How The Individual Components Were Made:
We chose 6061-T6 aluminum for the main parts. This is a commonly available aluminum alloy that machines well, is not too expensive and looks great after anodizing.
Also, aluminum is lightweight, making the Snuffmaster easy to carry in a pocket or bag. A 3-axis CNC mill is used
to route the profile of the case.
After milling there were some fine machine marks and scratches on the metal. To remove these, all of the parts needed
to be placed in a sandblasting chamber and carefully sanded with a fine grit. This gives the parts a uniform matte finishand
removes any burrs.
Sandblasting provided the ideal surface texture for accepting the anodizing process. After a thorough cleaning, parts were
placed on trees to keep them separate and then dunked into a chemical tank. This is a passivation technique that adds color
while increasing corrosion and scratch resistance. And of course it looks great too.
