Anodizing Aluminum Plate... First mistake?

EnsgnofIndustry · 2415

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Offline EnsgnofIndustry

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on: June 24, 2023, 12:37:37 PM
HEllo,
Got my S.E.X. and saw online someone had "smartly" gotten their face plate anodized. I was kicking around the idea of doing some candy coating over a brushed aluminum pattern (ala BJFE guitar pedals), but then decided to bite the bullet and get it professionally anodized. Took it to an anodizing shop and they asked whether I wanted both sides anodized. I thought no but they said masking would be a lot extra, so I said just anodize it and I'll figure it out later. My suspicion that the process would leave an insulator on the underside seems to have been confirmed. I haven't gotten the piece back (not sure if they even started) but can I just dremel out the few ground spots on the underneath when the time comes?
-ty
Jon
p.s., I didn't some how combust or incinerate the wood case yet, so that's good. 
« Last Edit: June 24, 2023, 01:41:50 PM by EnsgnofIndustry »



Offline Thermioniclife

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Reply #1 on: June 24, 2023, 02:14:12 PM
I'm pretty sure you can,I would try the reinforced cut off wheels or possibly the sanding drums.

Lee R.


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #2 on: June 24, 2023, 02:15:36 PM
Yes you can simply sand or grind around the safety ground tab mounting hole on the underside.
As an aside, a way to remove anodizing from the entire surface of a part is to spray it with oven cleaner. I have had to do this a few times to parts on my race bike.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline EnsgnofIndustry

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Reply #3 on: June 30, 2023, 06:40:34 AM
Thanks all. I’ve come across that IEC ground in the manual. Any other grounds that require bare metal I should know about before I power down the Dremel? I didn’t see any while perusing the manual, but may have missed something.



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #4 on: June 30, 2023, 06:49:50 AM
Here are the spots where I would sand off the anodizing on the back of the panel.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline EnsgnofIndustry

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Reply #5 on: June 30, 2023, 07:17:19 AM
Immensely helpful!