Anyone Knowledgeable About Anodising Please?

[PlasticMac]

I'm trying to find out if the aluminium on my Chinese centre caps, can be anodised as it is, shrunk onto the plastic inner?
That is, the complete cap, less spring clip, dunked in the anodising bath.
See sectioned cap below.
Mac.

Mac.

 

[Robin_Cox]

My guess would be yes - can't you use the one you've sectioned as a tester for the process?

 

[PlasticMac]

My guess would be yes - can't you use the one you've sectioned as a tester for the process?

Thanks Robin, I thought it would work, but before approaching a local Co, or maybe DIY, I thought asking around would be wise.
If I can anodise Chinese caps, they will last longer. I'll still lacquer after anodising.
Mac.

 

[A2Z]

Thanks Robin, I thought it would work, but before approaching a local Co, or maybe DIY, I thought asking around would be wise.
If I can anodise Chinese caps, they will last longer. I'll still lacquer after anodising.
Mac.

Don't take this the wrong way Mac but if I was putting the amount of work involved in doing what you mention I would be doing it to a genuine set not a poor quality Chinese replica set as it just doesn't make sense and to be honest I'm quite surprised that you've bought them in the first place.

A lot of the A2 interior aluminium items are anodised ( door handles, handbrake button, gear knob and surround etc) but if you look at the aluminium sheet that is pressed onto, and covers the plastic Sport centre caps you will see that they are slightly grooved where they are turned and then lacquered which is what I would personally be redoing if I was refurbishing a set.

Ideally a lathe would be the way to cut the lacquer back and take a small amount of aluminium off too, much like refinishing diamond cut alloy wheels before re-lacquering them.

If you don't have any original caps they can be bought used and looking a bit shabby for not a lot of money and as long as the clips are intact, could be made to look new again with the right approach which surely would be the better option as the difference in quality between the originals and replicas really is night and day?

 

[PlasticMac]

Don't take this the wrong way Mac but if I was putting the amount of work involved in doing what you mention I would be doing it to a genuine set not a poor quality Chinese replica set as it just doesn't make sense and to be honest I'm quite surprised that you've bought them in the first place.

A lot of the A2 interior aluminium items are anodised ( door handles, handbrake button, gear knob and surround etc) but if you look at the aluminium sheet that is pressed onto, and covers the plastic Sport centre caps you will see that they are slightly grooved where they are turned and then lacquered which is what I would personally be redoing if I was refurbishing a set.

Ideally a lathe would be the way to cut the lacquer back and take a small amount of aluminium off too, much like refinishing diamond cut alloy wheels before re-lacquering them.

If you don't have any original caps they can be bought used and looking a bit shabby for not a lot of money and as long as the clips are intact, could be made to look new again with the right approach which surely would be the better option as the difference in quality between the originals and replicas really is night and day? D

The originals, that I have are anodised and lacquered. They are about 18 years old, and it's the paint in the centre, and the lacquer that's gone, not the anodising.
Mac.

 

[A2Z]

The originals, that I have are anodised and lacquered. They are about 18 years old, and it's the paint in the centre, and the lacquer that's gone, not the anodising.
Mac.

You can easily remove the Audi rings in the centres and repaint the plastic centres then remove or sand and re-lacquer the aluminium outers

 

[A2Z]

The originals, that I have are anodised and lacquered. They are about 18 years old, and it's the paint in the centre, and the lacquer that's gone, not the anodising.
Mac.

I'm just looking at an old original set I have here that are in a similar condition to what you describe and need refinishing, dated July 2002.

You might actually be right about the aluminium being anodised first, I'm not exactly sure as it's hard to tell with them also being cut/grooved and lacquered but I definitely think a restored/refurbished original set is a million times better than even a brand new Chinese replica set

 

[PlasticMac]

You can easily remove the Audi rings in the centres and repaint the plastic centres then remove or sand and re-lacquer the aluminium outers

I've removed the rings, but, on genuine ones, the aluminium is moulded in, and can't be removed. I sectioned one, as in previous post, to find out.
Chinese are not moulded in, but rolled over the plastic. Still not easy to remove. Hence the question of dunking the Chinese ones in the anodising bath.
Mac.

 

[A2Z]

I've removed the rings, but, on genuine ones, the aluminium is moulded in, and can't be removed. I sectioned one, as in previous post, to find out.
Chinese are not moulded in, but rolled over the plastic. Still not easy to remove. Hence the question of dunking the Chinese ones in the anodising bath.
Mac.

They are similar Mac, just more crudely done on the replicas which makes the manufacturing process more obvious.

If you look on the backs of the originals you will see 3 aluminium tabs which are bent over and I've had a go at removing them in the past (as well as the one's on the SE centre caps which are easier) but it isn't the way to go as they aren't designed to be removed.

Much better to refinish them in-situ which I've done many times in the past, both for original look and in various other colours and you can get very good long lasting results using just the sanding and re-lacquering process but it is time consuming.

This was a set I did in Satin Black along with the wheels, many years ago might i add