I stopped by my local metal supply store, actually circle track (dirt racers) to pick up some steel last night, and I saw that they had 4'x8' and 4' x10' aluminum sheets, in plain aluminum and every color under the sun, price wasnt bad either $32US about $18UK, for each sheet in color, After I got home I started to think about it, would it be possible to use the colored sheets, or would the finish crack, would I have problems trying to form it around the rear corners or can I just beat it with a hammer and be done with it. And finally does anyone else have experience with the colored aluminum?
How was it coloured? painted, anodised or some other process?
Both can scratch and not polish out as easily as plainali does.
not that i know everything about coloured ali of course!
Ned.
Derf, was it painted or was it anodized. It it was painted, then you do run the risk of having it flake off, if it's anodized, then no
worries.
David
spending my day paintin' aluminum Land Rovers....
anodising is the way to go - did it a few years ago when in school, and the finish is spot on!!and very durable too.
i dont know why more people dont use it to be honest.
is it just aluminium that u can anodise - its done by applying a solvent to kind of etch the surface isnt it, then dunking it in dye, and sealing??
is there any way steel could be done?
a se7en with anodised bodywork would look awesome!!!
At work we use pre-painted ali panels. We get a local company to fold them and they don't flake. Suppose it may depend on the brand though.
Anodising starts to fade after a while and how would you match this with GRP etc???
Cheers
I just called the guy and he wasnt sure how it was colored, he said they bake it on, which is one of the processes in anodizing, so I'll go out
on a limb and say anodized. As far as matching it, I would get the glass painted to match the color.
Anyway, I would have them cut the pieces into the right sizes with their bench shear, and just fold it around, my only thought was the rear around the
corners, that might be hard to get formed to the right shape, I'd be beating on it all day, but the guy said that they bend them and beat on them
and such....
picked off the tasty nuts website about anodizing
ALUMINIUM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS: 7075T73 high tensile aluminium.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS:
Head - cold formed: shank - thread rolling.
ULTIMATE STRENGTH (PSI): Chemically brightened and colour anodised to between 8 and 12 microns thick.
YEILD STRENGTH (PSI): 490-560Mpa; stronger than mild steel.
WEIGHT: 60% lighter than steel; 40% lighter than titanium.
CORROSION: Anodised aluminium is not affected by saltwater, road film or mild acids.
APPLICATIONS: Aluminium is suitable for use in all non-safety critical areas e.g. mudguards, screens, fairings, engine casings, huggers, fuel caps,
number plates, lamp units, exhaust cans, heel plates, clutch levers, exhaust manifold brackets, fuel cap surround, air filter plus many more.
SAFETY:
Do not use Aluminium in any safety critical areas.
So I guess all these RV8s I have sitting around aren't safe....
quote:
Originally posted by white130d
So I guess all these RV8s I have sitting around aren't safe....
Anodising on ali scratches off with time as the control bars on my microlight will testify.
As for the strength side they build airplanes out of it dont they so I spose thats debateable,but like allan says when it corrodes it goes big style
and if it starts corroding under the anodisation way hey have you got problems.
Cheers,
Bob