[Leo.G (Leo)]

Originally Posted by RodW

Ditto, I'm also curious as to why you would want to sand blast your beautiful machined finish. And isn't sand on aluminium a bit harsh? Thanks Leo for asking.

While often refereed to as sand blasting it's actually bead blasting with various compounds and grades of beads available to suit different tasks/materials.
In a past life a company I was at we sold the cabinets and equipment to do the blasting and I did a couple of old rocker covers for a friends V twin Japanese motorcycle and they came out looking better than new. I should have bought a cabinet then but now own a little hand held gun, cheap Aldi thing I haven't tried yet and a suitable compressor.
I may yet build a cabinet for it, I'm sure I have the steel and only need the Perspex and gloves though I won't expect too much of the unit.


EDIT: I was replying here when my sick cat had an accident and I had to clean it up.

One is very unreliable, quality wise, and the other has a minimum charge of over $400, although they work to military specs and I never had a problem with their quality.

I know the gentleman who used to do it at the small arms factory locally (now Thalis I believe). He's said he may be able to get small things plated for me (he's now retired) but I haven't asked. When it comes to plating I'd expect if time permits it's better to save a few smaller jobs up and have them done at the higher quality place though anything urgently needed it's pay up.
This may also explain why a company I recently contacted somewhere in NSW didn't bother replying to my contact, not worth it to them to do the small slide projector parts. The amount of small one off's I did back in the day, all legit (down to a single bolt and nut, often free, just thrown in the rack with other jobs (huge tanks)), the old boss was a never say no person and wasn't a thief either.



I may be wrong in saying this, Joshua Bunn has in the past mentioned to me he does all of his own anodizing, perhaps it would be worth having a word with him but I just realised he's in WA and I think you are in Melbourne, postage would probably cost more than the job locally. but there maybe safer, better options available, I haven't looked. My son and I have played with a circuit board tank to nickel coat contacts on a circuit board and I'll be buying or making a smallish fish tank to do my own slightly larger projects.The chemicals are usually the dearer part but I've seen mention black food dye is quite suitable (and other food colourings). Play with scrap and the other important thing to remember is timing is everything.



https://www.dragonmetal.com.au/blog/...-need-to-know/

The sand blasting is only for cosmetic improvement. It hides the machining marks.

We've all seen your glass dome and I'm sure no one here really believes you leave machining marks, LOL


Sorry, not a sycophant, in awe of the end results of both you and Joshua with the work you've both shown here (I worked with some VERY bodgy machinists and some amazing ones too).