If you are looking for a simple way to make your car or bike parts last longer or look better, or if you are looking for a way to make a little extra money, then you will want to learn anodize metal parts at home. To anodize at home, you will need a few simple pieces of equipment, a few basic supplies and a safe place to anodize. Once the steps are mastered, you will be able to complete anodizing projects in a few hours.
Instructions
1. Set up your anodizing stations. You will need an electrolysis station, a rinsing station and a dying station. You will also need a cleaning station and a setting station. The electrolysis station will consist of a rubber tub that contains sulfuric acid solution and charging rods that are connected to a live 12V charger. The rinsing station will consist of a rubber tub and access to boiling water. The dying station will be a large pot on top of a heat source. In the pot, there will be a highly concentrated fabric dye solution. The cleaning station will be a rubber tub with a solution made from sodium hydroxide. Finally, the setting station will be made up of a vegetable steamer.
2. Start by cleaning your metal at the cleaning station. To do this, simply let the metal sit in the solution for about a half an hour. This process alone will create an interesting texture and finish on your metal parts.
3. Remove the metal from the cleansing bath, and move it to the anodizing electrolysis station. Here, you will heat the solution to about 70 degree F and charge the water by turning on the 12V charger and placing the charging rods into the solution. Submerge the metal in the electrolysis station. Let it stay in her for about two hours.
4. Add color to your anodized metal by placing the metal into the dye solution. Heat to boiling and allow the metal to boil in the solution for about 30 minutes. Remove from the dye solution and rinse with boiling water, then set the dye by placing the metal into the vegetable steamer for about a half hour. Use tongs and gloves when moving the metal from station to station to protect your hands from the heat and from the acids you are working with.
Tags: station will, electrolysis station, cleaning station, solution about, about half, about half hour, boiling water
