Anodising

[Rampage]

do

I appreciate your concern. Did you watch the videos I posted? What I do not appreciate are the nanny's prevalent in European politics that simply decide I cannot have 3 - 5% HF solution where if I were home in the US, I can walk into a hardware store and buy what I need, cheap to boot.

The vidoes I posted as well as Caswell for the dyes all urge caution AND go over safety precautions. All important and all part of the process. Burns and possible electrocution? Where do I sign up? Did you also know that mountain biking can be fatal? You swim in public pools? That is a ton of exposure to chlorine which is an absolutely terrible chemical, yet swimming is pretty fun and we're all still here. You drink city drinking water from the tap? Now you're ingesting chlorine and fluoride.

In the titanium video and that of others, everyone is using Wink rust remover. The main ingredient chemical is HF:

https://www.merrittsupply.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Whink-Rust-Remover-SDS.pdf

A cursory search for "etching titanium" will reference HF solution.

Regarding aluminum, in my last post I referenced a far less hazardous chemical where as the video of the guy anodizing in his basement, uses HF.

What you find difficult and complex about anodizing, I find interesting and entertaining and there really is no mystery to the process. In the end, your opinion lends toward conjecture unless you have personal experience with anodizing. People asked for information and I provided personal experience. They can do whatever the heck they like with that info AND I am not bringing anything new to the conversation that isn't already on the internet. Simple as.

Thanks again for your concern.

Hydrofluoric Acid is not suitable to be used at home, just read the MSDS as has already been mentioned. You be very ignorant to suggest otherwise.

Aluminium Anodising is difficult and complex to get good consistent results, especially low scale. In industry, larger tanks and process are easier to control.
I do have a lot of experience with aluminium anodising, when I was doing it I considered myself probably the best in the UK, possibly Europe.

Also worth noting on Sulphuric Acid:

It is now a criminal offence for members of the public to possess sulphuric acid above 15% concentration without a licence, with offenders facing a 2-year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Hydrofluoric Acid is not suitable to be used at home, just read the MSDS as has already been mentioned. You be very ignorant to suggest otherwise.

Aluminium Anodising is difficult and complex to get good consistent results, especially low scale. In industry, larger tanks and process are easier to control.
I do have a lot of experience with aluminium anodising, when I was doing it I considered myself probably the best in the UK, possibly Europe.

Also worth noting on Sulphuric Acid:

Thanks for your input. Since you have extensive industry knowledge, what is being used to etch titanium? There are plenty of alternatives for etching aluminum...

Why are you referencing Sulphuric Acid? If you are referring to my suggestion (link provided prior) to Sodium Bisulfate? Sulphuric Acid is several orders of magnitude stronger than Hydroflouric Acid and in a completely different realm than Sodium Bisulfate. Sodium Bisulfate an an alternative for fence sitters who want to do small pieces on their own at home. Sulphuric Acid will etch titanium - very quickly too (as a dilute solution), but is completely unnecessary for any DIY'er. I used to use Sulphuric Acid for work to conduct redox titration and even as a dilute is strong as heck. Sodium Bisulfate is safe and stable, will etch aluminum, readily available...no issues with the police hiding in your garden, but will NOT etch titanium. Me personally...I am looking for an etch for titanium. If you have knowledge of that, specifically, I am curious as to what you recommend. If you do not want to recommend anything, that is fine too. Irrespective, thanks anyhow.

 

[Hotwheels.]

We have many tons of high grade HF at my work and need what looks like a nuclear fallout suit to go anywhere near it, it’s the most dangerous and toxic acid on the planet. I wouldn’t fancy working with it even at very low concentrations.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Been experimenting with a few OTC chemicals. Picked up a 15% solution Sulfuric Acid concentration used to reduce pH levels in pools - from the hardware store. Dipping a titanium bolt and leaving it over the course of 15 minutes did not produce bubbling, which happens during the release of hydrogen during etching. So that was a no-go.

Currently I have some very small black anodized aluminum pieces sitting in the same solution and at room temperature is currently very slowly attacking the black anodization. Some anodization is dissolving, some tiny pieces are flaking off.

For the titanium I went ahead and ordered an etchant in Germany. Expensive, but safe to use and ship through the mail. People have had very good results with this product and I'm tired of monkeying around with acids.

https://titanetch.com/index.php

 

[mdvineng]

Aluminium Anodising Kits

Aluminium which is not anodised and exposed to the elements soon corrodes. The process changes the existing surface to give a finish which has a high resistance to corrosion.

www.chronos.ltd.uk

 

[mdvineng]

I use Krolls reagent for etching Ti but that means HF in a small percentage with Nitric acid.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

The store bought pool chemical was successful in removing the anodization from my tiny test pieces - the cantilever brake spring tensioners that mount between the brake boss and fork leg. Took the ano completely off. I now am attempting to ruin a set of Paul Thumbies, which are anodized black by stripping that off as well. I believe the anodization of the Paul parts to be rather superior so this may take a while for the solution to work.

In the photos are the trial aluminum pieces taken out of the solution, then one piece rubbed with 220 grit to knock down burrs, then rough scouring pad, fine scouring pad and finally 00 steel wool. I think polishing with a dremel would be better and faster. With the Paul parts in the photo you can see the solution attacking the steel roll pins. If they dissolve, I'll just tamp in new ones.