[Guest]

Caswell Plating - http://www.caswellplating.com/ - has kits for plating, powder-coating, anodizing, and ceramic coating. If you like to Do-It-Yourself, this is your source.

I do my own work and have used these kits for plating and anodizing.
Ceramic coating is a bit cheaper from Techline Coatings with warehouses in CA and TX - www.techlinecoatings.com

I hope this helps.

***REPOST from lost thread****

 

[dfib]

Just got my anodizing dyes from caswell, and powersupply off ebay..... 2-3 days for set up and then hope to have some pics!

 

[Guest]

GREAT! Keep us informed.

Depending on the power source, the time for various colors changes a bit. Longer times make darker colors. Sometimes a clear coat afterwards can help reduce fading if the parts will see a lot of exposure to sunlight. Sometimes it is not needed.

 

[dfib]

It's a 30V 10A regulated Constand current supply. So I can do all the calculations and anozide as 6 A/SF..... Good pore size and some durability. ;D Plans just got delayed due to catastrophic cage failure this afternoon though!

 

[Devious2xs]

Eastwood has released a powdercoating kit for beginners that does not need compressed air US $150:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?...DUCT&path=1,2,458,459,460&KickerID=381&KICKER

A little roll of wire, a few different powders, and a toaster oven to start coating at home. Do a few jobs for friends and the unit will pay for itself.


DFIB - what ever happend with the annodizing kit you ordered?

 

[dfib]

No heat in the garage so waiting for a little warmer weather. I'd have a hard time keeping the acid bath at a decent temp right now. And heating the dye would take forever! :violent1: Fargin snow! If it hadn't snowed it'd be close to 60f today.

Good news is this spring I'm moving in with the GF and she has a bigger garage with 20amp service. I'll be blowing less breakers with the air compressor and other tools. :drink: I have a buddy who gave me a crap load of old mc parts to practice on, I picked up Ti wire this winter, got the aerator stuff, and have everything but the new acid bath ready to go. Looking for a better cathode now too.

Do you use a lead or aluminum cathode?

 

[Devious2xs]

Aluminum is over 6.5 times more conductive than lead, and 13 times more conductive than Stainless steel. Copper disolves in the acid solution. As a result 2-3 less volts are used with aluminum than lead in a high output power supply, and more goes into the work than is wasted.

Use 6301 T5 or T6 aluminum, or 6101. Do not use over-aged 6301 T53 as it will disolve rapidly. 6061 is NOT a substitute.

Annode:cathode ratio - 2:1 to 4:1 range, 3:1 works well. But it isn't a big deal.

Use aluminum bus leads or copper leads, but keep the copper so it can't disolve and flake into the tank due to the corrosion between the AL/Cu connection. Al buss bars are best.

Somewhere I have a bunch of notes on anodizing - more info than you want. I will see if I can locate them in my files.

 

[dfib]

I'll never refuse more info, but I think I've got a good start.

I had an aluminum cathode to start with, but I think the surface area was lacking. My agitation system was working at a less than optimal level too.

I made an aluminum bus bar, but will prob made a new one this spring. I've decided to go with a larger set up, and will prob use a large chest cooler for both the acid bath and dye steps. Looking over supplies, it looks like I need some of the aluminum sealer too. I may just try a high temp steam bath first to see if that will work.

I had managed to "forget" this product for a time this winter, but now I'm chomping at the bit again. Come on spring!!!

 

[kuhlka]

Hey, if you could post up a parts list and in-depth how-to this is something I'm definitely interested in getting into. It'd be nice to be able to anodize all my SAI sets black to match the motor.

 

[Catahoulabulldog]

Hey, if you could post up a parts list and in-depth how-to this is something I'm definitely interested in getting into. It'd be nice to be able to anodize all my SAI sets black to match the motor.

youd think he was a marketing major........ ;D

 

[dfib]

Here are some of the links I have used to get started:

http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html - Good overview of the entire process.
http://www.warpig.com/paintball/technical/anodize.shtml - Sloppy process, some info maybe.
http://forum.caswellplating.com/forumdisplay.php?f=11 - Great forum, great info. Stickies are improtant to read.
http://www.caswellplating.com/ - Great place for supplies.

Hope that helps a little..... Project is still on hold awaiting warmer weather. 40F today! Yay!!!

 

[kuhlka]

Can anyone recommend a good place to get stuff coated or anodized in Dallas, TX? I want to get this Zard header and pipe ceramic coated, but I'm not sure what color or where to go. I didn't really like the look of black and thought it would make my bike too black.

 

[Devious2xs]

Kuhlka - Polydyn is down in Houston. http://www.polydyn.com/

I have used them before, and Carl Benton is a big help. Give him a call - 1-888-765-9396

 

[AlaskaS3]

Why don't these people have instant shipping. Now I have to wait.

Anyone who's coated their upper triple clamp, do I need to mask off the bore where the forks live or is this coating thin enough not to worry about?

 

[Devious2xs]

Eastwood ships quickly.... but it doesn't show up instantly in a puff of smoke. ;D

The clamps have a good bit of room inside. If they are too tight after coating, a bit of sanding will do the job.

The fiberglass masking tape is easy to use, but you will go through the rolls quickly.

 

[AlaskaS3]

I figured as much. Turning parts black might soon become an obsession. Picked up a nice Farberware convection oven from ebay, apparently my roommates object to me using the oven in the kitchen.

 

[AlaskaS3]

And it begins!

 

[Devious2xs]

Baked bike parts!

Mmmmm Mmmmmm GOOOD! ;D

 

[Devious2xs]

AlaskaS3,
Any results yet?

 

[AlaskaS3]

Almost done, settle down!

For some reason I can't get high gloss to work w/ the headlight buckets. It comes out looking semi-gloss (YES, I've checked the label) So everything is getting semi-gloss until I run out of powder.