by PaulP » Sat Jun 11, 2005 9:03 pm
Anodizing covers a lot of ground. Some anodizing is done to add color to the item. Some anodizing is done to improve corrosion protection. Some anodizing is done to increase the strength properties of the material.
If you go to the ASTM handbooks and look at anodizing, the book is about 3" thick, much more than can be covered here.
We would need to know the material the mast is made of (there are a bazillion different types of aluminum) and we would need to know the anodizing process used to determine what affect it has on the mast.
You typically, do not lose any strength with anodizing but in some cases, strength properties are improved. Also, some aluminums are specifically formulated to be anodized after forming and machining. Until they are, they have very poor properties.
Paul P