Annealing Aluminum

Jewelry Discussion
1

Does anybody have an idea how to anneal aluminum. I want to try
working it for automotive applications, but don’t have any idea
how to anneal it, without making it brittle when I heat it up.

Thanks

Tim Goodwin
@tmn8tr

2

Years ago I took an aluminum anodizing workshop with David
Tisdale. He taught us to anneal by making a mark on the metal
with ivory soap. Heat the metal until the mark turns black and
it is annealed. Deb

3

Hi Tim

The best way to anneal aluminium is to apply some soap to the
area that you wish to soften and heat it until the soap turns
black. At this point the aluminium will be annealed and ready for
forming.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes.
Major Boyce

4 
  Years ago I took an aluminum anodizing workshop with David
Tisdale.  He taught us to anneal by making a mark on the metal
with ivory soap.  Heat the metal until the mark turns black
and it is annealed.

Interesting, does this method work with all metals??? Thanks in
advance!

5 
   Does anybody have an idea how to anneal aluminum. I want to
try working it for automotive applications, but don't have any
idea how to anneal it, without making it brittle when I heat it
up.

Hi Tim, I usually anneal it the same way I anneal most metals,
watch the flame color as it LEAVES the metal, it will turn orange
at about 900 oF which works as an annealing temperature. Not rue
about quenching, though I have done that without any apparent ill
effects upon the metal. There are so many aluminum alloys that
you might check with your metal supplier for specific info. As an
indicator you can use sharpie marker (disapears), blue caprenters
chalk (turns white), borax flux (melts), bamboo skewer rubbed on
surface (leaves a mark like sdrawing with a charcoal stick when
the temp is right. Charles

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

Metals info download web site: Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
Product descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm

6

the simplest way i know of is to rub soap on the surface,then
heat it with the torch, when soap turns black stop it is anealled