Spiral Electric pedal finishes

[ElectricDruid]

I came across these pedals, and I'm curious as to how/what they're doing to achieve these different finishes?

https://www.spiralelectricfx.com/collections/black-spiral-fuzz

Are these treating the aluminium with different chemicals to get different finishes, or just treating the aluminium in different ways with the same chemical? If so, what?

I'd like to experiment with some stuff like, this, but I have no idea what I'm doing so I've mostly so far stuck to paint!

Thanks!
Tom

[Mark Hammer]

I have no idea how it's done.  I'll just simply note that the finish only pertains to the bottom plate, which is being used as the top cover.  In other words, whatever the process is that's being used, it is not covering an entire box, but may simply involve dipping the cover in a shallow container of some chemical.

[amptramp]

There is a section on coloured finishes for metals in Machinery' Handbook.  I have the Edition 23 and it is on pages 1256 to 1258 where they discuss anodizing aluminum (but not cast aluminum - that gets mottled if you try to anodize it).  There are conversion coatings which are probably what spiralelectricfx are using.  Alodyne and Irridite are the names of commercial processes for chromate conversion coating of cast or sheet aluminum but this is rarely used as a final coat.  It is an excellent paint base.

[davent]

No idea about this stuff but maybe a lead, Jax Aluminum Blackener?

https://www.lacytools.ca/product-p/45967.htm
dave

[tubegeek]

...may simply involve dipping the cover in a shallow container of some chemical.

They were able to dip the entire EMP building in Seattle into something so a pedal cover's got to be possible!

[bluebunny]

Looks like forty years in a garden shed.  How long have you got, Tom?   

[diffeq]

It looks like a regular etch with "dirt" after-etch applied with sponge. It looks fairly deep, so I suppose etching solution was strong or left on for some time. One of their pedals look sand-blasted too.

Looks like forty years in a garden shed.  How long have you got, Tom?   

That's pretty long. Might as well become Eric's favourite pedal finish? 

[Mark Hammer]

I think the same "how did you" questions can be directed to James Trussart, whose weathered metal-shell guitars have a similar appearance.

[bluebunny]

Looks like forty years in a garden shed.  How long have you got, Tom?   

That's pretty long. Might as well become Eric's favourite pedal finish? 

LOL!   

[vigilante397]

The description on the website refers to it as a chemical oxide top. So clearly they used some sort of chemical to artificually oxidize the lid then laser engraved it.

[EBK]

It looks like a regular etch with "dirt" after-etch applied with sponge. It looks fairly deep, so I suppose etching solution was strong or left on for some time. One of their pedals look sand-blasted too.

Looks like forty years in a garden shed.  How long have you got, Tom?   

That's pretty long. Might as well become Eric's favourite pedal finish? 

Someday I will convince everyone that weirdly is the best way to build.   

[italianguy63]

I'm with Nathan.. probably some oxidizing agent put on the metal to weather it.. then some sort of finish... that won't stick to the oxidized bits.. Maybe like "Parkerizing?"

MC

[bean]

I actually PM him on TGP after the first pedals came out and mentioned to him that I got a similar result by doing Aluminum Black, sanding it back then applying different food coloring dyes to it with a sponge. He said that was close but didn't elaborate.

Ex. (without food coloring)

[pinkjimiphoton]

looks to me like he dusted enamel over laquer or model airplane dope