Looking for a good stripper...

Call me crazy but at this point I would wonder why I want to anodize the inside of a tube.  Will not just the exterior and maybe 5” into each end provide protection from the elements or are we talking rust and regret in the long run?

Hey, I'm the crazy one here!

The tubes have holes in them, so water will certainly get inside. They already have a fair bit of corrosion in some spots, and that's what I'd like to prevent (or at least reduce).

Call me crazy but at this point I would wonder why I want to anodize the inside of a tube.  Will not just the exterior and maybe 5” into each end provide protection from the elements or are we talking rust and regret in the long run?

Hey, I'm the crazy one here!

The tubes have holes in them, so water will certainly get inside. They already have a fair bit of corrosion in some spots, and that's what I'd like to prevent (or at least reduce).

Da crazy bros.   Power to your anodized life! 

As Baghdad Jen might say, I'm finally circling back to this project. I've got things stripped to the max (including inside the tubes), and after a final bit of sanding on the visible areas, they'll be ready for anodizing.

I've been studying the anodizing process, and it looks very do-able DIY, but I've run into an unexpected problem. I'll need 3 tubs that are each big enough for one aka bar to fit inside. One of the tubs will contain a solution consisting of 50% battery acid and 50% water, the other will be filled with a dye solution, and the 3rd will be filled with boiling water. There is an electric current involved, so metal containers are not an option. The problem is that I can't seem to find containers for a reasonable price.

The aka bars are almost 43" in length and I'll need a width of about 13" to fit the curved end. I don't want the containers to require too huge of a volume, as then the liquids get expensive. I only need to just barely cover the bars, so a 3" to 4" depth would suffice.

For example, this would work:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubbermaid-structural-foam-stock-tanks-50-gal-capacity

But, I don't want to spend $300.

Sooooooooo...., does anybody have any ideas as to plastic containers that I could buy (or construct) for fairly cheap? Again, they'd need to be able to hold diluted battery acid and hot water.

May be able to get away with using one of these... Tough problem...

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Creative-Plastic-Concepts-Large-Mixing-Tub-24-in-W-x-36-in-L-x-8-in-D-Drywall-Mud-Pan/1000642569

Maybe make a frame from lumber and line it with a sheet of epdm or other material….

Under bed storage totes!

Sterilite 56 Qt./53 L Wheeled Latching Box Clears, Quart, White, 4 Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRZE720/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_PJZXGY5AAZHJH8ZWHVWJ

This one’s a tad short though.

    Have you tried acetone  to remove the paint ?      I have had success putting parts in a bucket with a lid on it.   just a small amount of acetone.  The fumes seem to soften and melt away the paint. 
   I'd contact the anodizier and ask them if they have a suggestion.     It might not be an issue.   

May be able to get away with using one of these... Tough problem...

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Creative-Plastic-Concepts-Large-Mixing-Tub-24-in-W-x-36-in-L-x-8-in-D-Drywall-Mud-Pan/1000642569

That's only 43" on the diagonal, so not long enough for the curved end.

Under bed storage totes!

This would be ideal, but I can't find any that are long enough. They seem to max out at 40".

Maybe make a frame from lumber and line it with a sheet of epdm or other material….

It looks like this is what I'll have to do. Would a thin blue tarp, PVC pond liner, EPDM, or something else (as a liner, cheaper is better) hold up to a moderate acid (without leaching crap into the solution) and boiling water? It also needs to be non-conductive...

I think epdm would work with a 50% solution of sulfuric acid but there may be cheaper alternatives.  There is a lot of info on materials and their reactivity to different chemicals if you google it…

Also, Maybe a kiddie pool if you can find the right material.  Here is a site I found that may be able to help:

https://marketing.industrialspec.com/acton/attachment/30397/f-0004/1/-/-/-/-/chemical-compatibility-chart-from-ism.pdf

Also, Maybe a kiddie pool if you can find the right material.  Here is a site I found that may be able to help:

https://marketing.industrialspec.com/acton/attachment/30397/f-0004/1/-/-/-/-/chemical-compatibility-chart-from-ism.pdf

Thanks, that link is really useful.

It says that PVC would hold up nicely to a 15% sulfuric acid solution, which kind of surprises me. PVC pond liner is pretty cheap and they have it at The Home Despot, so that looks like the winner. The only down side is that the max temp is about 170 degrees or so. Boiling water is generally used to seal anodized parts. Maybe I can instead do a longer soak at 170-180 degrees, as opposed to boiling water. More research needed...

How about a large diameter pvc pipe capped at one end and an elbow with an extension on the other end for the boiling water part… that part seems less dangerous than the acid