So there is a lot of information on the web about anodizing aluminum at home. I own a power supply so I thought I would try my hand. Well the first thing is I wanted to see if normal dyes work, and they do, sort of. Didnt want to spent 20 bucks on real anodizing dye. Cool part is that the anodizing process worked and really isnt all that difficult. Two of the wheels came out nice and even and the other two have some darker staining. The dark brown dye I used thinned down to an odd olive/gold but I am actually ok with that.
Other cool part is the finish. I tumbled the wheels in a vibrating tumbler for about three hours (I started with a pretty good machined finish) and using some abrasive plastic pyramids the parts took on a great matte finish that is really smooth. We will see if the abrasives opened up the axle holes a few mils.
And for those who are thinking of trying anodizing at home. There is a lot of good info on the web so I wont rehash that here but its a pretty rewarding thing to do. Also, even less than optimal anodizing is harder and more scratch resistant than most paints out there so its a great way to go. It does involve battery acid so make sure you know what you are doing there.
I hope to have the axles done this week and the side plates next. Will be getting pretty close to a working prototype soon I hope!
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