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Posted: 4/24/2007 10:29:24 AM EDT
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This past weekend I made my first attempt at Parkerizing. I had my Bulgy -74 build and an M1919A4 semi- both with the receiver still in the white. Since they had been sitting around for nearly a year since I "completed" them and both had been test fired, they were a bitch to clean up. I think I ended up doing a poor job with the prep work, too, particularly with the 1919. Since this is an AK forum, I'll conentrate on it. I used a Parkerizing "kit" from Allegeny Arsenal that I have had since last year. It had a bottle of park concentrate, a cleaner/degreaser and a developer to stop the action of the part solution (just a heavy oil, I think). The Park solution may have gone bad because there were a lot of flakes in the solution that would not disolve...didn't seem like metal or salts, but more like "scum" or fish food flakes. I had some trouble getting the solution to temp on my BBQ, even starting with hot water. I just didn't want to go about 170, which is the minimum temp range. I was using a large steam tray from a restaurant supply house. There were a couple of spots of surface rust on the reciever and of course the discoloration from the heat treating. I sanded the receiver to remove the rust and some tool marks and got it a nice bright steel color. I then used a wire wheel on the Dremel to further polish it. It was actually looking pretty good when I cleaned it and rinsed it. When I put it into the tank, I discovered that even though the tank was quite large, I couldn't quite get the entire receiver submerged due to the barrel hitting the lip of the tank. I had to settle for one corner sticking up and then rotating it side to side every 5 minutes. It still ended up with a diagonal line on each side at the upper front. The splotchiness is mostly due to surface oil now, not so much the park job. It is pretty light, though. It seemed darker when I took it out.   I do plan to hit this with Duracoat, so I'm not to concerned about the unevenness at the front or the light color. Here's the M1919A4 so you can see what a different the metal finish makes. The right sideplate is the new one and it REALLY should have been sanded and polished BEFORE the build. After the build it was just too hard to get a sander on it because of all the rivets and the top & bottom plate. On the left side, you can see how the new rivets and freshly-ground area around them didn't take the park nearly as well as the beadblasted original. It looks OK from 10 feet, though. : )   You can also see the tripod pintle that I made and it took the Park pretty well. Key Learning: preperation is mandatory! rob |
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I am not sure that polishing the steel is needed when parking a weapon. Bluing yes but parking no. For that matter I think that it could actually make it harder for the park solution to etch the steel. It looks like you have multiple finger prints on the sides that have caused the parking not to take or at the very least slowing the etching causing a non-uniformed appearance. I would recomend sand blasting of all the parts to help remove the old finish and help blend the different metals at least to a somewhat equal look prior to parking. The blasting will also help to degrease the surface too. (While wearing gloves) My best sucess has been when a total degreasing with carb cleaner (let dry and repeat), followed by sand blasting, soak the parts in a heated cleaning solution (bringing the temp of the weapon up to the parking temp), followed by a soaking in heated water (removing the cleaning solution and continuing to keep the weapon to the park temp), then into the heated park tank. You are right, a couple hours prep for a few minutes in the park tank will give you the best results. -I would look for a bigger tank too  . You are on your way.
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When I said polishing the steel, I really mean getting rid of the machining and grinding marks, not really polishing. My sand blasing gun wasn't working very well, either-a lot of blow without a lot of blasting. Cheap piece of crap. I'll try it again another time when I have another batch to do. I was a bit rushed on this, which is never good. Rob |
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Teddydog, looks pretty good to me, but I have to agree about the grit blasting. My experience has been that the rougher I blast it, the better the Park job. Also found out that spray brake cleaner really removes the finger prints, and a lot of other oils, prior to parking. The flock that you saw in the tank is normal. Sometimes it gets pretty thick in there. |
![' target='_new'>](http://<a rel="nofollow" href="http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/Longhunter-CO/sandblastedParts.jpg" data-featherlight="image" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" rel="nofollow" class="secureimg" src="http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/Longhunter-CO/sandblastedParts.jpg" /></a><meta itemprop=){kind=link}
| I have used a hand held siphon sandblaster and gotten the same results as the above picture. I prefer to use the cabinet blaster at work that uses ground glass as the media. It removes everything but grease or oil. After which when coated with park or MolyResin, gives an excellant finish. The hand held unit leaves sand everywhere! |
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