# Question for the Metal Guys?



## creativewriting (Dec 2, 2013)

I am curious if it would be possible to make an Aluminum bulb filler?  The ink and metal reaction is what I would be most curious about.  I would also be curious if anodizing would protect the aluminum from the ink?

Thanks in advance for the assistance!


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## PeetyInMich (Dec 3, 2013)

I am not a fountain pen guy but, FWIW the Noodlers ink site has some info from the owner about his inks and reactions with metals (and some of his formulations to prevent reactions).


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## wiz9777 (Dec 3, 2013)

In general all inks will corrode aluminum eventually. If you are able to put a CA finish on the parts, that will work for you. Good luck.


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## BRobbins629 (Dec 3, 2013)

One of my favorite responses is one test is worth 1000 opinions.  Anyway, here's mine.  I think it would be okay with most modern inks.  Vintage inks were acidic and would likely corrode the aluminum.  Modern ones are more pH neutral.  You could always make an insert from Delrin or ebonite if you wanted to be safe.


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## creativewriting (Dec 3, 2013)

Thanks for the info.  I didn't think about looking at the ink specs.  My guess is I will need to have some type of coating or even an acylic insert inside the pen to hold the ink.  Annodizing seals the aluminum so I wasn't sure if that process would help.




PeetyInMich said:


> I am not a fountain pen guy but, FWIW the Noodlers ink site has some info from the owner about his inks and reactions with metals (and some of his formulations to prevent reactions).


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## creativewriting (Dec 3, 2013)

Thanks Bruce!  That is a great response and one I will remember.  I am heading over to the ink sites now to see if I can find some info.




BRobbins629 said:


> One of my favorite responses is one test is worth 1000 opinions. Anyway, here's mine. I think it would be okay with most modern inks. Vintage inks were acidic and would likely corrode the aluminum. Modern ones are more pH neutral. You could always make an insert from Delrin or ebonite if you wanted to be safe.


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## JSolinger (Dec 20, 2013)

If you polish the bore of your pen to a mirror finish it will be less prone to oxidization. You could also rough it with scothbrite and put a light coating of epoxy inside. this will protect the aluminum. That's how they protect cans and barrel drums.


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## watch_art (Dec 20, 2013)

SamCapote on FPN did a bunch of PH tests with alkaline and acidity results of just about all the major colors from all the major brands...

Starts here -
Checking the pH of inks - Inky Thoughts - The Fountain Pen Network


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## watch_art (Dec 20, 2013)

creativewriting said:


> Thanks Bruce!  That is a great response and one I will remember.  I am heading over to the ink sites now to see if I can find some info.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes to this.  THis is how I made micarta and wooden bulb fillers recently.


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## frank123 (Dec 20, 2013)

Anodizing is removed by alkalies, anything with a negative Ph will eventually remove anodizing.  Hard anodizing -the kind you find on high end aluminum cookware- stands up sort of well but doesn't really lend itself to the look most people want in a pen.  Not sure about what acids will do, but anodizing is done in an acid environment (sulphuric acid, the stuff in car batteries).

So I suppose that the ink being used would be quite important.

I've been giving some thought to a dropper fill FP out of aluminum and/or brass, and have been thinking about boring it slightly oversize from what I want to end up with as a bore, casting it full of PR or PU resin and boring it to the size I want effectively leaving a bonded resin lining in it to keep it from contact with the ink so it won't make any difference what is used.  Been thinking about the same with wood as well.  

Don't know if it will work but with winter and my slow season at hand it's something I intend to at least experiment with.


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## Rich L (Dec 21, 2013)

frank123 said:


> Anodizing is removed by alkalies, anything with a negative Ph will eventually remove anodizing. ...




commenting on the chemistry...

If anodizing is removed by alkalies then that would be positive pH above the value of ~7. Distilled water is 7. Negative pH is theoretically possible but that would be strongly acidic. pH values typically range from 0 - 14 (acidic to basic)


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