Best finish for aluminum?

T

TheMetalDoctor

Titanium

Joined

Oct 26, 2001

Location

San Jose, Ca. USA "That light at the end of the tu

• Feb 16, 2004

• #1

I have some small (1/4 " cube) 6061 alum. parts that need protection from corrosive wash in a lab environment. I know anodize leaves microscopic cracks and so may not be a good choice. Is there any other surface treatment that totally covers to protect from this sort of thing? I also need the surface buildup to be less than .0001. How good a seal is alodine?

TMD

 

E

Evan

Titanium

Joined

Jan 29, 2004

Location

Williams Lake, BC, Canada

• Feb 16, 2004

• #2

Alodine isn't as good as anodizing but it is way easier. Anodizing is the best bet but a coating only .0001 won't be perfect, especially at the edges and corners.

When you say corrosive what do you mean, alkali or acid?

 

doug925

Titanium

Joined

Nov 21, 2002

Location

Houston

• Feb 16, 2004

• #3

How about Gullite, or ArmourCoat?
Both can be put on down to within a 1/10th.
Check Gull Industries @ 800.383.2435 (Toll Free)
I believe that both of these coating can be applied to al.

 

J

JimK

Diamond

Joined

Apr 25, 2003

Location

Berkeley Springs, WV, USA

• Feb 16, 2004

• #4

We ue Iridite or otherwise called Chemical Coat, Mil C-5541.

The class 3 has a good resistance to the salt spray test.

Thig gives the aluminum the appearance of brass, at least we ask our iriditer to get it that color because the Navy likes it. The iridite is within sec. if it is from silver to dark green in color.

The chemical coat does not like abrasion but it is an excellent finish as it is or an excellent base for paint.

Aluminum hates corrosive (base) materials more than it hates mild acids, so I really don't know of any truly chemical resistant finish, the metal is so reactive that most surface treatments will come off if the aluminum is exposed to acid or caustic.

 

E

Evan

Titanium

Joined

Jan 29, 2004

Location

Williams Lake, BC, Canada

• Feb 16, 2004

• #5

Iridite and alodine are the same thing.

 

J

JimK

Diamond

Joined

Apr 25, 2003

Location

Berkeley Springs, WV, USA

• Feb 16, 2004

• #6

O

 

C

Cass

Guest

• Feb 17, 2004

• #7

Have them electroless nickel plated. Super corrosion resistant, very uniform coating thickness, complete coverage at 0.0001" thickness of plating. Standard coating for aluminum hard drive disks.

 

C

Cass

Guest

• Feb 17, 2004

• #8

Have them electroless nickel plated. Super corrosion resistant, very uniform coating thickness, complete coverage at 0.0001" thickness of plating. Standard coating for aluminum hard drive disks.

 

M

Mike W

Stainless

Joined

Jan 12, 2003

Location

Central Kali.

• Feb 17, 2004

• #9

You can get a kit at www.caswellplating.com and do them yourself.

 

rons

Diamond

Joined

Mar 5, 2009

Location

California, USA

• Aug 25, 2021

• #10

Yeah it's old but this is my search:

A bead blast job with Alodine on top. Any good? Any experience with Alodine and where to buy it.

(I'm trying a few different things on my latest project that has been sitting around for a couple of months.
A small expenditure in time and money will allow me to (hopefully) learn some new ways to finish aluminum.)