Best way to anodize or paint aluminum?

[sticknstring]

Hey guys - I've got a small aluminum archery part for my bow that came in silver that I'd like to make black. What's the best way to do this without breaking the bank? Something I can do myself - or best to ship it off someplace?

Edit: Did some further checking and it appears this part is magnesium - if that makes a difference?

[Ralph Wiggum]

Sharpie?

Sorry

[witgey&water]

To paint aluminum you need to have a self etching primer. You can buy it in a sppary can at most hardware stores.

[gunmunky]

You might want to look into powder coating.

[CAMAN]

If it has already been anodized once I don't believe it can be anodized again unless you get it down to virgin metal.

Anodizing magnesium is a slightly different process than aluminum so if you'd like to anodize it you'll probably need to call around to the local anodizing houses and see if they do mag, some may not. Your one piece will be quite expensive, so if you can wait, I would talk with them and see if you can lump yours in with another batch that may come in. It may or may not be possible, but worth asking.

If it were me I'd check and see if they sell the part in black before going through the trouble of recoating it.

[delmuts]

A cheap and simple way is to use a black permanent marker. I always used one before deer season to blacken anything shiny on my bow, and to blacken the S.S. blades of my broadheads.

[sticknstring]

Sorry guys, a sharpie isn't going to cut it and yes I checked to see if the part was available in black! Not really sure I want to shell out the coin to have a $20 part anodized or powdercoated either. I'll look for that self-etching primer and get some black spray paint suitable for metal applications and hope for the best. Thanks for the help.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Years ago I painted an entire alum. boat with the camo paint sold at Cabela's.

All I did to the alum. was to sand it with fine sandpaper first.

That paint has stuck to the boat for at least 15 years of tough use!

Cliff

[delcecchi]

How about that powder paint that they use for jigheads? Get it hot and roll in the powder.