Anodized Aluminum........help ! ...........

[SignWave]

Ahemm excuse me, I already did ....

but good luck again anyways..

[FusionKing]

Sorry I just am sorta tired of ordinary. I would not be suprised to find that BDA could stand up to your enviroment just fine, after all it's designed for salt water.
check out all the cool stuff at www.easternmetal.com
I buy from them and they are very competetive and I believe Calweld sent me the link to them...they were right under my nose.

I really like that oval tubing!!!

[Dustyhaze75]

thanks for taking the time fusionking. I saved the link and I'm checking it out now. very cool stuff, I'm getting more ideas lol. got to slow these gears down ........focus........focus.

[FusionKing]

Choices are awsum....expand your horizons...drink the cool-aid

[SignWave]

why is it that all the GOOD companies are all way back east...? PMO!!
thanks for the link Fusion

[SundownIII]

Dustyhaze,

Check out TACO metals. They have a great website and distributors all over the US and I believe in Canada. We get all our anodized aluminum from them (marine applications). In answer to the question about what to do with the weld area (cleaned of anodizing), you paint the area with silver colored rustoleum or (as mentioned) Sheffield aluminum colored paint. (Sheffield has better pot life than Rustoleum).

If you decide to go with a non-anodized aluminum, you may want to contact Strataglas in Ft Lauderdale, FL. They offer a product called Clear Coat which we've found to do a great job of protecting aluminum structures in the marine environment.

Powder coating the part may be a better option than painting. Do you have a powder coating operation in your area. Just a thought.

Let us know which way you go.

[FusionKing]

I thot about posting TACO but didn't realize they were in places other than FL

[SignWave]

Hi Dusty, how goes the battle? Something i was thinking about today as the aluminum boat was coming apart. If you can, use stainless hardware on the bolt up parts for your rack.. Steel or copper, or zinc or brass do not mix well with aluminum. Corosion is accelerated due to the difference in potential that exists within the different metal types(electrolylisis). Stainless is not affected and it doesnt cause the aluminum to go to powder.

[SundownIII]

SignWave,

Wrong answer.

Stainless steel in direct contact with aluminum will cause accelerated oxidation of the aluminum.

I work in the marine industry and deal with the effects of dissimilar metals nearly every day. There are nylon washer/spacers made to isolate the two from each other. I'd be happy to go into more detail about how some of the quality marine manufacturers go to great pains to guard against galvanic corrosion but I don't think this is the place.

In several of your other posts I note that you tend to make "profound" statements about a multitude of subjects which you seemingly know little about. I don't post as much as many on here, but, when I do, you can be assured that I have data to back up my statements.

[SignWave]

Okay Sundowner,
you're right and I am wrong. I am sorry for the error. It seems that I was reading my table incorrectly. I had crossed up base metal and fastener metals oops. lets chalk it up to dislexia and poorly illustrated diagrams.

I still feel that stainless is a permissible fastener though.I suppose it would depent on the grade of stainless. Austenitic stainless, would only marginaly increase corosion of the base and that could take years to actually be seen -or not,but Martensitic would most likely chew a hole in the base metal.I have used stainless for a number of years without problems (316 & 18-8). Perhaps there has been little corrsion due to the fact that there is little contact with an electrolite? this is the only reason that i can think of or maybe it had to do with the amount of surface area?? Im not sure.. I have used them in a marine enviro, I see them on aircraft, and on commercial structures. They stay clean looking for a number of years when other fasteners turn ugly and unsigthly.

And as well, I take offense to a public slagging I wouldnt do it to you. So why do you feel that you have to do it me?

Sorry Dusty, I guess i got it wrong, But stainless looks good and I see alot of racks down here with stainless. Maybe next time I inspect one up close, I'll do a double check just to make sure they're not plated fasteners and im not losing my mind.