Pickup Cover Aging?

[big_teee]

Thanks Fab,
I think for the bare nickel, for now I'll stick to the vineger.
Don't have to buy anything, and I stole it out of the Kitchen!
And, it actually worked pretty well heated in the Sun.

[Joe Gwinn]

I use the granular powder you buy to etch PCB's. a small amount in warm water and dunk the cover in there for 5 to 10 minutes. make sure you use only a small amount, as it will eat into the nickel faster than you can expect. wash in clean water and all done in a few minutes

What is the chemical name for this granular powder? There are many etchants used. Most common for etching copper and mild steel is Ferric Chloride.

[mr fab]

What is the chemical name for this granular powder? There are many etchants used. Most common for etching copper and mild steel is Ferric Chloride.

hi joe
I just checked the jar of granular etchant I use and it contains ammonium persulphate. it works well on nickel covers. its commonly available here in Australia through electronics hobbyist shops....i'll post some pics when I get a chance

[big_teee]

Update on my Aging with vineger.
It works great on bare nickel covers.
It seems to be non effective on plated covers like chrome.
Stronger acids would need to be used for plated covers.
T

[jonson]

Chrome or nickel plate works better with Hydrochloric acid. I use it neat never dilute it and just hang the parts from wires through holes in the bucket lid. Plastic bucket obviously and just allow the fumes to do the job. You need no more than about 1/2 inch of acid in the bottom. Forget sulphuric acid and as Joe said be careful. For screws a quick rust job can be done with 50% white vinegar and 50% bleach but keep it out of the workshop as the chlorine fumes produced will rust your tools. Let them hang in the solution and leave for 20 mins then hang to dry before cleaning residue off. White vinegar does seem to work better than Brown but no idea why.

[Mike Sulzer]

Update on aging with pool "dry acid" (sodium bisulphate)


1. Fill small plastic container with water.
2. Dissolve as much sodium bisulphate as you can in about 2 minute.
3. Put in cover and leave for a couple of weeks.

This is not a plated cover. Apparently the nickel and zinc get leached out of the "nickel silver" leaving a copper color. This occurs after the surface is dulled.
Maybe someone has a better idea as to what is going on here?

[big_teee]

That is really aged looking.
More Like the Stone Age!

[Mike Sulzer]

That is really aged looking.
More Like the Stone Age!

Exactly! If humbuckers had been produced in 40,000 BC, some of the covers would now look like this if some were stored near active volcanoes.

[big_teee]

Exactly! If humbuckers had been produced in 40,000 BC, some of the covers would now look like this if some were stored near active volcanoes.

Hey I thought the Creationists have determined the earth is less than 6,000 years old.
If you're of that belief, which I'm not one of! lol
That would make your covers older than time!
T

[Mike Sulzer]

Hey I thought the Creationists have determined the earth is less than 6,000 years old.
If you're of that belief, which I'm not one of! lol
That would make your covers older than time!
T

Rumor has it that that the tone from covers older than time is out of this world!

[big_teee]

I have the remnants of a gallon of Muriatic Acid.
What all can I do with that?
I bought it to etch some new concrete.
I would like to stop prior to the Mike S. Effect!
Any tricks and methods for M.A. would be great!
T

[Joe Gwinn]

I have the remnants of a gallon of Muriatic Acid.
What all can I do with that?
I bought it to etch some new concrete.
I would like to stop prior to the Mike S. Effect!
Any tricks and methods for M.A. would be great!

Use the acid vapor to do the aging. Get a pyrex deep dish with cover, use valve grinding compound and elbow grease to grind the interface between dish and glass cover into conformance: the ground surface is all the way around. This done, put some muriatic acid in a puddle in the bottom with the pickup cover on a plastic stool holding it above the liquid, and put the glass cover in place. Wait a week or so.

Keep the muratic acid out of your shop - the vapors will corrode everything.

[big_teee]

I have a bucket with a lid I use.
I have some old covers to play with.
The vinegar worked ok, on the bare nickel.

[Chuck H]

I use hot vinegar to patina my tool steel knives to nice dark steel gray. The oxide layer makes them much less prone to rust. I mention this because in early experiments I tried just soaking the blades in vinegar straight out of the bottle. I could let the steel sit there for hours and never achieve what I get when I heat the acid. White vinegar is cheap enough in the plastic gallon bottles. Just put it in a Pyrex bowl and pop it in the microwave. When it boils it's ready.

Another thing you could experiment with is bleach. I've never done it but if it's a ph thing then bleach would be the other end of things. I wouldn't boil it though (if you wish to stay alive )

[David King]

A bottle of Ferric Chloride PCB etchant from Radio Shack will instantly take nickel plating down a few notches.