So you want it harder and with more pizazz?! (ANODIZING THREAD)
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So you want it harder and with more pizazz?! (ANODIZING THREAD)
Here it is guys! The first REAL job of a run I did (after many many many practice pieces. It is the kickstart lever to the XR. I wanted to go big for the first real part so I went with gold to match the gold talon hubs on the bike. Without further ado:
This is the bike it's going on:
First things first, with anodizing you have to get the finish on the aluminum BEFORE actually anodizing. So I spent an hour or two turning a crappy looking old kickstart into this gem:
Next, off to the acid bath it goes for the actual anodizing process.
After a specific time in the bath it goes into the dye to give it the color.
After then sealing it the final product. Total time to do this one lever about 3 hours.
I've done some experimentation with deep red, black, and blue. I'll have to go take photos of that and post them here. Prob be Sun. But if anyone is interested in getting something like this done PM me and we'll work something out
BTW: I think a gold kickstart lever is a little too "bling" for my taste.
I'll prob end up stripping it and re-anodizing it red like a lot of the other parts on the motor are going to be. 
This is the bike it's going on:
First things first, with anodizing you have to get the finish on the aluminum BEFORE actually anodizing. So I spent an hour or two turning a crappy looking old kickstart into this gem:
Next, off to the acid bath it goes for the actual anodizing process.
After a specific time in the bath it goes into the dye to give it the color.
After then sealing it the final product. Total time to do this one lever about 3 hours.
I've done some experimentation with deep red, black, and blue. I'll have to go take photos of that and post them here. Prob be Sun. But if anyone is interested in getting something like this done PM me and we'll work something out
BTW: I think a gold kickstart lever is a little too "bling" for my taste.
I'll prob end up stripping it and re-anodizing it red like a lot of the other parts on the motor are going to be.
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Last edited by TNathe; May 12, 2007 at 07:40 PM.
Hooligan
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thanks guys. Just got home from a long day away (wish i hadnt cause i really wanted to ride tomorrow, but my engine is in a few pieces on my garage floor right now ) ANywho, im gonna go get pics of the red right this second, ill upload in a minute.
A little technical info on anodizing. Anodizing creates a thin film of technically corrosion on the surface of the aluminum. There is a scale which measures hardness of materials, the Rockwell scale. it is based on 0 - 10, with 10 being a diamond the hardest material found on earth. Aluminum is relatively soft, about a 3 on the scale for the 6061 that most parts are. The anodized layer is actually about a 7 or 8 on the Rockwell scale. It is EXTREMELY hard and durable. We've tried sanding the anodized layer off the pieces and it cant be done. A chemical stripper or some serious polishing is about the only way to get through it.
) ANywho, im gonna go get pics of the red right this second, ill upload in a minute. A little technical info on anodizing. Anodizing creates a thin film of technically corrosion on the surface of the aluminum. There is a scale which measures hardness of materials, the Rockwell scale. it is based on 0 - 10, with 10 being a diamond the hardest material found on earth. Aluminum is relatively soft, about a 3 on the scale for the 6061 that most parts are. The anodized layer is actually about a 7 or 8 on the Rockwell scale. It is EXTREMELY hard and durable. We've tried sanding the anodized layer off the pieces and it cant be done. A chemical stripper or some serious polishing is about the only way to get through it.
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Originally Posted by Raybo
I'm not a loser, I'm just incarcerated.
Originally Posted by Treysdad
Tell me about it. Sometimes i get this abrasion just under the head, liek a friction rash. All day it will feel like there is a Mexican midget in my boxers licking it with a cats tongue.
haha, i had to throw that innuendo in there for some reason. Oh yeah, cause this shit is teh sex! 
