Alodine projector parts?

[dnar]

In my job, we produce many aluminum parts, facias, enclosures etc from billet. Before powder coating all parts are Alodine'd as this the surface treatment is ideal for powder coat adhesion. You can use this surface treatment as is, without any further painting etc. The finish is a goldish colour, although the newer RoHS chemicals result in a darker black finish.

I really like the look of alodine'd aluminum, and wondered how practical this would be for my projector base plate and other raw aluminum items. Has anyone here alodine'd projector parts? I might try this with my quad LOC build as Dave's LD and flex mounts are brass, this should look sweet.

The process is pretty straight forward and can be performed at home easily.

http://www.auf.asn.au/scratchbuilder/alodine1201.pdf



EDIT:
A few years ago I hand fabed a tuned length V8 manifold for my 30 year old girl, to suit propane. I wish now I had not painted it black, it would look so cool alodined or even anodised...



^^^ It is not bent as it looks, that is lens error.

[mixedgas]

Quote
A few years ago I hand fabed a tuned length V8 manifold for my 30 year old girl, to suit propane

End Quote

ARGH
Don't you know better???, Women are complex enough to deal with, without bolting new headers on them and adding propane!!.



Alodine is a good idea, one common ion laser I worked on for 20 years is Alodined, and it makes a very tough, hard to scratch finish, much nicer then blank anodize. In other words done right, it holds up.

Watch out for the hexavalent waste, don't get it on you. Not exactly some thing I'd dump in my drive way to evaporate.

Steve

[dnar]

Quote
A few years ago I hand fabed a tuned length V8 manifold for my 30 year old girl, to suit propane

End Quote

ARGH
Don't you know better???, Women are complex enough to deal with, without bolting new headers on them and adding propane!!.



Alodine is a good idea, one common ion laser I worked on for 20 years is Alodined, and it makes a very tough, hard to scratch finish, much nicer then blank anodize. In other words done right, it holds up.

Watch out for the hexavalent waste, don't get it on you. Not exactly some thing I'd dump in my drive way to evaporate.

Steve

Another reason we alodine electronic housings is for ground continuity. Anodized surfaces are not conductors.

[norty303]

That manifold is a work of art!! Lovely.

Wish I had the skills/facilities to do stuff like that.

[dnar]

Thanks norty. I will never take on a project like that again, way too much work and fiddle. I had a bunch (over 20) 180 degree mandrel bent pipes made, I then had to sand fill each one and gently heat with a gas torch and twist into the right shape. Out of 20 pipes, I managed to get 8 right, the other 12 collapsed or where otherwise ruined. At one stage I was ready to give up. In the end, it worked out, and worked out great.

Way too many hours over a few months, machining, bending, welding, flow testing, port matching etc. The design is my own, all from books and engine design software (thanks to a performance engine builder I know). Tuned length pipes, 19" from plenum to valve. Port matched and flow tested each pipe individually. I even build my own flow bench using leaf blower parts and water anemometer for the project.

I had the missus turn the key when it was first fitted, I was very nervous but it pured into life and ran smooooth. On the dyno I picked up 32% torque at 2000rpm. In a 4000lb car it ran a 15 second quarter mile on propane. Running costs very good.

Here a few more pics of "the old girl", born 1980.



Checkout this video with a 50c coin standing on end on the manifold, I rev the engine to 5000rpm and the coin remains standing. A big difference from the "lumpy" factory manifold. caprice308_50cents.avi

Alas, I sold the old girl 2 years ago and upgraded to a 245kW Hemi 300C.