Etch Titanium Now, Anodize Later
Sometimes it’s handy to prepare a titanium piece with Multi-Etch and then protect the piece in a way that allows you to set it aside and anodize later.
One simple way is to Multi-Etch the piece, rinse, and then store in a tank of DI or distilled water. We’ve found this lasts at least 2-3 days, and probably longer.
A second way is to Multi-Etch and then “base coat” your titanium part with 8-10 volts. Those parts can then be stored dry and the base coating will protect the piece for a long time. We’ve stored pieces that way for years and been able to anodize them in the same brilliant colors we can produce when we are working with freshly Multi-Etched pieces. The only drawback with base-coating is that there will be a light tan on the piece, so if you need part of the piece to remain the natural color of titanium, base coating won’t work for you.
A third way that works on flat pieces is to Multi-Etch the piece and then cover and apply anodizers’ tape on the flat piece, burnishing thoroughly to make sure you cover the whole piece completely. You should cut the tape big enough to fold over the edges.
The concept with these three methods is to prevent the formation of the oxide layer that Multi-Etch is designed to remove.
Happy anodizing!
