Black soot on flash copper

[jlmccuan]

I'm getting a black sooty coating with crustacean like bumps instead of copper in my flash copper setup. Any suggestions??

[fly]

could you give us more information on the steps that you are taking from start to flash copper. What kind of metal are you working with? YOu might have too many amps or the part is not clean enough.

[jimcarry]

Originally Posted by fly

could you give us more information on the steps that you are taking from start to flash copper. What kind of metal are you working with? YOu might have too many amps or the part is not clean enough.

I have to agree with Fly here you are either to many amps improper preparation or even improper
agitation .

[mcaswell]

Also sounds somewhat like what happens when your power is reversed. Are you sure you have positive to anodes, negative to part?

[jlmccuan]

Material is mild steel

Process is clean, degrease, rinse, zincate, rinse, #4 pickle, rinse, zincate again, rinse, #4 pickle, rinse, flash copper

Part is a 2" round tube with a flange resulting in an area of 18sq in.

I have checked the leads for polarity and it is correct unless someone switched the colored nuts.

Thanks for all the help.

[jimcarry]

Originally Posted by jlmccuan

Material is mild steel

Process is clean, degrease, rinse, zincate, rinse, #4 pickle, rinse, zincate again, rinse, #4 pickle, rinse, flash copper

Part is a 2" round tube with a flange resulting in an area of 18sq in.

I have checked the leads for polarity and it is correct unless someone switched the colored nuts.

Thanks for all the help.

Zincate is for aluminum why did you zincate the part? For carbon steel stainless steel just sand out any imperfections depending on the surface I start with 60 and work my way to 220 then I use a rope sisal with black compound to remove any scratches then brown compound with a spiral wheel then white with a spiral wheel remember to clean in between polishing steps so you don’t cross contaminate wheels then degrees then plate remember your water brake test befor plating hope this helps

[jlmccuan]

I zincated in the hopes of gaining some corrosion resistance.

If I reduce the amps, I get an orange soot.

The surface has been prepared by glass bead blast and degrease. Definately passes water break. Part is 23 sq in.

[jimcarry]

Originally Posted by jlmccuan

I zincated in the hopes of gaining some corrosion resistance.

If I reduce the amps, I get an orange soot.

The surface has been prepared by glass bead blast and degrease. Definately passes water break. Part is 23 sq in.

try skipping the zincate
your amps should be around 1.5 the copper plate should come out pink salmon color

[fly]

I didn't see if you have the flash copper at operating temp. the temp. is around 120 degrees. THis will help if your not heating up the solution. Make sure you have large bubbles also this will help with plating too.

[jlmccuan]

Is the filter pump not supplying enough agitation? Should I add an aerator as well?

Also, if I don't get the black soot, I get an orange coating that looks like powdercoat before it is baked. Basically, it looks and feels just like the black, only orange.

I am getting some copperplate. When I glassbead the soot off I have a very faint copper color left.

Also, another question re flash copper. If I try to replate a part already coated with flash copper do I need a pickle process, or just degrease and rinse?

Thanks again for the help.