[Jewelry making - Article 00960] - Re: [Orchid] Anodzing Power Supply

[Michele, Deborah & Bill]

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    OK, time to chime in on this. Let me start out saying I search for
    new and better power supplies all the time. There is one of these
    units on my test bench now. It is a switching power supply (for the
    geeks). Electronically it is at the bottom of the range of solid
    state equipment. So far it works fine. I will carry it to some
    workshops and use it in our studio and see if it holds up. Anodizing
    is hard on a power supply. This one clicks and klacks some when
    drawn to its limits. Time will tell. Some times you get what you pay
    for. 

    Our current solid state anodizer is a switching power supply too. If
    I add the "Circuit Specialist"  unit to our line it will still cost
    $40 - $50 more then the price being talked about here. They do not
    discount worth a darn unless I buy 100 of them and I do have to make
    a buck. You, the consumer, will get "value added" in instruction and
    support. It has always been our SOP to keep anodizers priced as low
    as possible. It doesn't matter how much metal we have in stock if
    you do not have the resources to use it! 

    A short primer on anodizing: 

    When you pass positive voltage through a reactive metal in suitable
    electrolyte oxygen is released on the surface. Being reactive the
    metal absorbs the oxygen to form an oxide. The oxide thickness is
    controlled by the pressure or voltage being applied. Amperage in
    this system controls how fast the process happens. Low amperage+
    slow. High amperage = fast. The difference being only seconds. Low
    and slow allows the use of very fine brushes and very subtle
    variations in color. 

    The oxides of the reactive metals are transparent. Very transparent.
    They have a higher refractive index then diamond. This oxide
    generates the colors through thin film optical interference. The
    thickness of the oxide determines the color. The thickness is
    controlled by the voltage being applied. This is the type of color
    you see in oil on a wet street and in some insects. 

    Interference colors happen when there is a reflective surface
    overlaid with a thin(angstroms) transparent film. Light strikes this
    surface and some reflects off while some goes through the film to
    bounce off the substrate. This light is now delayed as it reappears
    at the surface and "interferes" with light currently bouncing off
    the upper surface. Part of the white light energy is lost and a
    color is observed. So, the thickness of the oxide determines the
    delay(color) and that in turn is controlled by the voltage applied.
    As an aside, a battery charger could produce a 6 volt or 12 volt
    color. 

    That is about as short as I can make it. More available if you want
    it. 

    By the way RMS has moved a few miles down the road. The old school
    building we have been in for ages is for sale. It was time to look
    for new digs before something happened and we were left without a
    home. We are in a newly remodeled space in Cottonwood , AZ next to
    the airport. It is very nice with carpet, high ceilings and air
    conditioning. The post office box and all the phone numbers are the
    same. 

Bill

Reactive Metals Studio, Inc.
PO Box 890 * Clarkdale, AZ 86324
Ph-928/634-3434 * Ph-800/876-3434 * Fax-928/634-6734
E-mail- info AT reactivemetals.com
Catalog- www.reactivemetals.com

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