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How to anodize your titanium parts! Heres how!

bullcrew

bullcrew

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This was brought up in another thread, someone mentioned they were having it done and I did a brief write up on how to do it out of your own home with a battery and coke.
Well Jrogers found a thread with pics and a description so I deemed it post worthy!


http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=68194

Considering my new theme is blue/white and black this is going to get used!




heres a link to aluminum ano: havent gone through it completely I will this afternoon
http://astro.neutral.org/anodise.shtml
 
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T

Trekrules

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Apr 12, 2007
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It doesn't matter the molecules inside the spring will still react to the voltage been used
 
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Orvan

Orvan

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bullcrew said:
yes a battery harger will work and definently theres a little different process for aluminum Ill post a a how to link in a bit.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm interested in the aluminum process. I have a spare of swing links laying around that I'd like to anodize glossy red.

...waiting.
 
4130biker

4130biker

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With all of the pitfalls described when having a professional anodize aluminum in the previous thread- I would be a little freaked out to do my own.
Anyway, my question for Bullcrew is: Will this process change the properties of the titanium at all? If voltage and a torch will do the same thing, is this simply heating up the part? After hearing about the potentially hazardous nature of TI hardware (JD stem bolt breakage) I'm sure people would want to know that this isn't compromising what could already be a sketchy situation..
Not that I have any ti, but this looks rad, and I'm curious.

Thanks.
 
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Arkayne

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Oooh, I happen to have a buttload of Ti parts and this variable transformer!



I'll be able to make every color of the rainbow!
 
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bullcrew

bullcrew

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Arkayne said:
Oooh, I happen to have a buttload of Ti parts and this variable transformer!



I'll be able to make every color of the rainbow!
Click to expand...
OOOH you are my hero!
Ought to be able to fine tune the color and power really well with that.

As far as will it effect the part NO heat at high temps will martinize metals (crystalize) but the ano proces is alot less evasive. If you torch a part its distempered, if you zap a part with electricity its conductive and allows it to flow through. The layer that anos id surfaceand not very deep, anodizing Ti isnt a really durable process like it is on aluminum. It dolors it and I dont remember the terms of cert for the use in space, it clarifys that Ti bolts have to be anodized and that by a ISO8000 cert company with tight regulations for proper oxide or surface penatration.

So IMO no it wont hurt it, Ti has a breaking point like all carbonm steel theres no way around it, Ti will stretch more than a high carbon steel thus causing a week point that can infact crack. You cannot tighten a ti bolt like a steel bolt, ti is elastic and will actually pull.
I have all this in my NDT stuff and CWI book it goes into the properties of both and why, just not coatings...

If I swap back to coil on the rear Ill do a ti spring either way so if someone steps to plate before hand cool if not Im sure I can get my mits on one for myself... LOL I just sold mine last week.... :D
 
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jutny

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Jan 15, 2009
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wow. I wanted a Ti spring before. Now I really want one so I can ano it gold to finish my Jedi. Eh, who am I kidding, it'll never be "finished"
 
Arkayne

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I've got an Obtainium spring on my SX Trail but it's got a factory paint coating on it already. Bull, how would I prep it?

I'll try out some misc Ti this week and post the results. If everything goes well, that spring will be next.
 
w00dy

w00dy

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Does any company sell an anodized Ti spring?

This may not be the best thing for the fatigue life.

Edit: sorry to be a buzz kill. I really do think this is cool.
 
Arkayne

Arkayne

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I spent the last 2 hours reading up on the process. From voltages to amperages to calculating the appropriate amount of each based on square inches to square feet. Now I'm going to have to charge $50 per piece because of the expensive equipment I want to buy. lol well, for aluminum anodizing.
 
4130biker

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I just emailed RCS and asked:
1. Do you guys do this type of (anodizing) process? (I’ve never seen an anodized mountain bike spring)
2. Will it negatively affect the physical properties of the spring if I do this to a spring that you guys make?

Thier answer, without printing his email was this:
A. They've tried the process through oustside vendors but found it was expensive and had a limited life unless it was coated.
B. As far as they know, this shouldn't have detrimental effects, but they haven't conducted any lifecycle analysis on the process to be sure.

RCS are super nice guys with a very impressive operation- I got to tour the factory and was blown away at what goes into a high performance spring. Not to mention all of the cool applications besides mountain bikes. :)
 
bullcrew

bullcrew

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Yeah its conductive and voltage flows throught it doesnt distemper it, hell you can go 300 degrees below zero at a slow process and molecularly reduce the gaps in steel and it will harden thus getting longer life as is aluminum etc... Theres a ton of different things that can bve done. Ano a ti spring and clear coat it, itll biteto the ano like a typical metal surface and protect it, like I stated before its not a high weat spot so it should last, if it was getting rubbed off then it would be different. In which case youd coat it...
 
bullcrew

bullcrew

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Dox said:
Hey bullcrew, do you know an easy way to remove the anodize on a ti spring if you don't like the result?
Click to expand...
either 000 or 0000 steel wool its so\afe enough it wont scratch glass but should take the color off if not then 1000 g sand paper will work easily without damage.
If you want it back to the stock color then just repaint it and dont strip it...
If your looking to reano then do the first steps and it should come off all your doing is removing a very very small oxide layer almost non measurable...
 
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