Aluminium frame anodizing – possible? expensive?

Just curious like… anyone know much about it, or had it done?

i wouldn’t bother, it can be done, but to get a good finish is a different prospect to being able to do it.

If I remember right, you can’t if it’s got any steel inserts (bottle bosses/cable guides) as the process erodes them. Or sumink. We had one done for a customer “back in the day” and it looked bobbins IMHO.

Possible: Yes
Expensive: Yes

I’d enquired a few years back when I bough my Five, I found a company over Burnley way who’d do it satin black for just £30, if I gave them a naked frame.

Orange said they’d supply me the bike bare and in pices, but would invalidate the warranty, so I didn’t bother, but now it’s out of warranty, I’m thinking about it again.

http://www.smbplating.co.uk/%5B/url%5D

yep, and cheep’ too. £30-60 depending on the prep time.

i would go for the ‘Decorative Silver Plating’ look… 8)

Was just thinking a matte black finish to a bare aluminium frame I have (the Szazbo)… would it affect the metal at all?

Orange told me it might shrink, which is why they’d invalidate the warranty.

I have anodized one of mine, and a friends alu frame.
Sand-blasted the old paintwork off and stripped frame of any bolts etc

Put a 25micron on it … superb finish.

Preperation is the key. if it looks rough before anodizing .. it `ll look just as rough after. Sand-blasting gets a good uniform base to start if your putting a coloured ano on it.

If your after a gold or silver ano finish .. it`ll need polishing to a brilliant standard first.

shrink??

Only if you `ve left it too long in the etch first

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anodising-1

Have just sent some components off for anodising to Steve. Superb communiction by email from him and great prices.