Anodize a frame?
 

If I had an aluminum frame, could I anodize it? I mean could I have someone else anodize it for me? Is this possible? Would it present any problems? Is there a reason I don't see this more?

seriously. 82 views, and no one has even an opinion on this? you guys realize i mention aluminum, right? no one's even going to chime in with some comment about "steel being real?" this must be a first for this forum. okay. what if i when i anodize my frame, i don't use any brakes?

http://www.titaniumarts.com/content/...anodizing.html
http://www.pfonline.com/articles/020601.html

go do it
http://www.titaniumarts.com/images/b...o/splatter.jpghttp://www.titaniumarts.com/images/b.../ano/gator.jpg

Sure, you can do it. Some high end aluminum bikes come already anodized.

that paint job is sick!!! alligator on a bike!!

steel is real... there you go...

as for anodizing... Go for it... I would caution you against doing it yourself.
The process involves electricity and acid. Too much acidity and you might run the risk of wearing down your threading, or exposing minute cracks in the welding.

I used to DIY aluminum paintball guns... the dye never came out as bold as I wanted it to and I actually made some air ports larger in the process from the acidity i believe.

http://fbmfactory.com/fbmf/gallery.html

There's even a pink chainring in the gallery

Why don't we see more anodized aluminum frames? I think it would look really slick.

I think it may be because you have to have a pretty large tank to fit a frame in, as opposed to components. But I have never been around someone doing anodizing, so this may have nothing to do with it.

High end santacruz and ellsworth, and probably some other frames come anodized.

Anodizing doesn't hold up very well, even wet paint is more durable, and the icky chemicals probably add to the manufacturing expense, cost money to dispose of, and require specialized attention where as wet painting or powdercoating frames is pretty easy.

i clearly didnt read the site i linked to very closely:

IMO, andoized finish scratches down to bare metal easier than paint, but little scratches/nicks in an anodized finish are less noticable than scratches in paint...but YMMV

Anoadizing titanium can be done with a flame, so that TI frame shown above is completely different

Ano doesn't chip like paint or p-coat, but it scratches easily and repeated wear in a spot takes it off pretty fast. Lots of cheap (like mart bike cheap) Al frames are anodized.

It's all your fault - the presentation of my bike(s) answering Ken Cox's challenge (<13 pounds, <$500) is now officailly delayed until I experiment with these - there is a ton of valuable links on it. Thanks!

I sold my buddy my 92' Cannondale Track and he anodized it gold. It looks really nice... however... he also powdercoated some parts gold as well and they looked even better. I guess it depends on the color.

ALSO. You need to polish said aluminum parts or the anodizing will look really dull.

i.e. $$$$$$$$$$$$

The anodizing in the pic above is on titanium, not aluminum, and unlike on alu, the color is a result of the light interference, not dye.

hey. i'm gonna hijack my own thread. vobopl, what is that ken cox 13 lbs < $500 challenge?

Re: the toughness of anodizing:
I'd like to emphasize the truth in morbot's quotes.
The real anodizing process involves a chemical bath and electricity, which changes the chemical constitution of the outer surface of the metal (ie. it's not something "put on" but modified Al). The basic method gives you a smokey grayish colour, actually it's a different shade with each different Al alloy. This makes the metal a LOT harder than bare Al, I think 50 to 100 times harder or something.
Then there's a method of anodizing to fancy colours which also hardens the metal but much less so. I'm pretty sure this is still tougher than any paint job.

Probably it would be fussy to do to a frame because of the large tank needed.

I guess some paint method or another is also mistakenly called anodizing as well.

yes you can have it anodized BUT it will be costly, money and time.. i suggest you buy a new frame according to your specs.. what do you mean by not using any brakes?

is there a way to anodize the color white?

google it up im pretty sure i read somewhere that said anodize white either (A) simply doesnt exist or (B) is possible but the cost is so ridiculous that people dont do it....

i would have to go with A tho for the best answer to this question tho....

whats with the old thread bump conspiracy
?

It must be related to his signature.

What does your signature stand for, doofo?

it came from this thread

and was analyzed further here