Sold/Expired === Exotic Coating Service Update ===

[modamag]

All The run have already started the 1st phase.
I will no longer accept ANY new item, any machine work, and preferably no changes in coating as of this post.
I will stagger the polishing/stripping to reduce the chance that the lights will be mixed up by our polisher.

ETA for Chrome, Gold, and Anodization is 3 weeks. While Titanium is 4-6 weeks.
Next major update will be the polishing return.

Dog Chaser: Nickel does require stripping before anodizing, screw & clip will be AlTiN
ejot: In order to fin. I need to make fixture. But unfortunately not enough time
Stillphoto: bore completed
StrayLight: Anything with scratches we'll try to remove.
tgerger: Quark heading home.

 

[Rommul]

John.

My items are still not organised according to how I want them stripped/polished/finished.

Jonathan

1. The 12ZM tailcap should say HA - Gray

2. ALL items are to be polished.

Those are the changes that need to be made.

 

[RocketTomato]

Item 9041 is actually an 18650 Quark tube.

Item 9047 (McGizmo Mule) should be changed from HA/Gray to Gold Plate

Item 9057 (Nat/Greenish HA Nitecore D10) should not have anything done to it. Please return as is.

Item 9046 and 9048 should be bored for AW 18650s.

If possible, please mask threads as necessary.

Thanks again for doing this.

 

[LuxLuthor]

All The run have already started the 1st phase.
I will no longer accept ANY new item, any machine work, and preferably no changes in coating as of this post.
I will stagger the polishing/stripping to reduce the chance that the lights will be mixed up by our polisher.

ETA for Chrome, Gold, and Anodization is 3 weeks. While Titanium is 4-6 weeks.
Next major update will be the polishing return.

Great update.

Did you see my corrections in post #106 above? Asking because original page one spreadsheet remains the same.

 

[modamag]

Rommul: Didn't get a chance to post the xls til now. It's in there.
RocketTomato: U send it a replacement for Item 9057. So there is one unit sitting on the side untouch.
9046 and 9048 will be bore AFTER coating.
LuxLuthor: Same reason as Rommul.

 

[RocketTomato]

RocketTomato: U send it a replacement for Item 9057. So there is one unit sitting on the side untouch.
9046 and 9048 will be bore AFTER coating.

Excellent! I was just making sure. Thanks for the update

 

[ejot]

All The run have already started the 1st phase.
I will no longer accept ANY new item, any machine work, and preferably no changes in coating as of this post.
I will stagger the polishing/stripping to reduce the chance that the lights will be mixed up by our polisher.

ETA for Chrome, Gold, and Anodization is 3 weeks. While Titanium is 4-6 weeks.
Next major update will be the polishing return.

Sweeeeet! :rock:

ejot: In order to fin. I need to make fixture. But unfortunately not enough time

I completely understand! It will still look gorgeous, I'm sure.

 

[olrac]

Thanks for the update Jon. :thumbsup:

 

[modamag]

I stopped by my friend's shop and chat up with him a bit to get a feel for the timeline. Here's what I gathered.

1. It roughly take 2-3 days for the stripping process. The reason is we have a variety of lights with surface finish with anything from nickel, chrome, Type II anodize, 1 mil HA, 2 mil HA, and paint. So to be on the safe side he slow strip the batch and monitor constantly to remove those are completed to minimize material lost.

2. Polishing will take another day or two afterward.

3. Re-Anodize will take two more days to build up the 2 mil layers thickness (beyond MIL rating) that I want.

Now I've separated everything into three different batches to minimize the chance of mismatch.

Batch 1. Anodize (currently in)
Batch 2. Nickel, Chrome, and Gold
Batch 3. Titanium CVD/PVD

The next to head in is the Titanium stuff. This will take 2-3 days in polishing then to the PVD shop.


OT: As we were discussing regarding timeline. I proposed to him to stagger the stripping between batch with his 8 separate tanks to speed up the process. Well he told me that it could have been done two years ago (last time I was in his shop) but not anymore.

Since the last time I was there the following changes took place.
1. He cut his staff 60% to bare bone for operation
2. Sold off 75% of his blasting capacity
3. Sold off 50% of his anodization capacity
4. Commented "Jon, did you read 'the Art of War', the Chinese applied it by bribing our gov and now they got the war WON!"

It's quite sad, because this guys is IMHO one of the best of the best in his business. Next time you head to Vegas, check out the guitars in the Hard Rock Cafe and u'll understand.

 

[olrac]

Wow, hate to hear when a craftsmen takes a beating by a giant undercutting price at the cost of quality. Hope he ultimately fares well. I have seen this happen in the construction trades where price trumps quality. Usually once the better guy is driven out of business costs start going up and you wind up paying the same for an inferior product.

Thanks for setting this up and putting up with us prima donna CPF'ers.

 

[donn_]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad all my stuff is anodizing.

 

[tsl]

All The run have already started the 1st phase.
I will no longer accept ANY new item, any machine work, and preferably no changes in coating as of this post.

Do you know when you will start another run?

 

[LuxLuthor]

Jonathan, if you get a chance and the guy doesn't mind, it would be great to see some photos of his setup. If he prefers no photos, please let him know how very much we all appreciate his superb craftsmanship and attention to detail....so he knows how many people are being touched by his work.

Thanks for making spreadsheet corrections (especially after having lost all your computer data). I just have two minor questions/corrections.

• Items 9285 (Gold FM Elephant) & 9286 (Gold plated Fenix) - You previously recommended not stripping, just polishing and adding additional 24K gold plating layer. Obviously, if your guy says it needs to be stripped to adhere/polish properly, I understand.

• Item 9283 should be 3 x ss bezels, and FM Deep Bezel (not tailcap)--just for matching up parts later.

 

[gav6280]

I have some home made parts in 6082 aluminium that i would really like to lightly bead blasted or polished and then hard coated.

Has this offer now been closed?

Thanks.

 

[Flashlight Aficionado]

Has this offer now been closed?

Yes, it is now closed.

Post #121 above:

All The run have already started the 1st phase.
I will no longer accept ANY new item, any machine work, and preferably no changes in coating as of this post.
I will stagger the polishing/stripping to reduce the chance that the lights will be mixed up by our polisher.

 

[supasizefries]

Batch 1. Anodize (currently in)
Batch 2. Nickel, Chrome, and Gold
Batch 3. Titanium CVD/PVD

The next to head in is the Titanium stuff. This will take 2-3 days in polishing then to the PVD shop.

Just curious, so Batch 3 will precede Batch 2?

 

[Cpt. Thomas]

I stopped by my friend's shop and chat up with him a bit to get a feel for the timeline. Here's what I gathered.

1. It roughly take 2-3 days for the stripping process. The reason is we have a variety of lights with surface finish with anything from nickel, chrome, Type II anodize, 1 mil HA, 2 mil HA, and paint. So to be on the safe side he slow strip the batch and monitor constantly to remove those are completed to minimize material lost.

2. Polishing will take another day or two afterward.

3. Re-Anodize will take two more days to build up the 2 mil layers thickness (beyond MIL rating) that I want.



OT: As we were discussing regarding timeline. I proposed to him to stagger the stripping between batch with his 8 separate tanks to speed up the process. Well he told me that it could have been done two years ago (last time I was in his shop) but not anymore.

Since the last time I was there the following changes took place.
1. He cut his staff 60% to bare bone for operation
2. Sold off 75% of his blasting capacity
3. Sold off 50% of his anodization capacity
4. Commented "Jon, did you read 'the Art of War', the Chinese applied it by bribing our gov and now they got the war WON!"

It's quite sad, because this guys is IMHO one of the best of the best in his business. Next time you head to Vegas, check out the guitars in the Hard Rock Cafe and u'll understand.

Hey Modamag,

I sent you a PM. Let me know what you think / find out?

Thanks!

Cpt. Thomas

 

[olrac]

 

[modamag]

Guys just a teaser update, batch 1 (anodizing) is almost completed. I've also dropped off batch 3 (Ti) for polishing.

supasizefries: Yes batch 3 will precedes batch 2 due to the longer lead time for Ti coatings. Batch 1 leads the pack due to the sheer size of all the parts taking up space in my tiny shop.

Cpt. Thomas: Sorry no PM please cause I'm rarely ever online to check. Please email me at modamag_std at yahoo dot com

tsl: The next run ... hum you can never say never but I don't plan to take on such task again anytime soon.

LuxLuthor: You and I are out of luck on our gold parts cause the stripping process a dangerous and expensive process that our anodizer refused to do. Kinda ironic since most of the stuff in their shop is too dangerous for even me to keep in my shop. Your light looks to be in good condition so more 24K will do. My Aleph I, one of the first gold light ever plated, was dropped (by me) at a DARK get-together. Now all I can do is polish the crude out of it to get the nicks out. I might pay my cousin (the jeweler) a visit and learn how they strip tiny gold parts.

 

[ivanchek]

Email sent.