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Sawtooth lead anodes

What are the advantages in using these types of anodes and are they meant more for decorative or hard chrome applications?

David Schry
plater - Kohler, Wisconsin, USA
January 4, 2011

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Hi, David. As far as I can figure, the only advantage of any of these shaped anodes is to give more surface area from less lead. I don't see why they would be limited on only decorative plating or only hard chrome plating.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 4, 2011

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February 2, 2011

Ted is right, especially if you are using platinized titanium anodes saw tooth shaped lead will povide a better Cr3+ oxidation/ control caused by higher surface area without having much lead in the process.

Regards,
Dominik

Dominik Michalek
- Melbourne, Australia

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My opinions about inert anodes in chrome is from the dark ages, but when I was doing chrome plating, platinum coated titanium anodes did a very poor job of converting chrome 3 to chrome 6.
Sawtooth or scalloped anodes provide more surface area which you need to keep the anode-cathode ratio correct.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
February 3, 2011