Anodizing?

[Frog]

Can anyone recommend a good place in the Portland area to have a pistol receiver anodized. It's a Colt Defender and the gray frame would just look so much better dressed in satin black.

Thanks,
Frog.

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[AMProducts]

While I havn't done any business with anyone in portland, I've found most phone books to be a great resource for this kind of stuff (internet searches always end in failure).

What kind of coating do you think you are going to use? Type 2 or type 3?

 

[Frog]

I don't know anything about the process and therefore have no idea what I want!

I've read that for an aluminum framed gun, anodizing is 'the only way to go'.

I figured I'd start here for some input. I'm sure the Yellow Pages would provide me companies that do this work.

I'm really looking for someone to recommend a business. One that will know what I need, and provide it satisfactory. That will be what I want.

Frog.

 

[FarmerTed1971]

Try Electro-Chem on SE 26th. Ask for Terry or David. I use them weekly for anodizing commercial products. I'm not sure of what they think about firearms... but you can ask. Also, Apex on 92nd.

 

[Frog]

Thanks FarmerTed1971,

I'll give them a call on Monday. I'll take everything off the frame and re-assembly the gun after the job, so they won't need to do anything except the coating.

My only concern is if the paint film thickness is a issue.

Does anyone know??

Frog.

 

[MarkAd]

a little help
Anodizing thickness measurement on aluminum

 

[Frog]

Thanks MarkAd,

Good all round information about the process there. I'm still not sure if it should be done in Type I, II or III, but the 'experts' will.

Frog.

 

[FarmerTed1971]

I think Electro-Chem uses the Sulfuric (Type II) method.

 

[AMProducts]

For firearms the two types of anodizing you want are either type 02 or 03, Type 02 is what you find on most commercial anodized aluminum products, it's fairly thin and can be damaged easily by mechanical impact (dropping, grit etc) However it usually looks to be the "shiniest" and usually looks good, and would be the easiest to apply in your case. Type 03 is the "hard" anodizing type typically seen on AR-15 parts. It is some really tough stuff, but it also add's a significant amount of size to the surface of the material, and as such should really only be used for parts designed with this in mind.

A good compromise would be to have it type 02 anodized and have them remove enough of the surface material that the anodizing would essentially be a neutral change to the part (nothing added, nothing taken away) and then having it coated with cerakote, duracoat, or any of the other dozens of coatings out there. I've dealt a little bit with Cerakote applied by a company down in anaheim, ca, who do a lot of defense industry stuff. There is a guy on the board who does cerakote up in oregon, goes by "OregonShooter" you may contact him and see if this process is for you.

 

[Frog]

For firearms the two types of anodizing you want are either type 02 or 03, Type 02 is what you find on most commercial anodized aluminum products, it's fairly thin and can be damaged easily by mechanical impact (dropping, grit etc) However it usually looks to be the "shiniest" and usually looks good, and would be the easiest to apply in your case. Type 03 is the "hard" anodizing type typically seen on AR-15 parts. It is some really tough stuff, but it also add's a significant amount of size to the surface of the material, and as such should really only be used for parts designed with this in mind.

A good compromise would be to have it type 02 anodized and have them remove enough of the surface material that the anodizing would essentially be a neutral change to the part (nothing added, nothing taken away) and then having it coated with cerakote, duracoat, or any of the other dozens of coatings out there. I've dealt a little bit with Cerakote applied by a company down in anaheim, ca, who do a lot of defense industry stuff. There is a guy on the board who does cerakote up in oregon, goes by "OregonShooter" you may contact him and see if this process is for you.

Thank you !!!
Frog.