[cjs83]

I am building a belt grinder and I need to find something to coat the aluminum with. I don't know what to use. Does anyone have a suggestion. I have searched the net but my problem is I don't know what to search for, I keep getting places that will coat it for me, but I just want to do it myself. Any help would be appreciated.

[DAB_Design]

If you are looking at having them powder coated, or anodized, it would probably be cheaper just to have someone else do it for you. Unless you will have several parts to do (over and over).

[cjs83]

What about painting. Is there any special paint that I could use or would just anything work? I'm not really wanting anything fancy at all, I just want to protect the parts. I'm looking for low cost too, so I'll mark powder coating off.

Does aluminum anodize in the same way that titanium does or is it different?

[Ken_Shea]

Paint does not stick well to aluminum, and surface preparation is critical if you want the paint to stay put. It needs chemically etched, also called wash primer, prior to painting. A commercial paint store should have all the product and information you need.

PS
This is not difficult nor particularly expensive.

[cjs83]

Thanks Ken, that helps me quite a bit!

[DAB_Design]

Wouldn't sandblasting, then painting work?

[murphy625]

Aluminum is one of the fastest rusting metals there is...
The "rust" is called "aluminum oxide". (its only ~1/10000 thick). Yes, they put this stuff on sand paper!
The best treatment is Powder Coat for asthetic reasons.. You could also do a cathodic electrocoat (E-coat) which would work real well. Neither can be done in your own home.
Anodizing is also a good way as it wont fill threads like the two options above.

What you are protecting it from?

Murphy

[Ken_Shea]

Sandblasting, preferably fine glass bead blasting would work yet it would still be advisable to wash prime any aluminum surface that is going to be painted.

If you decide to blast here are a couple of cautions.
Depending on the thickness of the material, glass bead or sandblasting can pull the material if you are not careful or using too high a pressure, also glass bead blasting and especially sand blasting can eat away sharp edges.

I love the finish that glass bead blasting leaves on aluminum.

[cjs83]

The aluminium is about 1.25" thick and it is the housing for a couple of pulleys and it is also going to be the frame for a belt grinder. Its going to get wet and dirty and I just want to protect it the best that I can. I can bead blast it if it will fit into my cabinet. I can also anodize it if it anodizes in the same way that titanium does.