Still having problems with wire

[jc88usus]

I am working with wire that is 5183 alloy. I am trying to get at least .5 mil thickness so I can dye. The problem is that the piece keeps turning dark grey during the ano process before the time is up.

I am using calipers to measure the diameter and measuring the length of wire prior to coiling, so I have faith in my calcs for area. I am using the 720 calcs. to determine time. I am keeping tank temp at 68 to 70 and using the tank and pump that came with LCD kit.

I have tried everything from 2.5A/sqft to 27A/sqft to try and get enough thickness to take dye without having the wire darken. I started with 4.5A/sqft and reduced by .5 each run until I got to 2.5 when it wouldn't hold dye and still was very dark grey. I thought maybe higher amps w/ shorter time might help, so went the other way incrementally. Same problem!!! If I try and go over .25mil the wire turns dark grey and with that thin a layer it does not take color well, no matter how long I leave it in the dye.

I am at a loss of what else to try and really need help. I have posed this problem before and not gotten a lot of constructive help. Please help this time, I am running out of ideas.

[cameraman]

It looks to me like you're doing everything 'right' - the only other thing to try is different wire, just so you can stop pulling perfectly good hair out of your head if nothing else.

I got this wire at the hardware store; I actually got it just for making connections but it anodizes up right nice. The color is turquoise and it's a little hard to tell in the photo but it is the color it's supposed to be - I have no reason to believe it wouldn't take a darker blue just as well. There aren't any sections of it that are anodized but not dyed, so I can't tell you whether or not it darkened.

It's 18 ga and it's Hillman brand.

I had some aluminum sheet, alloy unknown, that did turn dark gray when anodized, but took blue quite well.

The only other thing I can think of for you to try with your wire is to attach the other end to a sacrificial piece (and up the current accordingly) just to see if that makes any sort of difference. No justification, just sometimes the world doesn't make sense.

[acidrain]

First thing I would do is etch a piece in sodium hydroxide stripper (lye will work). Observe the smut. If it smuts terribly, try sanding an area, and etch again. If it does not smut the second time, there is a coating that is giving you grief.
If the wire does not smut much, it really is 5xxx alloy, and the problem lyes somewhere else.
It makes no sense that you successfully ano one alloy, but not another. All things indicate your wire is not 5xxx, but rather 2xxx or 7xxx.
Have you tried anodizing for 1/2 the time?

[jc88usus]

Originally Posted by acidrain

First thing I would do is etch a piece in sodium hydroxide stripper (lye will work). Observe the smut. If it smuts terribly, try sanding an area, and etch again. If it does not smut the second time, there is a coating that is giving you grief.
If the wire does not smut much, it really is 5xxx alloy, and the problem lyes somewhere else.
It makes no sense that you successfully ano one alloy, but not another. All things indicate your wire is not 5xxx, but rather 2xxx or 7xxx.
Have you tried anodizing for 1/2 the time?

Thanks, acidrain, for the suggestion. I always use the stripper that came with the kit first. Is this sodium hydroxide or do I need to get some, and where? When I use the stripper, it does not smut but just a little, if at all. It turns the most beautiful pale grey, almost white after a dunk in the de-smut.
I have tried cutting the time in half because it does not seem to turn as dark that way. The problem is that then the red in the orange dye does not take and the piece comes out almost yellow.
This probably sounds silly, but I live in the Knoxville, TN, area and am trying to get Orange to make jewelry for the "VOL" fans. I have been fooling with this since July and am getting very frustrated. I have a good customer base and an opportunity to make some money, if I can figure this out.
I need a hard temper wire to hold up and keep its shape and most "over the counter" wire is too soft.
There has to be a way to do this because I had to resort to buying pre-made orange rings from a supplier in Canada. They are incredibly expensive with shipping and all and drive my costs up and profit down, not a good thing at all. They are not talking about how to do this on my own and have assured me that the wire I bought is the same as they use.
I have had no problems with the heavier gauge wire, 16 and 14, but have not even attempted any 20 because of the problems with the 18.
Because the wire comes out of the ano so dark all the colors I have tried to dye come out "muddy" looking and not nice and brilliant like the heavier wire. I really need a variety of wires in the same colors to do what I need to.

[acidrain]

Hmmm... it's most definately is 5xxx alloy (as marked on your package).
That only leaves the ano process. There must be some variable between this run, and your successful previous runs. I have to think that the thinner wire may be heating up.
Is it possible that the coil of thinner wire is creating a resistor? Maybe a test run of un-coiled wire.
Sorry, it's the only thing I can think of right now.