I am having troubles getting the blackener or yellow chromate to be strong enough to use on bolts. They take the color just fine, but then the socket wears the color off on the first install.
Caswell told me that there would be no need for a nylon socket to be used, and that the blackener should be strong enough to be used on a bolt and not have it wear off the head when the bolt it installed.
I was also told by them to change a few things. Previously, I would wait until the distilled water was dry, then I would seal the blackener with WD-40, it would take about an hour and a half to dry, then I would seal it. The black would rub off.
They wanted me to dip it in the blackener JUST long enough to get a uniform color, and rinse it completely right away, and let sit and dry for 24 hours, then seal it, and let the WD-40 dry a few days.
They also suggested to NOT use the SP Degreaser immediately after glass bead blasting the part, to use it only when there is grease or oil to remove.
This bolt was bead blasted, then immediately placed in the plating solution, 15 minutes later I pulled it out, and rinsed completely with distilled water, then into the blackener for about 45 seconds or so, rinsed again, and then left alone for 24 hours, sealed, and left alone for 48 more hours. I then attempted to install it into a trans case at 20 ft-lbs.
The black bolt with the wear spots on the head is the problem bolt, the other 2 are trans bolts that are zinc plated only, and were also installed into the trans at 20 ft-lbs, with no problems.

Here are pics of some other items I plated tonight, the old parts had been rusty, and the pits after being bead blasted show through very clearly, so those are a good example of why the surface needs to be as you want it prior to plating
The gold is the yellow chromate dip, and it might be OK enough for me to keep, because nothing really rubs on it, but if I can rub it off with my thumb, I can't use it on parts I am to sell later on. I will allow it to sit for 24 hours, and then test to see how strong it is.
Currently, even the finest #0000 steel wool immediately removes the gold or black with just a single wipe, even when allowed several days to cure.


Here is a pic of a rod that was plated in zinc, then one end was blackened, the other dipped in yellow chromate. The wrench has the open end dipped up about 1/3 the way up the wrench with plain zinc, and the dull gray was removed with a fine wire brush on a drill, and it matched the Craftsman finish fairly closely

Any idea if the zinc blackener or yellow chromate is EVER going to be strong enough to withstand #0000 steel wool wipes or the use of a socket on the head of the bolt?
Oh, all parts plated fine, used the Caswell power supply, or my own 3V 800mA adapter for bigger parts, solution temp 110F, the yellow dip is heated to 80F, the blackener is between 73F-78F, only distilled water used, all mixes as per the Caswell manual for water:chem ratio. The yellow chromate is about 1oz/gallon I estimate, I would add a bit of water or yellow getting the color I want.
The yellow chromate was given .001" of plate to etch into (60 minute plate time), as was the black, except on this last test bolt of black.
I'm trying to decide if I should give up now on treating the bolts or the other parts, and simply do everything in silver zinc only. The VW trans came with a cad plated clutch release arm (in the box) and the bolts were black, and I want to try and copy that look. Would a black oxide kit be stronger?
Thanks in advance for any help, and sorry for being so long winded
Broke

Caswell told me that there would be no need for a nylon socket to be used, and that the blackener should be strong enough to be used on a bolt and not have it wear off the head when the bolt it installed.
I was also told by them to change a few things. Previously, I would wait until the distilled water was dry, then I would seal the blackener with WD-40, it would take about an hour and a half to dry, then I would seal it. The black would rub off.
They wanted me to dip it in the blackener JUST long enough to get a uniform color, and rinse it completely right away, and let sit and dry for 24 hours, then seal it, and let the WD-40 dry a few days.
They also suggested to NOT use the SP Degreaser immediately after glass bead blasting the part, to use it only when there is grease or oil to remove.
This bolt was bead blasted, then immediately placed in the plating solution, 15 minutes later I pulled it out, and rinsed completely with distilled water, then into the blackener for about 45 seconds or so, rinsed again, and then left alone for 24 hours, sealed, and left alone for 48 more hours. I then attempted to install it into a trans case at 20 ft-lbs.
The black bolt with the wear spots on the head is the problem bolt, the other 2 are trans bolts that are zinc plated only, and were also installed into the trans at 20 ft-lbs, with no problems.

Here are pics of some other items I plated tonight, the old parts had been rusty, and the pits after being bead blasted show through very clearly, so those are a good example of why the surface needs to be as you want it prior to plating

The gold is the yellow chromate dip, and it might be OK enough for me to keep, because nothing really rubs on it, but if I can rub it off with my thumb, I can't use it on parts I am to sell later on. I will allow it to sit for 24 hours, and then test to see how strong it is.
Currently, even the finest #0000 steel wool immediately removes the gold or black with just a single wipe, even when allowed several days to cure.



Here is a pic of a rod that was plated in zinc, then one end was blackened, the other dipped in yellow chromate. The wrench has the open end dipped up about 1/3 the way up the wrench with plain zinc, and the dull gray was removed with a fine wire brush on a drill, and it matched the Craftsman finish fairly closely


Any idea if the zinc blackener or yellow chromate is EVER going to be strong enough to withstand #0000 steel wool wipes or the use of a socket on the head of the bolt?

Oh, all parts plated fine, used the Caswell power supply, or my own 3V 800mA adapter for bigger parts, solution temp 110F, the yellow dip is heated to 80F, the blackener is between 73F-78F, only distilled water used, all mixes as per the Caswell manual for water:chem ratio. The yellow chromate is about 1oz/gallon I estimate, I would add a bit of water or yellow getting the color I want.
The yellow chromate was given .001" of plate to etch into (60 minute plate time), as was the black, except on this last test bolt of black.
I'm trying to decide if I should give up now on treating the bolts or the other parts, and simply do everything in silver zinc only. The VW trans came with a cad plated clutch release arm (in the box) and the bolts were black, and I want to try and copy that look. Would a black oxide kit be stronger?
Thanks in advance for any help, and sorry for being so long winded

Broke
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