Anodizing Gone Wrong - What Next?

[Artful]

  I think he "anondized them" with a Crayola marker.

[MotoCreations]

Strip 'em.  Clean them.  Sand/polish to chrome finish to remove pitting.  Then send to a good anodizer. 

Note on anodizers:  I look for ones who still use the old arsenic based solutions as it is the best color and durability.  Outlawed in most of the major cities/states in the USA for obvious chemical and toxicity reasons!  The old stuff doesn't fade or change colors like the new chemicals today do.

Another alternative is a "tuff coat" low-temp (200deg) ceramic finish.  Typically blacks or silvers.  They will bead blast the part before coating.  Typically coating is very thin so not too much problem with interference fitment later.

For those out you out there with titanium parts -- super easy to anodize!  Literally coca-cola and a battery.  Just mask off your pattern and apply a voltage.  Different voltages get different color/hues.  Years ago used to do some wild artwork on titanium bicycle frames and parts with this method.  Anyone can do anodized titanium at home.

[junior varsity]

Don't happen to have a preferred anodizer contact that you'd be willing to share, do you?

[MotoCreations]

I'll have to go through the paperwork/e-mails -- I ship to Oregon, Idaho and Mexico for anodizing. 

Remember if you anodize a part with natural finish, cnc'd, media blasted, etc -- it won't "POP".

With colors to make them look like superbright and polished -- three methods:  old fashioned polishing; electro polishing or "bright dip" (dipping).

Not all shops will do "bright dip" as it is a really nasty process using nitric-phosphoric solution and requires special ventilation systems, 316L stainless tanks, etc.  (note: some shops try to pass off a electropolish/anodize process as "bright dip" -- it's not the same in terms of quality!)

My rule of thumb is simple -- if they can't do "bright dip" to polish my parts (when desired) -- then I don't want them anodizing my regular stuff.  It's usually a good indication if the shop is good or not.  Lots of shops out there that can "anodize" (industrial) -- but not all of them can do the pretty stuff that some of us desire.  (or want on our bicycle parts as well as Ducati's)

[Travman]

Maybe this is a bad idea to begin with.  Yellow parts on a yellow bike will not look good.  Colorful anodizing looks dated and usally looks very tacky.

[TitanMonsterS4R]

Maybe this is a bad idea to begin with.  Yellow parts on a yellow bike will not look good.  Colorful anodizing looks dated and usally looks very tacky.

The bike is getting a cosmetic overhaul of sorts.  I was hoping to have the tank and seat cowl painted glass black with a yellow racing strip with the belly pan being gloss black as well.  

Option B was to have the tank/seat cowl painted red since the frame is black and just get everything anodized red since I really liked the look when I had my 695.  Plus red parts are easy to find.   

[TitanMonsterS4R]

Strip 'em.  Clean them.  Sand/polish to chrome finish to remove pitting.  Then send to a good anodizer. 

Note on anodizers:  I look for ones who still use the old arsenic based solutions as it is the best color and durability.  Outlawed in most of the major cities/states in the USA for obvious chemical and toxicity reasons!  The old stuff doesn't fade or change colors like the new chemicals today do.

Another alternative is a "tuff coat" low-temp (200deg) ceramic finish.  Typically blacks or silvers.  They will bead blast the part before coating.  Typically coating is very thin so not too much problem with interference fitment later.

For those out you out there with titanium parts -- super easy to anodize!  Literally coca-cola and a battery.  Just mask off your pattern and apply a voltage.  Different voltages get different color/hues.  Years ago used to do some wild artwork on titanium bicycle frames and parts with this method.  Anyone can do anodized titanium at home.

Thanks for the help Moto.  Local shop is going to work their magic.  I shall post pics when the project is complete in about a week or so. 

[696DCRider]

Sorry to hear about the parts.  Hopefully this works out for you.  Let me know what shop you go with and how it turns out.  I have a number of parts I want to get powdercoated during the winter myself.

[TitanMonsterS4R]

Looking to have the place in Manasas do some powdercoating.  What are you thinking about having done.  Possible to throw our stuff together.....

[Travman]

Is that Figure Eight Engineering you are having do the powdercoating?  I'd like to see their work. What they have on their website looks good. It would be nice to have a fairly local place instead of shipping parts to be done.

[696DCRider]

I was thinking of doing my rearsets, exhaust shield, exhaust hangers, top triple, and handlebar clamp.  I haven't removed them yet though.

Looking to have the place in Manasas do some powdercoating.  What are you thinking about having done.  Possible to throw our stuff together.....

[TitanMonsterS4R]

Is that Figure Eight Engineering you are having do the powdercoating?  I'd like to see their work. What they have on their website looks good. It would be nice to have a fairly local place instead of shipping parts to be done.

Yup.  Sending them an e-mail today about prices for a batch job.  Maybe with my stuff and 696 they'll cut us a break.

[696DCRider]

Sounds good to me.  Just let me know.  I think they're in Manassas right?

[adgergewh]

Look into paintball annodizers for good custom work.

http://www.google.com/images?q=custom+anno&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1008&bih=1023

[696DCRider]

Woomie (not sure if I'm spelling that right), did you happen to get my PM about powdercoating?  I was just curious if Figure Engineering had gotten back to you yet.  I just got my rim stripes and 14T done, so I think I'm ready to go ahead and start pulling parts off for powdercoating.  I'm always down to save some cash, so it would be nice if we can group our stuff together.