De-Anodizing

Mike484

AR-1 🇺🇸
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
4,522
Location
Houston, Texas
Aircraft
RAF 2000 w/Horizontal stabilizer, KB3 w/tall tail
Total Flight Time
40+
Has anyone had anodizing removed from their aircraft aluminum? Is the aluminum smooth or slightly pitted? Do you think this has an adverse effect on the strength?
 
Hi There,

Anodizing is not simply a layer of paint that was added to the aluminium. It actually etched into the aluminium, changing the structure of the outer layer of the material. I've seen this anodized layer been removed by reverse electrolysis, but personally, I would not trust it to be structurally the same it was before. You might have to machine a layer off. Now that brings you to changing the items strength. If it's only a cosmetic part, fine, but if it's a load bearing part, I thing the original designer should be able to answer that.

Regards,

Francois
 
Most oven cleaners have just enough acid to remove most anodizing with out pitting or discoloring the aluminum surface (it works try it).
 
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