Anodizing Costs
- Thread starter mosinmaster
- Start date
I used to own and operate an anodizing shop. The cost should be reasonable for a straight forward single color job on two small parts like that. It could cost more than replacement parts though (depending on the rarity of course). My question is this : are they aluminum? Only aluminum and titanium can be anodized. Aluminum is color anodized through the use of dyes where titanium is color anodized through the use of different voltages. Typically, cast aluminum doesn't accept dye well and you will get a blotchy coloring.
If it were my shop doing it, I would probably charge you less than $100. That would include stripping, prepartion and type II anodizing for two pieces. This job would likely require about 2-3 hours of labour (depending on the finish you wanted - matte or polished).
If it were my shop doing it, I would probably charge you less than $100. That would include stripping, prepartion and type II anodizing for two pieces. This job would likely require about 2-3 hours of labour (depending on the finish you wanted - matte or polished).
mosinmaster
CGN frequent flyer
It's part of the older British sporting guns of the 70s/80s. BSA CF2 to be exact. The parts aren't steel as a magnet doesn't stick to them. Aluminum or aluminum alloy. Does that make a difference? I don't the Brits used titanium at this point in time. Can you tell if it's cast by looking at it? I don't think it is like a Ruger 10/22 receiver or Mossberg shotgun receiver.
It's one piece. Here's a pic. I would want it to match the same colour as the polished bluing. What do you reckon? My gunsmith said he can use Gun-Kote to try and match the colour.
It's one piece. Here's a pic. I would want it to match the same colour as the polished bluing. What do you reckon? My gunsmith said he can use Gun-Kote to try and match the colour.
SAnd and paint is the simplest solution, but anodizing is easy to do at home
http://www.thirdgen.org/anodizealuminum
Just dont boil in clean water, raise the temp of the color solution to a boil instead, locks the color in better. I've used this method several times and it works very well, never had an issue
http://www.thirdgen.org/anodizealuminum
Just dont boil in clean water, raise the temp of the color solution to a boil instead, locks the color in better. I've used this method several times and it works very well, never had an issue
I painted once in a multi step process that mimiced polished blue pretty well but it took forever, used translucent paints and clear coats, and all kinds of polishing, NOT WORTH IT lol. Get the Arma Coat if you wanna paint. If its just the trigger gaurd, a plain flat black accually looks pretty good against the wood but if you arent comfy playing with paint tricks to get the look you like it might not be worth trying.
If you are reffering to the METALCAST, three step system, it looks cool but does not look like anodizing. The undercoat, first step, is full of metal flake and gives it a very sparkly look. If quick and simple is what you are looking for, tremclad aluminium colour with flat finish clear coat over it will look pretty decent. Try a scrap piece of metal first though and hey, try the METALCAST, you might like it. I did my mailbox and my cars air filter with it and it looks cool
In my opinion, this is bad advice. Typically you're going to want to use some form of Nickle Accetate solution at high temp in order to seal the pores of the anodized surface. Just a water boil can often lead to a finish with a "sticky" feeling. Furthermore, if you are boiling the dye solution, you are in fact "capping" the pores of the anodizing and perhaps making them too small for the dye solution to enter. Dyes with larger particles like black will not take. Red may perhaps. Yellow will. Boiling your dye solution is like shutting off the faucet before your water glass is full and wondering why you didn't reach the brim. This is not a good idea! A sure indication of a poor sealing job would be a sticking feeling. Staining and color bleach will surely happen over time if this is the case. This is typical to a simple "boil to seal" hobbiests' approach.
But what do I know...? lol
Below is a paintball marker I did several years ago. For those of you interested, it was a System X AutoCocker. Yes...I did very custom and specialty Type II anodizing. This is far more advanced than your basic run of the mill stuff. Notice that it is not one color but two and in fact is "acid washed". You might say I dabbled in anodizing for a few years...The below picture doesn't show the true depth and richness of the colors. I spent several hours polishing these components before anodizing which resulted in a subperb high gloss finish but made it difficult to photograph. Yes...Prep is the key to anodizing. That and not using boiling dye solutions...
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If they are one piece, I would bet that they are made of what is known as "white metal" (at this time I don't recall off hand whether or not white metal is magnetic and I don't have any on hand to test it. White metal is easily cast and quite soft, however, it typically doesn't offer a lot of strength. It won't flex very much and then return to its original state because it's "plastic" state is reached very easily. It just doesn't offer much in the way of tensile strength. In my opinion, it would be a poor choice of material to use for a trigger guard because a sharp bump could cause the piece to fracture at it's narrowest point, however, it is used quite a lot. No, it can not be anodized if that is what it is. This material is typically painted (usually powder coated).
This is from my personal experience. Just my $0.02.
Cheers!
- Daniel
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In my opinion, this is bad advice. Typically you're going to want to use some form of Nickle Accetate solution at high temp in order to seal the pores of the anodized surface. Just a water boil can often lead to a finish with a "sticky" feeling. Furthermore, if you are boiling the dye solution, you are in fact "capping" the pores of the anodizing and perhaps making them too small for the dye solution to enter. Dyes with larger particles like black will not take. Red may perhaps. Yellow will. Boiling your dye solution is like shutting off the faucet before your water glass is full and wondering why you didn't reach the brim. This is not a good idea! A sure indication of a poor sealing job would be a sticking feeling. Staining and color bleach will surely happen over time if this is the case. This is typical to a simple "boil to seal" hobbiests' approach.
But what do I know...? lol
Below is a paintball marker I did several years ago. For those of you interested, it was a System X AutoCocker. Yes...I did very custom and specialty Type II anodizing. This is far more advanced than your basic run of the mill stuff. Notice that it is not one color but two and in fact is "acid washed". You might say I dabbled in anodizing for a few years...The below picture doesn't show the true depth and richness of the colors. I spent several hours polishing these components before anodizing which resulted in a subperb high gloss finish but made it difficult to photograph. Yes...Prep is the key to anodizing. That and not using boiling dye solutions...
When I've done it, you boil AFTER the color is where you want it. I have done black and blue using the method in the link. With the black(my first attempt) it turned green while boiling as the colour leached out, so I tried another test piece and after the colour was in I just boiled the dye solution and it worked great so it became the method I used. Not saying its the "best way" to do it but it has worked for me several times. But yes I gree, prep is key as is cleanliness
You can say that again. If you look very closely at the marker I did above you will see an indication of a slight boo-boo. At the very bottom of the pistol grip, below the rubber grips and towards the rear you will notice that the color isn't quite as rich. The deep maroon is a touch lighter. This was due to the fact that it came into contact with the heel of my hand for a split second (slipped). Even though I am a very clean person, the natural oils in my hand contaminated the part and made a physical barrier for the dye. This barrier didn't allow the dye to absorb into the pores of the anodizing at the same rate as the rest of the part.
either way, thats some damn fine work 32-20! I've only even done car parts so little blemishes like that wouldn't bother me as its mostly hidden anyway. As for the OP, I imagine a small piece like a trigger gaurd would be easy enough to keep clean and get a good finish. But if it is made from POT metal and not aluminium, it would be a very good idea to try a scrap piece if you can get your hands on some if you are considering doing it yourself. If you do be sure to post pics
mosinmaster
CGN frequent flyer
You are correct that it was not Aluminum. It is a zinc alloy or 'white metal' as you stated. Getting it Gunkoted instead by my smith so I don't have to worry about it ever again.
