Hard Coat Anodizing?

rmbstyle · Feb 16, 2015

I have a AR-15 lower that was an 80% that I completed awhile back. The paint job on it is not so great and I want to have it hard coat anodized. Are there any places in MD that do anodizing?

Thanks

smdub · Feb 18, 2015

Its not that hard if you are a DIY kind of person. Takes a small power supply and some sulfuric acid (battery acid from auto store.) Probably want to wait until its a little warmer as you want to do it outside. Caswell plating sells kits. I've done it w/ my dad on some aluminum bits and it turned out nice. Just make sure the parts are thoroughly cleaned/degreased. Basically follow the directions. You'll want to lightly bead blast it if you want the typical matte finish.

ruffrocca · Jun 14, 2015

rmbstyle said:
I have a AR-15 lower that was an 80% that I completed awhile back. The paint job on it is not so great and I want to have it hard coat anodized. Are there any places in MD that do anodizing?

Thanks

Did you personally milled your 80% lower or did you have someone else do it? If you did it yourself would you consider doing it again for $? If you had it done professionally do you mind passing along their info?

Pinecone · Jun 14, 2015

ruffrocca said:
Did you personally milled your 80% lower or did you have someone else do it? If you did it yourself would you consider doing it again for $? If you had it done professionally do you mind passing along their info?

Paying someone to mill an 80% lower makes them a firearms manufacturer. And if they do with without the appropriate FFL, they are in violation of Federal law.

And if they DO have the appropriate FFL, then need to transfer it to you as a regulated firearm. You gave them a paperweight and they made it into a firearm.

And BATF has made the interpretation that if you have a CNC mill setup to mill an 80% lower, letting someone else use that CNC program makes you a manufacturer.

ruffrocca · Jun 14, 2015

Pinecone said:
Paying someone to mill an 80% lower makes them a firearms manufacturer. And if they do with without the appropriate FFL, they are in violation of Federal law.

And if they DO have the appropriate FFL, then need to transfer it to you as a regulated firearm. You gave them a paperweight and they made it into a firearm.

And BATF has made the interpretation that if you have a CNC mill setup to mill an 80% lower, letting someone else use that CNC program makes you a manufacturer.

Thanks for the FYI.

jcbvh · Jun 27, 2015

ruffrocca said:
Did you personally milled your 80% lower or did you have someone else do it? If you did it yourself would you consider doing it again for $? If you had it done professionally do you mind passing along their info?

Snav · Oct 6, 2016

So nobody answered the question, is there a vendor that can hard coat (type III) anodize a completed lower?

kalister1 · Oct 6, 2016

I tried to search with no luck, maybe you are better at it?
There are old threads where a member built an AR from scratch, small pieces of AL (held together with screws) and sent it out to have it Hard Coated.
I believe the Home Anodizing kits are not what is called HARD?

Good luck!

Snav · Oct 6, 2016

there is one for $5-600 but too much for one part. IMHO

kingshawaiian · Oct 6, 2016

Check out Tuckahoe Gunworks and Hydrographics, LLC. Doesn't advertise that they do it but I'm sure he could. Did a great job on mine.

JohnnyE · Oct 6, 2016

Word of caution. Traditional lead-acid battery acid is sulfuric acid, H2SO4, whereas hydrochloric acid is HCl. I don't know what acid you need to anodize, but these two acids are not the same, and it may matter to the process.

jesemd · Oct 9, 2016

I had an old Penn fishing reel spool and handle re-anodized at a local commercial anodizing shop here in PA. I just walked in and dropped it off and they threw it in the tank with their next run of hard coat. I gave them money for beer and everyone was happy.

The only thing I would be concerned with is the possibility of "transferring a firearm" to the shop without paperwork or them having an FFL. Perhaps if you watched and waited it wouldn't count as a transfer? I'm not a lawyer, just guessing and if I lived in MD I would get that in writing before I tried it.

lafermedavid · Oct 9, 2016

Im restoring an old truck,I had my chrome bling pullys anodized to quiet them down..I went to M&Z in dallastown pa,good folks,,not sure about gun parts

inkd · Oct 10, 2016

A couple of companies who offered anodizing that I spoke to, they were not in Maryland, would not do 80% lowers.

They said it was because there was no serial number to log them into their book.

I don't know if it is a legitimate concern, but it made sense to me. I will be experimenting with Cerakote I guess.

Fox123 · Oct 10, 2016

I think there was a company in VA I can't remember the name of it though, they had FFL and would do lowers for consumers.

Fox123 · Oct 10, 2016

http://www.usanodizing.com/pricing.htm

But I think it needs some form of marking on it somewhere so they can identify the part as being yours. Try emailing Victor.

Hard Coat Anodizing?

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