El Beast - Initial design phase, comments and critique welcomed!

**Zeeflyboy** · 05-10-2018

Just wanted to prove to myself it wasn't beginner's luck so quickly did up the second knob too... this is the other end of the rod that I cut to m4 thread. My plan is to have various threads cut on the ends of 6mm titanium rod and some 90 degree angled pieces to allow me to jig up various parts together to do batches of parts since it's quite a long process using the LCD method (2hrs just for the anodise bath, let alone the prep work!).

Anyway, second part came out well too:

**Zeeflyboy** · 06-10-2018

So moment of truth - moved on to a larger part and the eco-cast tooling plate. Wasn't sure how well it would anodise given that I don't really know what the alloy is (I believe some sort of 5000 series?) so easiest way to find out... Try!

I thought I would offer up the tramming plate as a sacrificial lamb to the anodising gods and keep my fingers crossed (don't have time waste on test pieces!).

Happy to say it came out way better than I could have hoped. The pics don't really do the colour justice - it's a nice metallic looking deep red and it's got a light brushed effect from the scotch pads I used in the prep... perhaps when I can take some daylight pics it might look better.

Here it is getting some little fun details lasered on with the wife's laser

Fitted (I'm one bolt short dammit!):

**Chaz** · 07-10-2018

Superb workmanship.

**Nickhofen** · 07-10-2018

Jaw fall!!!
Where did you purchase the anodizing kit from?

**Zeeflyboy** · 07-10-2018

Didn't buy a kit - it's all home-brew I'm afraid... I can perhaps do a more detailed post on all the equipment/stages if there is interest?

Problem in the UK is that they have now made it pretty much impossible to buy or possess battery acid/sulphuric acid without a special license, so if anything happens to my anodising solution I'm a bit stuffed (thankfully I bought and mixed my bath before the ban). It would be legal to sell it in concentrations less than 15% which is still more than needed for the LCD process I'm using... but I haven't seen anyone doing that yet. I have seen some people having good success using Sodium Bisulphate (NaHSO4) which is readily available as a pool PH adjuster, but there is much less info out there. In theory it should be similar to sulphuric acid anodising (it's sulphuric acid + a sodium base) but I have no idea if there is any downside to eg the durability of the coating. It is something I may have to experiment with at some point to ensure I can keep anodising for a long time!

**Nickhofen** · 07-10-2018

Originally Posted by Zeeflyboy

Didn't buy a kit - it's all home-brew I'm afraid... I can perhaps do a more detailed post on all the equipment/stages if there is interest?

I am interesting,lol!
If you have the patience and time of course!

**Zeeflyboy** · 07-10-2018

Ok, I'll try and do a more detailed dive at some point.

So something something no time for test parts? lol.

I done gone goofed - anodised the bearing top plate today trying the other dye.... it was meant to come out a nice dark gunmetal grey but it is actually as black as the night. I left it in the dye bath 10 mins like with the red dye, which clearly was far too long.

Wife told me it looks good that way and I should just do the whole thing red/black. What do you guys think?

Brushed finish with purple scotch pads.

Bubble bubble

That ain't grey....

Fitted pics - what do you think? Just go for all black?