Copy Cad kit - blackener and yellow cad durability problems

[Broke]

Originally Posted by seanc

This is for the blackener? I have never heard of trying to use it at higher temperatures. I've always just used it at ambient, most recently that has been @65º.

Yeah, I gathered that from the thread from August 2003 you gave a link to. The original poster said:

I read this morning on the web that the solution is supposed to be 1 part to 4 parts and that a small amount of acid is suposed to be used... and that it should be heated to a minimum of 90 degree and left for ~5-7minutes.

Later he asked about the acid, and Caswell replied Yes, the instructions on the web are accurate., and I took that to mean the 5-7 minute immersion time, the 4:1 concentration, and the heating to 90F to be correct, but I wasn't sure about the acid.

It could be the original poster got mixed up with the acid part while reading about preparing old pot metal, it is dipped in a weak acid/water mix to get it ready, but it also sounds like the original poster stated he read online about the 5-7minutes, the 90F, the 4:1, and the acid, and Caswell replied that the instructions are correct.

The poster then tried the acid in the blackener, which was a failure, and he posted that it didn't work at all.

The current online instructions match my bottle and manual, 9:1, room temp, and 2-5 minutes.

I'll try a batch at 4:1, 90F, with longer dip times, and then seal them right after rinsing them (from these most recent instructions, I agree with what you said about drying them, then displacing dried water ), and see what happens then. The plate, zinc solution, and blackener will probably ship tomorrow, so in a few days I should know something.

I'm really hoping to get this to work. I really need the bolts to look fresh dipped after I install and torque them, they are going on rebuilt VW trans, and they'll be paying $800-$1000 each for them, so details matter

Broke

[VPRestorations]

I'm really new to all this. I have zinc plated a few parts and yellow chromated some with reasonable results, although I feel that I have a lot to learn. However, I have a potential customer for blackened hardware (nuts, bolts and washers) that informs me that parts from his present source are rusting quite quickly. This sounds like poor results somewhat like those described here. I want to be able to supply him with quality parts, but now after reading several posts on this subject I am confused as to what the correct procedure is. I bought my kit around November, 2004, so I think I have the Blackener that is supposed to be diluted 9:1. However, my first few attempts have failed miserably. They rub off very easily.
Moderator, is there a more current instruction than what has been posted by you on Sept, 04?
I entered this plating hobby hoping to provide quality services to the local automotive restorers, but after reading several topics on the forum, I am losing some of my confidence. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information and I am not sure which direction to follow.
Mopar Guy