Yet another parking question

[gesundheit]

So what is the ideal workflow for parkerizing (after you put parts in park tank)?

1. Hang them by black iron wires without letting them sit at the bottom with sludge from previous parts parkerizing. Small parts go into stainless steel screen baskets.

2. Let them sit in tank until the bubbling stops

3. Take them out and bursh & rinse them with water.

4. Put in Post-treatment solution (I am guessing this is what you mean by "Firearm water displacing oils" Gunsmith Dan)

5. Oil afterwards.

BPs I have attended don't follow Brownell's recommendations but also have variations between them also - some use water bath while some involve using flowing water.

As for oil to be used on parkerized parts, I read on other forums that grease is a better option (and Vaseline is a big no no). Most people go with Motor oils. I have also read folks using CLP for oil saturation post-parkerizing.

If going with Motoroil, the heavier the oil the better?

[Gunsmith Dan]

gesundheit

Yea there is other variations to the Brownells info that work well, just that the troubleshooting section is pretty complete, I figured Zamble having so many issues would get a good idea. Brownells has alot of good tips and info in a complete format, unlike some other companies that give you bits and pieces.

The only thing I need to add to your list is:

Whether or not the bubbling stops parts should never sit for more than 15 minutes, some alloys will keep bubbling until the metal is badly etched

The firearms water displacing oil is a 2 in 1 type oil, it gets the water out after you finish parkerizing and "seasons" the surface, it also is a good gun oil that does not need anything added over it. Grease made for firearms could work OK but you have to make sure you dry the gun well and that the surface is still hot so the grease melts into all the small pores in the parkerized finish. I normally tell everyone not to use motor oil because it has a lower smoke point than oils for firearms and they to not really displace surface water (there is a few that have additives for that).

Like I have said in many other posts here:

I may not tell you the easy or cheap way of doing things, but what I do tell you is nothing different than what I do for my customer's firearms (that have great and consistent results). I also will never be reckless giving info that may cause you to do something that is not safe. Unlike any other type of DIY help info forum, firearms are the only dangerous item that you are putting next to your head and causing a controlled explosion. Definately something when working on you don't want "opinions" on what to do but documented and industry accepted methods that work


Alex$

Please do ignore me because you saying you do not make condescending remarks on purpose:

Alex$ said:
I too am entitled to my own opinion, I think you should perform a sexual act upon yourself, it might improve your pompous, self-rightous attitude. But that is just my own opinion. (it is also my opinion that I have you pegged dead on)

I wonder what that was??? I thought Calguns did not let underaged children on the forums, which your remarks seems straight out of high school.

[Zamble]

Ok. Attempt 4 or 5, I forget now. I degreased the park tank, and my tongs. I got wire to hang everything. Distilled water is heating right now. Shortly I will add degreased steel wool.

Crossing fingers.

[Zamble]

If my Ak was put together, I swear I would shoot myself with it.

Mags from today.

exhaust tube that came out perfect 3 or 4 attempts ago.

[kendog4570]

So I decided to use the last of my solution to try to park my mags. I had just enough for one gallon.

I bead blasted all the mags and associated parts. I the put them in hot water with a heavy degreaser that came with the park kit I bought. I let them soak for a few minutes in very hot water per the directions. I then submerged them in the park solution at a constant 195 degrees. They appeared to be doing well. But for some reason, they did not turn black as I was expecting. I let them stay In the pot for a while. The bubbling stopped and I took the parts out. They were a kind of a dark gun metal grey. So I rinsed them off one at a time in hot water. I used my compressor and completely dried them off. When they were dried, I sprayed them with WD-40. I let them sit and continued with the rest of the mags and a couple of rifle parts. I figured if they all turned out this color, I could probably live with it.

When I finished with all the parts and spraying them with WD-40, I went back to the first parts that I had done. I went to wipe oil on them and the finish came off a bit. I tried a second part and the same.

What's up? I degreased both pots. And I used tap water. Could that be the problem? Even though on my second batch, I had one part turn out perfect, though, and I used tap water on that batch as well. I only real difference, is there is not rust this time.

I would reverse the order in your process. Thoroughly clean and de-grease, THEN blast with clean oil and grease free blast media. Go directly from the cabinet to the phosphating tank. Maybe blow the parts with clean, dry air before the phosphating tank, but not necessary. Your finish is consistent with oil contaminated surfaces. If there is oil in your blast media you are pounding it into the surface of the metal when you blast, and the degreasing step is not getting it all out. It snowballs from there, getting into the acid bath, etc.

At this point you most likely will have have to replace the media in your cabinet. Guard your cabinet, and threaten anyone with death, or worse, if they get anything other than clean, degreased parts even close to it.

It has been my experience that magazines are some of the toughest parts to get looking right when parkerizing.

[kendog4570]

...
4. Put in Post-treatment solution (I am guessing this is what you mean by "Firearm water displacing oils" Gunsmith Dan)

I am told that one of the original post-dip treatments was running the parts through a heated solution of red chromate. This was a main component in green dyes and pigments back before the nannies came along to protect us from ourselves, and it was supposed to have contributed to the much coveted greenish color. In all fairness to the health police, red chromate is a carcinogen and especially dangerous when the heated vapor is ingested into the lungs.

[Ytisfedup]

Just a quick question, did you happen to condition the park solution with a chunk of steel wool? I noticed my parking was splotchy before I just left a piece in there to disintegrate.

[Zamble]

I left steel wool in there for 20 min.

So I changed out my media to skat blast. It's all I have here. Before I re-blast all the parts again, is break cleaner good enough to degrease before I blast? I don't want to possibly contaminate this media.

Do I need to change out the park solution again? I sure hope not.

[valley82]

BP parking keep in mind there are typically 15 guns owned by 15 different people
Clean with brake cleaner
Blast with media
Clean with brake cleaner
In the park tank, wait 7-8 minutes, flip all parts, wait 7-8 minutes, remove from park tank
Put parts in water tank for a minute or two
Douse with motor oil

The mags did not look like they had been oiled?

[Zamble]

So anyone want to buy a park tank? This is absolutely freaking ridiculous.

I changed my media. Soaked every part in break cleaner. Put said parts back in cabinet and closed cabinet. While wearing gloves of course. Re-blasted a couple of parts. 2 .45 mags, and the bolt from my Ak. I figured maybe the metal might be different. Removed the parts, wearing gloves. Sprayed with break cleaner again. Submerged the parts, I used a very light metal wire. Soaked in park solution for 16 min. Removed parts and dropped in cold water buck for several minutes. I picked the mags out sprayed with WD40 completely, and submerged in oil.

Now, when I picked the jet black mags out of the water, it came off where ever my hand and fingers touched it. WTF??? This is getting so damn old.

So when the bolts' time was up I took it out and submerged in the water. And of course where ever my hands and fingers touched it, the nice black look came off to reveal dull metal.

If that one part had not come out great, I was think something was wrong with the solution....

[Zamble]

Doea anyone near Stockton have a parking set up? I want to finish my rifle and mags.

[kendog4570]

So anyone want to buy a park tank? This is absolutely freaking ridiculous.

I changed my media. Soaked every part in break cleaner. Put said parts back in cabinet and closed cabinet. While wearing gloves of course. Re-blasted a couple of parts. 2 .45 mags, and the bolt from my Ak. I figured maybe the metal might be different. Removed the parts, wearing gloves. Sprayed with break cleaner again. Submerged the parts, I used a very light metal wire. Soaked in park solution for 16 min. Removed parts and dropped in cold water buck for several minutes. I picked the mags out sprayed with WD40 completely, and submerged in oil.

Now, when I picked the jet black mags out of the water, it came off where ever my hand and fingers touched it. WTF??? This is getting so damn old.

So when the bolts' time was up I took it out and submerged in the water. And of course where ever my hands and fingers touched it, the nice black look came off to reveal dull metal.

If that one part had not come out great, I was think something was wrong with the solution....

Relax, have a homebrew, and leave off the brake cleaner before you dunk it in the acid. Just take it out of the cabinet and throw it in the vat. You may want to toss this batch of solution and mix some new.

[valley82]

I wish a had pics of the guns I've parked before the oil bath when they come out of the water rinse, they are light to medium gray and if they air dry they get very chalky light gray in color. The motor oil soak darkens them up. Again, I am no expert on this, just sharing my experience with the BP park tank. The only thing that sounds different is the wd40. Wish I could help more. The gas tube looks real good but that probably is only more frustrating.

[Zamble]

Ok. I am giving it another try. I got everything setup to degrease first. I have some Zepp heavy duty degreaser that can be diluted. Will that be ok?

After all parts are degreased, I will clean my park tank out and add the fresh distilled water and fresh solution. While it is heating up I will blast the parts.

[Ryan in SD]

You arent trying to parkerize aluminum are you?