Anodizing a reel?

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
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SSS
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Anodizing a reel?

Post by SSS » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:01 pm

Has anyone gone this far :lol:

I have a banged up OG zillion that i was thinking of anodizing in silver, which i think would look sick compared to the stock boring paint job. But i have absolutely no idea where to even start.

If its not too expensive, i would like to have a bunch of silver looking reels.

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LowRange
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Re: Anodizing a reel?

Post by LowRange » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:53 pm

The plastic pieces would have to be painted to match. The best be would be to send the frame and handle side plate to a place to have it done. We used to do this back in the day with aluminum paintball parts. I would love to have a splash ano round reel for a fusion of paintball and fishing reels now that I think about it.

As far a a chrome look you could have the reel plated. My Revo Elite IB7 has some chrome like plating from the factory but it has dual aluminum side plates. The same could be done to the aluminum parts on the Zillion and the palming plate could be painted to patch. I know there are ways to plate plastic but it could be prohibitively expensive.

Slazmo
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Re: Anodizing a reel?

Post by Slazmo » Sat Jan 19, 2019 1:33 am

No parts can have aluminium and stainless rivets or dissimilar metals stamped into them.

I went to a local anodiser and they said I would have to remove all the rivets on my Calcutta, inc AR housing etc to be properly anodised without causing further issues.

Mind you were pretty limited here in Aus with people wanting to do fine work like what I wanted done. A simple black anodised Calcutta 50 & 200 XT...

You could go another avenue by white gold plating etc... And you can chrome plate in a wide variety of colours.

SSS
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Re: Anodizing a reel?

Post by SSS » Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:25 am

I don't think the Zillion has any stainless rivets? I may be mistaken. How much were they charging for something like this? I was also wondering if stripping/sanding the original paint is needed or it will be disolved in the acid while anodizing.

SSS
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Re: Anodizing a reel?

Post by SSS » Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:27 am

LowRange wrote:The plastic pieces would have to be painted to match. The best be would be to send the frame and handle side plate to a place to have it done. We used to do this back in the day with aluminum paintball parts. I would love to have a splash ano round reel for a fusion of paintball and fishing reels now that I think about it.

As far a a chrome look you could have the reel plated. My Revo Elite IB7 has some chrome like plating from the factory but it has dual aluminum side plates. The same could be done to the aluminum parts on the Zillion and the palming plate could be painted to patch. I know there are ways to plate plastic but it could be prohibitively expensive.
yea pleastic side plate can be easily painted with a quality spray can paint so its not an issue.

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