From: lschuler@cellular.uscc.com Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 09:18:28 -0600 Subject: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Seen a number of posts relating to Alodine recently and saw a copy of a CP that indicated Alodining all alum parts is required for the Rutan AC. I am getting ready to build elevator (re: Cozy-IV plans) and wondering about best way to alodine the torque tubes. Thinking about using PVC pipe sliced in half to make a tray for the alumiprep, water bath(s), and alodine etc. Any comments would be welcome. Larry Schuler MK-IV plans #500 lschuler@cellular.uscc.com From: Jim Hocut Subject: RE: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 05:54:08 -0800 Hmm, you may be onto something Larry. I used PVC pipe and sealed one end, and agitated by holding a gloved hand over the open end and rotating the tube up and down. I did the deed outdoors and used a garden hose for rinsing. It worked, but was somewhat of a pain. Your idea may prove to be easier. Since there will be a relatively small volume of water in the rinse compared to the volume of drag-out on the part, I'd set up 3 rinses between the Alumiprep and Alodine, and put a small amount of Alodine in the last 2 to "neutralize" any Alumiprep that may get dragged out. Jim Hocut (plating shop chemist in a previous life) jhocut@mindspring.com > Thinking about using PVC pipe sliced in half to make a tray for > the > alumiprep, water bath(s), and alodine etc. > > From: "norm & monda" Subject: Re: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 08:53:26 -0500 dont slice the pipes in half leave them whole and put 1 end cap on, then fill the tube with solution and lower the items into the tubes, there is a lot less chance of spilling this way. use a tube slightly larger in dia than the items to be coated so you dont need an exorbitant amount of fluids. this worked well for me. norm From: SMilesCozy Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 20:26:51 EST Subject: Re: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine In a message dated 98-01-20 08:37:42 EST, you write: > Thinking about using PVC pipe sliced in half to make a tray for the > alumiprep, water bath(s), and alodine etc. > > Any comments would be welcome. > > Larry Schuler MK-IV plans #500 Instead of cutting the PVC in half, (sounds like a pain) what about sealing one end permanently by gluing on a cap and glue a "clean out" threaded cap on the other end. Make it just a little longer than the torque tube so you can remove the part when you're done without dumping the solution. This way it would be relatively leak resistant, and easy to slosh the solution around. Steve Miles From: Jim Hocut Subject: RE: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 04:11:34 -0800 > Instead of cutting the PVC in half, (sounds like a pain) what about > sealing > one end permanently by gluing on a cap and glue a "clean out" threaded > > cap on the other end. > Be careful with this idea, at least for the Alumiprep. When aluminum is prepared in the alumiprep cleaner (it is actually etched), gas is released. Since the torque tubes have quite a large surface area, a good bit of gas is given off and pressure can build quickly. You'd probably be ok drilling a vent hole in the threaded cap, hold a gloved finger over it while you agitate, and from time to time turn it upright and release the pressure. Jim Hocut jhocut@mindspring.com From: lschuler@cellular.uscc.com Date: Wed, 21 Jan 98 08:56:16 -0600 Subject: Re[2]: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Steve Miles wrote: >Instead of cutting the PVC in half, (sounds like a pain) what about sealing >one end permanently by gluing on a cap and glue a "clean out" threaded cap on >the other end. Make it just a little longer than the torque tube so you can >remove the part when you're done without dumping the solution. This way it >would be relatively leak resistant, and easy to slosh the solution around. Nifty plug idea! Not ignoring the other responses. All good. Sounds like cutting the PVC may be OK and I was thinking about that so I could watch the stuff... Not necessary; but got used to it doing smaller parts already. Starting to like the "cap-the-end" ideas as simpler. Easy to agitate too. Can't use the old garden hose here in Wisconsin right now (unless I am willing to invite the neighbor kids over to ice-skate on the rink I end up with), so I'll need to use a couple extra tubes for rinse. Alternative it the bathtub, but think the wife would object. Nice idea on neutralizing the Alumiprep acid with a bit of Alodine in one or two rinses. I came up with two more questions: 1. From some of the resposes it sounds like the Alodine and Alumiprep are stored in the capped pipes after use. Is the stuff re-usable? I've been dumping up till now, but small batches. Re-use would sure make it less expensive. 2. Not wanting to go buy more PVC later, makes sense now to use longest and fatest pipe needed for parts later. Are the 1"D X 55.1" elevator torque tubes the longest/biggest diameter part I will be Alodining? Thanks, Larry Schuler MK-IV plans #500 lschuler@cellular.uscc.com From: Jim Hocut Subject: RE: Re[2]: COZY: Chapter 11 - Alodine Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 09:21:31 -0800 > 1. From some of the resposes it sounds like the Alodine and Alumiprep > are > stored in the capped pipes after use. Is the stuff re-usable? I've > been > dumping up till now, but small batches. Re-use would sure make it > less > expensive. > Somewhat reusable. Since each process involves a chemical reaction, and there is a finite amount of chemical available, it will eventually get used up. You can compensate for a solution that's getting slightly weak (up to a point) by increasing time. At some point you will need to dump a portion of the solution (maybe 1/4 to 1/2) and replenish it with fresh stock. Jim Hocut jhocut@mindspring.com