color thickness

[dax89]

my color on the piece is very thin and will not get any darker help....

[Fibergeek]

If that's all the information that you see fit to provide; I, and anyone else here can only provide this help:

Pray a lot.

If you expect any meaningful assistance, you can start by providing the following:

1. What anodizing process are you using? (standard Caswell, Caswell LCD, other).
2. What is the surface area of the "piece"?
3. What current density are you anodizing at? (amps per sq.ft. or amps per sq. in., meter, centimeter, cubit, etc. specify). If you can't come up with a number, don't waste my time.
4. How do you know that this is the actual current density you are anodizing at? I expect to hear actual voltage and current measurements.
5. How do you know the "piece" is clean enough to anodize?

More information will likely be needed but this is the basic stuff. If you can't answer these basic questions, you have no right to expect successful anodizing and dyeing.

[Tim Wiltse]

Dang Fiber.... why don't you just call him a dumbs$&t! I know he didn't give much... well... really any usefull info but I would think someone with your knowledge could come up with a better reply!


Later,
Tim

[NeoMoses]

Well, I can understand the frustration of fibergeek. It happens to even the best of us. I'm a member of a couple of other forums, and I really hate it when people don't do their homework, then ask questions expecting miracles to occur.

dax89, I'll attempt to help you out, but without more information this is really a stab in the dark. Possible things that could be going wrong:
- Acid concentration too high
- Insufficient anodizing time
- unsuitable current density for good dyeing quality

those are just some thoughts off the top of my head. If you haven't done so already, you should definately read through the new LCD anodizing instructions. They will give you a much deeper understanding of the anodizing process, and will allow you to troubleshoot many of your problems yourself.

My best tip for you is to keep a journal. Every time you anodize, record all pertinent information. This will become invaluable after a few batches, helping you to determine exactly what is going wrong, and what is going right.

Also, if you are wanting to try something new, only change 1 variable at a time. Varying multiple variables is a great way to run yourself in circles.

Hope it helps, and I look forward to more information about your setup.[/list]

[Fibergeek]

Tim,
Yes, I could have come up with a better reply.
I can think of about 15 different things that can result in Dax89's problem. And so could you. Some information must be provided to narrow this down, if allowed to be a guessing game, it will take forever to solve.

NeoMoses,
You field this problem. I'll stay out of this thread unless someone directs a question to me.
It's been said; that "the best way to understand a subject is to teach it". This will help solidify your own understanding.