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Treating Blemishes on Anodized Aluminium

February 19, 2009

Hi my name is James King, I have Tried in vain locally(South Africa) to find someone who can help me touch up anodized aliminium (abroad there are a number of Businesses that do this). Please help me ,

Thank You

James King
product designer - Johannesburg South Africa

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It can be done by a brush plating (anodizing) method, but I could never get a good match and always had a problem with the edge of the tape masking. It is not easy to do and requires a significant amount of experience to do it.
For commercial type work, many companies allow a chem film touch up. Trade names of Iridite and Alodine used to sell touch up kits. Caution -- It is acidic and contains chromic acid.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
February 23, 2009

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Not to recommend a sloppy fix or trying to fool the customer, but if this is for interior use on small spots where corrosion isn't much of an issue, and it is not a mil spec type part, and with customer approval, anodizing shops will sometimes simply use a magic marker -- because it's easy, reasonably permanent, and non-hazardous.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 24, 2009