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- eac67gt - 03-13-13, 08:19 AMI just made some new tooling for the lathe and am in the process of anodizing it. Once in the recent past I made a set of clamps for the mill and anodized them. To make these a bit tougher I run them in the anodizing tank over night which builds a nice thick layer on it than I bathe it in a solution of distilled water, sodium dichromate and a little black dye for color. The sodium dichromate is suppose to make the anodizing tougher in the respect that it is more chemically resistant. Does it help in the shop? I am really not sure but I know the clamps I have made have taken quite a beating and show no wear. The military specs show that dichromate's are used often in their requirements for such things as landing gear. Now I know the tools are not landing gear but what the heck. I am just experimenting / hobbying and I want to see what the results are. In some ways this is the only way I will really find out.
The sodium dichromate usually, from what I read, is what they use to seal the anodizing layer other than boiling. I run it in this bath for 30 minutes than go to boiling also. This insures me that I have truly sealed the anodizing layer. Call me crazy.
Ed
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