How do I go about anodizing my new G5 (when I get one)

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placeboplacebo
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I heard a couple people talking about anodizing the aluminum cases of the new powermac G5s, and I thought "Wow, cool." I'm thinking a medium-blue tint would be cool. Can I simply remove all electronics and end the aluminum off to be anodized? Who anodizes, and for how much?



Now I just have to play around with tints in Photoshop so I can specify a pantone color.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    reactorreactor Posts: 27member
    The case comes annodised already.

    It's just a way of making the alluminium stop oxidyzing. Like a coating...
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  • Reply 2 of 20
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    yes, I know, but I want to anodize it a more vibrant color.
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  • Reply 3 of 20
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Might I suggest a lovely orange-ish hue? You'll thank me for it later, trust me.



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  • Reply 4 of 20
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    Might I suggest a lovely orange-ish hue? You'll thank me for it later, trust me.







    Actually, that was one of the colors I was giving consideration, matter of fact. It would make it look like some $25 Billion Mars probe, with a coating to keep heat out.
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  • Reply 5 of 20
    serranoserrano Posts: 1,806member
    Any good machine shop will offer anodizing. Flip around the local listings until you find a shop small enough to welcome custom jobs. Speak with one of the engineers/designers they've got to lay the thing out, let them see the box, and prepare to be out a few hundred.
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  • Reply 6 of 20
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Post pics of the results! If it works, I'll consider having a metallic tangerine PowerBook.







    Actually, hell no I won't. I'm not into "warranty voiding" activities...



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  • Reply 7 of 20
    moogsmoogs Posts: 4,296member
    Amen brother. That machine shop can custom-adonize my new G5 when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
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  • Reply 8 of 20
    a@rona@ron Posts: 201member
    There may be a cheap way to petina the case. When I took a stained glass course we used petina solutions to change the natural color of the solder to either black or a copper color. Sorry no blue colors as far as I know. The stuff is only $15 a bottle by the way, but I have no idea if it would work.



    A@ron
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  • Reply 9 of 20
    ipeonipeon Posts: 1,122member
    What I think would look great would be to chrome the front side. If that part is easily removable I see third party suppliers selling it not only in colors but with different material. The holes could be replaced by a cool graphic while still keeping the required ventilation intact.
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  • Reply 10 of 20
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    Ohh... a black G5, w/ grey apple logo...



    *drool*
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  • Reply 11 of 20
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by 1337_5L4Xx0R

    Ohh... a black G5, w/ grey apple logo...



    *drool*



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  • Reply 12 of 20
    mynameheremynamehere Posts: 560member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    Might I suggest a lovely orange-ish hue? You'll thank me for it later, trust me.







    longings for the G3 iMacs? ahh...the fruityMacs...
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  • Reply 13 of 20
    fngfng Posts: 222member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by reactor

    The case comes annodised already.

    It's just a way of making the alluminium stop oxidyzing. Like a coating...



    Aluminum oxidizes very quickly. So fast that it would oxidize before you could anodize it. Thing is that aluminum oxide forms a crystal layer that seals out oxygen and thus protects aluminum metal underneath. When you anodize it you are making that aluminum oxide layer thick and harder.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodising



    I was awake for that one day in chemistry class8)
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  • Reply 14 of 20
    fngfng Posts: 222member
    Check this out.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alumina



    Quote:

    Aluminium oxide is an excellent thermal and electrical insulator.



    So if you want your case to help you cool the insides maybe anodizing isn't the best idea.
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  • Reply 15 of 20
    admactaniumadmactanium Posts: 812member
    if you're going to anodize it, it would be cool to have the aluminum polished first. then you'll get a "candy coat" look to it. i've seen that done on motorcycle frames and wheels and it looks amazing.
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  • Reply 16 of 20
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Another alternative is powder coating. A black powder coat looks really nice, and it is very scratch resistant. Powder coat is melted plastic powder that forms a solid coating like paint but better.
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  • Reply 17 of 20
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by fng

    Check this out.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alumina



    So if you want your case to help you cool the insides maybe anodizing isn't the best idea.



    Heat transfer through conduction depends on the thickness of the insulating layer. Such a thin layer of Alumina gives an insignificant thermal resistance.
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  • Reply 18 of 20
    fngfng Posts: 222member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by e1618978

    Another alternative is powder coating. A black powder coat looks really nice, and it is very scratch resistant. Powder coat is melted plastic powder that forms a solid coating like paint but better.



    Yuck. Black anodize it.
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  • Reply 19 of 20
    admactaniumadmactanium Posts: 812member
    yeah. powder coating is not great looking. it gets too much orange peel. you could always wetsand it out, but at that point you could have just had it painted and had more options on the color than powder coating. anodizing is the way to go.
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  • Reply 20 of 20
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by admactanium

    yeah. powder coating is not great looking. it gets too much orange peel. you could always wetsand it out, but at that point you could have just had it painted and had more options on the color than powder coating. anodizing is the way to go.



    I must have a much better powder coating guy than you. For me powder coating turns out really nice on aluminum chassis (which I use for tube amps).
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