Plating aluminum is a tricky feat, due to the rapid buildup of aluminum oxide on the surface. It can be done well but requires that the plating be done immediately after the aluminum oxide has been removed from the surface to be plated. The problem is that the aluminum oxide forms almost immediately. Re-anodizing requires the original anodizing be removed, usually by immersion in a lye bath. This process would likely result in the removal of a significant amount of the aluminum, at least 1/1000", and you end up with an etched finished. You can polish the anodizing off but this process is tedious because anodizing is aluminum oxide and aluminum oxide is very hard. My guess is these parts were obtained from the factory un-anodized and then color-anodized the copper hue that is shown in the photos.
George Allen Lexington, KY
At 11:54 AM 2/28/2005, you wrote:
>It looked like copper plating to me but that brings up another question.
>Copper over Aluminum is not a good combination from what I remember. Al
>has an expansion coefficient twice that of copper. This means as
>temperature extremes come into play the Al is going to want to expand or
>contract more than the CU can. That can lead to some interesting
>delamination if they were put into practical use. Also CU corrodes green
>and does it rather quickly, my guess is that if this is really copper then
>they have to clear coat it and that is another issue. Now I have not
>looked at a galvanic chart for some time so I cannot speak to the galvanic
>reaction that might be present in moist conditions. Either way, these are
>probably best shown where they are, in a box. To use them, even for casual
>rides will become a maintenance nightmare but then again, I do believe
>this groups loves to rub metal. Yeeeessss!
>
>Ray Homiski
>Elizabeth, NJ