[H4N]

I wrote this up because of the recent thread about someone trying to "Burn" there Ti. shift knob and some how shifted into anodizing Ti. Parts. Well here it its.

Anodizing titanium to get the "burnt" blue look.

NOTE: I take no responsibility if you electrocute yourself or destroy your titanium piece...Do this at your own risk!! I do not think it will work with anything but titanium..
Pictures are also borrowed from my friend. Where I learned how to do this, since i originally didn't take pictures while doing mine.

Parts needed:

1. Select the color you want from the color chart below, then buy anywhere from 1 to 15 9V batteries.



2. Depending on the number of batteries used, alligator clips for each terminal + 2. for example, if you use 4 batteries, 10 alligator clips are needed
3. Can of cola (not diet, must contain sugar)
4. Wire.. (if the alligator clips do not already come with wire)
5. Tape
6. Piece of cardboard
7. Paper towel

Assembly:

Attach batteries to cardboard using the tape, then wire the batteries in series using the alligator clips. Attach last (-) negative alligator clip to titanium item you want to anodize..



Process:

Soak the paper towel with plenty of cola. Then take the last (+) positive lead and start rubbing the cola soaked paper towel with the alligator clip. Keep rubbing for like 1 minute and your piece will start to anodize! If it doesn't work check all your connections..

When you are done you will end up with something like this:

[SiCkSTi04]

thats just w0w dude, very cool write up. would you have any photo's of the finish piece installed? =)

[crookid7]

that's amazing. So does it anodize the part covered by the wet paper towel? would it be possible to have 1 huge wet paper towel and just do the whole thing at once?

[H4N]

thanks man, here are some of mine, Installed.

[H4N]

Originally Posted by crookid7

that's amazing. So does it anodize the part covered by the wet paper towel? would it be possible to have 1 huge wet paper towel and just do the whole thing at once?

it doesn't work like that. It anodized right under the (+) alligator clip and reacts with the cola.

[wrxmatt]

Originally Posted by crookid7

that's amazing. So does it anodize the part covered by the wet paper towel? would it be possible to have 1 huge wet paper towel and just do the whole thing at once?

You can submerge the titanium part in the liquid (I used Simple Green) and attach the positive side to the titanium piece. The negative side must be submerged in the liquid, but it cannot touch the actual titanium part.

Don't electrocute yourself.

[ayanami22]

i might try this today with my shift knob ill post pics when im done!

[DragonXero13]

Subscribed111111111

[H4N]

Originally Posted by wrxmatt

You can submerge the titanium part in the liquid (I used Simple Green) and attach the positive side to the titanium piece. The negative side must be submerged in the liquid, but it cannot touch the actual titanium part.

Don't electrocute yourself.

That's good to know.

And I would love to see this process tried on a shift knob. Good luck hopefully it comes out sick.

[wrxmatt]

Originally Posted by H4N

That's good to know.

And I would love to see this process tried on a shift knob. Good luck hopefully it comes out sick.

I've done the chainrings on my mountain bike. ~40 volts. They came out really nice. I attached the negative lead to a 6"x6" sheet of aluminum foil. The negative electrode should have a larger surface area than the piece being anodized (according to MrTitanium's Basic Titanium Anodizing Instructions).

[BunaSTi]

im just wowed

[wrxmatt]

That's ~40 volts.

It's a blue-grey color.

[ayanami22]

Originally Posted by wrxmatt

I've done the chainrings on my mountain bike. ~40 volts. They came out really nice. I attached the negative lead to a 6"x6" sheet of aluminum foil. The negative electrode should have a larger surface area than the piece being anodized (according to MrTitanium's Basic Titanium Anodizing Instructions).

so if i understand what ur saying here....if i submerge the knob in the coke solution, attatch the pos end to the knob, i should take a sheet of aluminum foil with a larger surface area of the knob, attach the neg wire to it and then immerse that in the solution as well along with the knob?

[magicballer2001]

Wow, that is awesome. I want to try it on my shift knob!

[wrxmatt]

Originally Posted by ayanami22

so if i understand what ur saying here....if i submerge the knob in the coke solution, attatch the pos end to the knob, i should take a sheet of aluminum foil with a larger surface area of the knob, attach the neg wire to it and then immerse that in the solution as well along with the knob?

That's about it. Just don't let the negative and positive sides touch.



As a side note, the process gives off hydrogen gas, so make sure that you do this in a well-ventilated area. This shouldn't be a real concern for something like a shift knob, but for something like a radiator shroud, it could pose a problem.