Anyone done acid washes?

[scamihorn New User Find all posts View Profile Close scamihorn]

Well it has been another productive weekend, and I have had a little direction in doing acid wash anodizing. Basically using bleach and a sponge to bleach away a darker color and then put in a lighter color where the dark color bleached out.

A few challenges along the way, first of al organic sponges melt almost immediately in bleach, synthetic sponges melt after one day of use, too runny of bleachh runs down in the cracks too much. But regardless of those challenges I feel I had some pretty good results.





If anyone has any tips or tricks on acid washes I would love to hear it, I have learned so much in the last month, I am going to be working with some guys to document it all soon. We have some other things we want to perfect soon, but I am optimistic.

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

That is fricken fantastic!! I'd really like to know what the entire process was. A few questions if I may :

1. How did you "thicken" the bleach in order to prevent it from running into the tiny cracks?

2. Do you have a specific bleach solution ratio that you were using or is it 100% bleach + thickening agent?

3. Is there a specific brand name of sponge that you used for this process?

4. How long were you holding the sponge in one spot while bleaching the darker color away (approx.)?

Thanks so much...This is wonderfull stuff! REALLY GOOD WORK!

I'd really like to learn your entire process. If you're not comfortable posting it here, I wouldn't mind a PM. Again, amazing work...WOW! Thanks for sharing!!

- Dan

[mcaswell ******* Inc Founder Find all posts View Profile Close mcaswell]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

My first impression of this finish was that it looked like a walnut dash on an old car. With a little tweaking, I think that finish could easily be achieved.

Amazing what you guys come up with!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Scamihorn, I've been inspired. Here is some "acid washed" parts I did yesterday after reading your post.

The part on the left was done first. I wanted to see first hand how well the bleach leeched the dye out from the anodic layer. The part on the right was done as you have described above, however, finding a thickening agent for the bleach has proven difficult thus far. Its going to have to be something that won't clug the pores...Any ideas?

All in all for a first attempt I think it turned out rather well. The part on the left really doesn't count as I was using this part just as a sample for the bleach test. By the way, I found the black dye took MUCH longer to leech away...The red was nearly instant!

Thanks for the good work scamihorn. Keep us posted 'cuz I'm dyeing to see more!




Cheers!

[scamihorn New User Find all posts View Profile Close scamihorn]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

I have not thickened the bleach, just let it run on very wet with a low bleach concentration. I think I had mine two strong. Some have suggested a 5:1 ratio Water:bleach.

I watch it pull the dye out of the annodonic layer, and then spray off with my distilled water quickly. it takes some time and patience, and i need to play more but I am really excited about it.

[acidrain Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close acidrain]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Bleaching out the dye from a dry part is very defferent from a wet part... You can control the wash from your sponge to very specific areas/patterns when applying to a dry part, and get whispy, gradually bleached areas when applying to wet parts.
Also, try going back over the same areas with acid after bleach and rinse... the next dye passes will take much better on a acid washed part than a bleached part.
The green one is sponged dry, and the blue one is sponged wet:

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Acidrain - VERY NICE!

Man, you people are incredible. You have given me some great ideas there!! I hope I can find the time (between production runs) to get a few trials in.

By using acid after the bleach, I assume you are using the sulfuric acid, acidrain? Roughly what concentration are you using for this approach? Is it straight acid or a portion taken from the electrolyte?

Thanks guys...Great thread! Keep the good stuff coming!

[yoyoboy New User Find all posts View Profile Close yoyoboy]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

1:3 same as in your tank, except not

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Getting better? I'm relatively pleased thus far...

[acidrain Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close acidrain]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Looks AWSOME!

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Well...Curiousity killed the cat and I just had to try it...Here's my 2K3 System-X Autococker with it's new polished red & black acid wash anodizing. I figure it turned out pretty well.

The eBlade trigger frame and the solenoid cover where initially chrome plated. After some experimenting and tons of reading I found may way around that. I didn't do the barrel (yet) because I have a new Freak Kit for it that I want to do but ran out of time. The rest of this marker was bead blasted and a matte boring black. What a facelift!

Cheers!
- Dan

[-AAPB-Eric Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close -AAPB-Eric]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Ive never tried to strip chrome before, but caswell's ano stripper says it is also a chrome stripper wont this work?

[acidrain Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close acidrain]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Really nice work, RedRiver!
Be sure to show that off in the ano section of PBNation too.

[RedRiver Amateur Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close RedRiver]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

Hey...Good idea acidrain...Thanks!

Yes -AAPB-Eric, Caswell's ano/chrome stripper did the trick but in my case it required a little more. Under the chrome there was a nickle plating and under that there was a copper plating. It took some reading and other chemicals (nitric acid mostly) but as you can see, we got around that!

Cheers!!
- Dan

[jamerson New User Find all posts View Profile Close jamerson]

Re: Anyone done acid washes?

acid what color green is that !