallel and have switches to turn off the ones not used. They share a common thermocouple to measure the temp. Tom

I'm putting together a similar set-up, but I was wondering about your rinse station. I am thinking about doing a 2 stage rinse station of distilled water. Would having a bubbling, agitation set-up in rinse 1 be a good idea, rather than dipping?

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+Eco Mouse A bubbling rinse is not necessary. The part is scrupulously clean by rinse time and water is attracted to it like flies to your picnic sandwich. The tap water and distilled water spray that I do is more than adequate. Tom

great stuff do you have a list of chemicals and manufacturers used? Thanks

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+Zachariah Hudson Thanks. There is a link to the build thread in the video description. Tom

These lids do not seal air tight afterwards. Have you noticed a difference in preserving dyes/solutions over time?

Nice work man! Have you done anymore with your setup? Chilling Yet? Thanks! Travis

@TomsTechniques

4 жыл бұрын

I'm retired now, so don't have much use for it, but it worked well when I needed it.

Hey Tom! nice setup! how hot in celsius is the sealant? I want to anodize some cilinders but if I get them too hot Ill messup the metal resistance!

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

The sealer is 170ºF. I'll leave the math to you. :)

@berhart

9 жыл бұрын

Toms Techniques Is that the hotest part of the prosses?

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

berhart Yes, the dyes are 140ºF and the anodizing and etching tanks are room temp.

Hi Tom, Where do you get your buckets?

I like those style buckets, where do you get them?

@TomsTechniques

6 жыл бұрын

There's a link to the build thread in the video description that lists all the part sources.

Thanks :-)

Ha, ha, - all there is to anodizing, you said - it is a lot of work, I think - you have to have a system like yours for all the different baths and in a stable arrangement like your table - very practical - you CAN'T do it "in the kitchen" every time you have a little piece of alu for anodizing ! But very, very interesting to see how it's done - now I can only DREAM of getting a system like that - I simply haven't the space in the shop ;-(( ! I wonder the buckets can cope the high temperature !

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

It really does take a dedicated set-up. Otherwise you would spend all your time setting it up and tearing it down. The dye tanks are fine at 140ºF, but the sealer tank is pushing the limit for polyethylene. I have the sides reinforced and so far its been ok. Eventually I may have to invest in a polypropylene tank for it. Tom

so do you not need to worry about using the same bucket for rinsing after each step causing cross contamination?

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

That's why I spray the parts with distilled water between steps. Tom

Very interesting, but when the solutions are spent how on earth do you get rid of them?

What do you use for cleaning the part (the bath you set the part in) and what do you use for sealing. I want to get into anodizing and i don't know what chemicals I need for cleaning and sealing.

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

There is a link to a build thread in the description above. That pretty much explains everything. Tom

Tom You're in the Detroit area, correct ? Does a Michigan winter affect your setup ? Thanks for sharing - an anodising outfit is not what you'd likely expect in a typical home workshop. Warm regards from Australia.

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

I keep the shop at 55º when I'm not using it so the anodizing tank needs to be brought up to 70ºF before I can use it. I was thinking of adding some heating pads to the outside of the bucket. Tom

may I know what are the things needed in order to get the perfect anodizing and I want to know also how its done. do you have a website or something tutorial videos on what are the material do I need to anodize?

@TomsTechniques

3 жыл бұрын

The internet is your friend. That's where I found the info I needed.

Hi Tom, did you ever get around to implementing the chiller?

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+littlestworkshop Nope, not yet. So many projects and so little time. :)

@littlestworkshop

8 жыл бұрын

+Toms Techniques I know the feeling. I had my first go at anodising today, it went OK but you soon realise how convenient it would be to have a setup like yours. Trying to decide what is important now, I did notice a rise in temperature of the anodizing tank but was able to just sit it in some cold water to cool. Obviously it is not a big deal if you are able to get away without it, your larger tank probably helps.

use lead as your cathodes in the anodize tank. I've been plating for about 13 years, that's what we have in our sulfuric tanks. lead will last a lifetime.

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

+Eric Skinner Yes, I've figured that out since I first got started. Thanks, Tom

@TobyRussell

7 жыл бұрын

Garage Shop Shenanigans what's the difference in anodizing and hard coat process? I know temperature but is that all?

@Sketch1994

6 жыл бұрын

It's the type of aluminum oxide formed that's different and has different properties too.

@spatialguy5571

6 жыл бұрын

The fumes from the sacrificial lead cathode would be nasty, ​wouldn't they?

@wlehtola

6 жыл бұрын

Who in the heck sat around back in the day wondering how to finish an aluminum part

It's to late Tom but you can put the cathode in the lye and it will work again, takes off the process you finished with. Last request Tom is post link or where you got the power supply from, all the ones I've checkout only got to 10A and review are for crap, the say we got it and it didn't work or lasted 2 months and quit, any local Electrical houses sell them ? Do the same here for parts, only thing different with your set up is would put all the electrical components above the tanks, 🤦‍♀️😁 What a great set up and great job from you as always,

Hi Tom, wow your own home anodizing outfit that's something! Cool! :o] O,

@TomsTechniques

10 жыл бұрын

It's nice to be able to truly "finish" parts. Tom

Nice.... why arent all the buckets up top do you enjoy working harder than you need to?So many on here do that and build a side rack for your power stuff

@TomsTechniques

4 жыл бұрын

Anodizing is an occasional thing for me. The idea was to make it all easy to stow away under a bench top when not in use.

I know this is an old video but can you do type III hard coat with that home set up?

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

I've never tried it but I don't see why not. You would need to add some sort of chiller to the tank to get the temperature low enough. Tom

First of all I wanted to say, this setup you made is a dream. ITS AWESOME!!! My question is.... what is the sealing solution made up of? The dyes are at 145 degrees and the anodizing solution is at 190 degrees?

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

The sealer is a mid-temp nickel acetate solution, running at 165°F. The dyes run at 145°F and the anodizing solution is at room temp.

@paulerice3342

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomsTechniques sorry, I have another question. I have a bottle of nickel accetate a 4 oz. Bottle to be exact. How much do I need to use with a gallon of distilled water?

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I have no idea. The stuff I use is commercially prepared.

@paulerice3342

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomsTechniques where do you get your sealing solution from? Do you have a link or website or phone number you could give me? Also about how much does it cost for the amount you have?

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

If you look in the description under the video, there is a link to the build thread. That should give you all the info you'll need. Tom

"Yeah Mr. White! You really do have a plan! Yeah science!" :)

@TomsTechniques

8 жыл бұрын

Of course I have a plan Jessie. I always have a plan. :)

I know this is an old video, but can you do type III hard coat with a set up like this.

@TomsTechniques

5 жыл бұрын

I thought about trying it, but never got around to figuring out how to cool the tank.

Hey Tom, where do you get the nice flip lid buckets from?

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

Those came from Baytec Container.

@pasander4371

9 жыл бұрын

Toms Techniques Kitty litter comes in containers such as what you have. Just took about a dozen to the local recycle centre. (kicks self in butt).

Tom great setup...I have been reading through your build thread on metalworkingfun.com If you don't mind sharing, what type/size air pump did you use with the bubbler system? Thanks, Brandon

@TomsTechniques

9 жыл бұрын

Brandon C Thanks Brandon, It's the type of air pump used in ponds or large aquariums. I got it off eBay and I believe it was around 1000gph. That seems like an odd way to rate the volume of a pump, but that's the way they do it. Tom

Is that part related to 96 well plates for biotech research?

@TomsTechniques

7 жыл бұрын

Good call. I work for Essen BioScience and that is part of a fixture used to assemble our 96 well Chemotaxis microplates.