sccc, it sounds like you made some progress. Also, thanks for the compliment on the parts in my photo. I believe that blue is called Electric Blue. We can get anything from a light tint to a very deep, dark, and rich blue with it, somewhat like the darker shaded areas look like in the photo.
Let me give you a few hints on color depth. First off, when you change one thing, like the current density, you usually need to at least change the anodize time, unless you were just out of the ballpark beforehand and need to bring one factor in line. If you lower the amperage, you would need to increase the time to keep it relatively even with what you just did. To make it darker, you may or may not need to increase the anodize (or dye time if it was short before) time even more. There is a saying that you can't change anything, without changing everything. That is, every change will affect the whole deal. You might even try anodizing at the same current, and increase the time another 10 minutes, or increase the current and anodize for the same time.
Different acid concentrations in the electrolyte, electrolyte temperature, and current density affect the pore structure. Generally, to an extent, the thicker anodized coating gives a deeper color potential. There is a maximum point though; I think fibergeek reported it is like 6 or 7 tenths thick. If you have the proper balance of acid concentration, temperature, and current density, you can juggle the anodize times and extend them further than you have done, without running into trouble. Some pore structures take and hold the dye better, or simply give a different look. For example, you can put a thick coating on and dye it a deep color, with the results looking a lot like a paint or powder coating. With a few little changes and a thinner anodize coat, you can get the same deep color, but with more of a metallic look.
I know it might sound over whelming, but the bottom line is there is quite a bit of latitude when anodizing, and experimentation and practice will help you to learn the boundaries and effects of certain parameters. Once you find a sort of happy medium where the parts turn out relatively consistent, then you can start adjusting the parameters and seeing where they take you. One thing I will say is this, consistent preparation and control of the variables is a must. Otherwise, you may have either an exceptionally good or bad result, and blame or credit the wrong thing, which can lead you astray. Once you get lost, you need a baseline to go back to. I think that is one of the best things about the LCD formula, if it is followed faithfully you will get good results. If not, there was something out of tolerance to find and adjust.
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