For a second build: compression Ignition

[dmartine1]

On my second build, I wanted to get a little further and gave it a try at a compression ignition.

This one gave me my first experience at home anodyzing ... quite an experience in itself.

Unfortunately, I never had the guts to fire it up. After all it was only my sencond engine and wanted to surf on the beginners luck a little longer!

http://www.floridaame.org/GalleryPages/g1V0314.htm

This was built from plans bought on the net which I must admit, were well drawn for a beginner machinist.

Quite often, plans from "experts" are a little more difficult to follow.

Have fun.

 

[vlmarshall]

Nice build, good looking engine, and...RED! I can't get a part RED anodized for anything... I've tried both Caswell's and Rit dyes.

 

[Tin Falcon]

nice work.
Tin

 

[JimN]

Nice engine, bet it would run just as good as it looks.

 

[dmartine1]

Nice build, good looking engine, and...RED! I can't get a part RED anodized for anything... I've tried both Caswell's and Rit dyes.

This was done with Rit dye and took a few tries before dipping the real parts. What I found out is that most of us probably use car battery chargers and are dealing with very small parts. This leads to having a very very small current and thus requires the part to "bath" for a long long time.

When I anodyzd those parts, I did hang all of them in one setup and alos hooked up a multimeter in the way to get an idea of the current so I could calculate time more precisely.

Once you get a good layer of ceramic, dyeing is just an extra step but if you don`t have enough thickness, then it starts to blurr and be ugly. I also noticed that the "age" of the acid seems to have a fair impact on the results. I anodyzed a part lately for my dad and it did not come out with as good results as I wished. Fortunately it was natural color so polishing took care of it.

The purple parts were done in a brand new bath and new acid fill.

Perhaps this will help.
Denis

 

[bearcar1]

x2 on the great looks and running. Very well executed, fire that sucker up and you'll never look back, or stop smiling ;D

BC1
Jim

 

[vlmarshall]

This was done with Rit dye and took a few tries before dipping the real parts. What I found out is that most of us probably use car battery chargers and are dealing with very small parts. This leads to having a very very small current and thus requires the part to "bath" for a long long time.
When I anodyzd those parts, I did hang all of them in one setup and alos hooked up a multimeter in the way to get an idea of the current so I could calculate time more precisely.
Once you get a good layer of ceramic, dyeing is just an extra step but if you don`t have enough thickness, then it starts to blurr and be ugly. I also noticed that the "age" of the acid seems to have a fair impact on the results. I anodyzed a part lately for my dad and it did not come out with as good results as I wished. Fortunately it was natural color so polishing took care of it.
The purple parts were done in a brand new bath and new acid fill.

Thanks for the tips. Oh yeah, I guess that IS purple, not red. Oops. ;D

 

[Krown Kustoms]

I have gotten red but the bath has to be almost cold, the rit dye has to be hot and I dont use nickel acetate to seal I use boiling water. For the red I had to pour dye in the boiling water with the part or it turns out pink.
Here is a part of a RC truck axle I built.
-B-

 

[Cliff]

Hey Dmartine1 Sorry but I had trouble viewing your pictures I was interested cause I want to do some anodizing but don't totally understand stand how it is done could do a write up on how it is done and oh by the way welcome to the group Cliff.

 

[dmartine1]

Hi Cliff, anodyzing can be a fairly simple process if you want or rather very expensive one if you buy all the chemicals.

The « El Cheapo » in me brought me to give it a try with a very basic setup.

8 $ 10 x 16 x 8 RubberMaid plastic bin with lid from Walmart
5 $ worth of BRAND NEW car battery acid from an industrial battery dealer.
Be prepared to insist and explain what your intents are!
4 $ for a gallon of Distilled water (very important)
0 $ Dad's car battery charger
4 $ ALCAN aluminum foil
1/8 " aluminum bare wire

HEAVY DUTY rubber gloves, safety goggles, plastic ware AND 1# of spare baking soda to neutralize any spill of acid

You can have a look at these two web pages, the first being very simple and the second a good example of how to spend hundred bucks in chemicals ... but get consistent results.

http://www.shadowguarddev.com/alex/anodizing/

http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html

This should give you an idea. Remember, car battery charger are constant Voltage whereas calculations involves CURRENT ! Keep in mind that we are dealing with very small parts so high resistance and very small current flow thus long times.

I hope this helps
Denis

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Denis for the information the first web site makes it seem some what simple Cliff