Subject: anodizing question

From: [email-masked] (Hurtin)
Date: 13 Apr 1995 07:34:18 -0400

i am trying to strip the anodized paint job off of my aluminum paint gun.
i would like to get it to a polished steel look. could someone please
recommend how to do this in the comfort of my own garage. much
appreciated.

hurtin

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 1995 09:36:00 -0400

>recommend how to do this in the comfort of my own garage. much

If its really an anodized finish, you're out of luck - it isn't a paint
at all.  A color anodize finish is created by first electrochemically
building up a relative thick and porous aluminum oxide layer on the part,
then applying a chemical dye.  The aluminum oxide layer is very hard
(think about the grit on aluminum oxide "sand" paper), so sanding/polishing
the finish off is going to be long and painful.  The oxide layer is
also fairly inert chemically - any chemical that might attack it will
likely attack the underlying aluminum as well, and I'd bet would not
be safe to use in the comfort of your own garage.

Good luck,
Don

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From: [email-masked] (Dion Hollenbeck)
Date: 13 Apr 1995 16:35:29 -0700

>>>>> "Hurtin" == Hurtin  <[email-masked]> writes:

Hurtin> i am trying to strip the anodized paint job off of my aluminum
Hurtin> paint gun.  i would like to get it to a polished steel
Hurtin> look. could someone please recommend how to do this in the
Hurtin> comfort of my own garage. much appreciated.

Well, is it anodizing, or is it paint?  If it is anodizing a caustic
solution will work, but it may leave the aluminum blackened.  This can
be removed with an acid dip.  Forget what kind of acid, I think
nitric.  If it is paint, use some sort of solvent.  If you remove
anodizing from the aluminum, it surely will *NOT* leave it
polished. In fact, it will be matte and very hard to polish.

dion

-- 
Dion Hollenbeck (619)675-4000x2814     Email: [email-masked]
Staff Software Engineer     Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California