DIY Titanium Anodising

[silverclaws]

Just surfing and found this ;

http://youtu.be/3PO0LpdoGvo


Mind given the cost of all those duracell 9v batteries, perhaps a dc psu would be cheaper, the rest is easy to get hold off, just need some ti now.

 

[stevet1]

Yep I've been tempted to do this myself but I know it will end up looking cack. See Leni Fried for examples of how to do it beautifully.
http://www.titaniumarts.com/pages/bikeart/bikeart.html?content=3

 

[silverclaws]

I wonder how easy it is to remove the colour to change colour with titanium. Is it somehow like aluminium, just bung it in the caustic soda then re-polish ?

And does anodising titanium halve the strength like it does with aluminium ?

 

[FMJ]

just need some ti now.

I'm guessing shipping would be a killer.

 

[stevet1]

And does anodising titanium halve the strength like it does with aluminium ?

Pretty sure this is not true... in fact I thought anodising created a protective layer on the aluminium.

 

[sic_nick]

AFAIK it only affects the surface of the metal and doesn't alter the grain structure as it is only a (relatively) small electric current going through it.

 

[silverclaws]

I understand anodising aluminium helps to prevent corrosion, but according to those that race yachts where anodised masts are common because of the potential for salt corrosion, there is also the knowledge that anodised parts lose their strength due to the process. So in effect although the life of the anodised part is being increased through preventing corrosion the process in fact reduces the strength by about fifty percent, so the name of the game is over engineer, but even with racing yachts weight is a factor that needs to be considered.

 

[poweredbypies]

Look at the size of the sails on those yacht's tho and look how skinny the masts are. Those sails will generate huge forces on the mast. Its not suprising they fail every now and then. They obviously think the pay off is worth it.

 

[sic_nick]

Well that is something I learned today, they say that "it did actually make the sheet aluminum surface "stronger" (as in more scuff/scratch resistant) it also made the aluminum surface less ductile (as in less flexible) causing vibration cracks to show up sooner than expected in the sheet aluminum." to the point that small scratches can be the causes of creating a 'stress riser' that can migrate to a crack.

 

[sic_nick]

But then I find other evidence to the contrary here:-

http://www.innovator.mosquito.net.nz/mbbs2/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1775&posts=20