Technical & Reference Section > Tech and Restoration
anodiser_chick Anodizing **PLEASE READ**UPDATED CRANKS RETURNED**
skki3330:
Ok guys n girls really didnt want to go here but please read this post, ive left some of the conversations out just to try and make it a bit shorter.
anodiser_chick, Jay Reich, Acorn Plating Ltd
Spoke to Jay through Facebook about getting a set of gold Maxi Cross cranks annodized blue, the main thing i wanted was the silver spider to stay silver otherwise i would not have had the work done, She told me
"I'm doing some at the moment actually. But it costs a bit more than standard anodising. Instead of filing it off leaving bare aluminium like they did originally, I use my custom anodising clear ink over the anodised surface so it remains anodised while still looking bare and that means it remains protected from corrosion instead of being eaten like bare aluminium"
So i thought cool sounds like she know whats she's doing lets get it done.
Got a price £45 plus postage and was told it takes about 4 days so i was expecting to have the crankset back in about 10 days although i did tell her i was not in that much of a hurry.
Posted out the crank on the 11th March 1st class recorded so should hae got them latest 13th March. Again made sure she knew i wanted the spider part left has it was silver, Even sent apicture of how i wanted it.
23rd March i messaged Jay and ask how my cranks were coming along. Jay's reply
"Trying to get them done asap Craig. Absolutely rammed at the mo. I'll do my best tomorrow for you"
30th March asked again, Jay's reply
"I'm trying.... The first attempt didn't go so well because the ink I was telling you about dripped over the side. It's on the go again now though"
My reply
"ok great thanks really looking forward to seeing them"
6th April Me
"lol im going to bother you again any chance of getting the crank this week?"
Jay
"Yes!! You can definitely have them this week!! I'm so sorry... I'll give you a £30 voucher if you won't be mad at me?"
Me
"lolol im not mad at you honey you know us boys and our bmx's we just cant wait to get them built, and that is very generous of you as i might have another couple of bits for you Hey its good to be busy"
10th April Jay
"Hiya Craig,
I have some bad news. I started your cranks on Wednesday eve as promised to be out this week (remember I said it's a longer process) and I've come in this morning all excited to finish them and the anodising vat has blown. Apparently it blew last night. I'm on my motorbike today so I'm going to caine it the 60 miles needed to get the bart that's blown as no one can deliver today. If it makes it any easier on you, we work for Mclaren and even their stuff has to be held back now. Please don't hate me"
10th April LATER THAT DAY Me
"No worries mate these things happen, did you manage to get it up and running again?"
Jay
"Unfortunately not Craig. I'm busy tomorrow having to sort out the old house so we get our deposit back then picking up a new motorbike i haven't even seen yet. But I'll go in on sunday and do them as the boss should have it fixed tomorrow."
13th April Me
"any news on the cranks Jay?"
Jay
"Not yet Craig, sorry. No excuses, I've just been too busy. I'll try finish them tomorrow for you"
15th April Jay
"Craig,
I finished your cranks yesterday evening and was not happy at all. They are heavily corroded so I've stripped them. The other option is blasting them. It's what I did to that last set i told you about. It's the only thing that'll hopefully mask some of the corrosion spots as they come up through the anodising. I can still probably have it back to you for Friday but I'm not sure how to get the anodising off the star section in that time frame so is it something you'd do? I just wouldn't have time and want to get them back to you."
Ok here is where i now get a little bit upset with the whole situation Jay has now had my cranks for over a month with nothing but excuses, she now tells me that they are badley corroded and it sounds like she has annodized the spider which was the mainthing i asked not to be done, also surely if they were that bad you would see the corrosion before carrying out any work??? SBD would have been in touch and give you the full breakdown.
There was a bit more of a conversation
Jay
"I'm just trying to mask the corrosion and achieve the right colour. All that black you saw in the photo's, shows up through the anodising. It's not my fault but I am trying to help. These cranks are older than me, it can't be helped"
Me
"I know just a little pissed of I'm not going to get the colour scheme I needed for this build the silver spider was the biggy. I'll try and do something with them."
Jay
"I understand that but I'm not to blame. I can try to do it but it's going to take even longer and I'm sure that's not what you want"
Me
"If you can get the polished finish back that's what I want otherwise I'm going to have to look around for another set but they are soooo bloody rare could take month's even years"
Jay
"Have you got a photo of exactly what it's meant to look like?
All would have been well if it didn't have 30 years worth of corrosion"
PIC SENT
Jay
"There's more chance of me being able to achieve something close to that given the tools and masking equipment i have to hand but it's going to take a long time. That needs meticulous masking and polishing by hand which takes man hours I can't free up all at one time. It's your choice what to do but no matter what anyone does, it won't look pristine because of all the corrosion"
Me
"I can totally understand about the corrosion on the crank arms but the spider didn't need to be touched our first conversation was about making sure that was left as is, you assured me that could be done tbh if you had said you wasn't sure I would not have had it done. There is now way I will have the time to sort the spider out so I'll leave it with you as I want the crank back looking how I wanted"
Jay
"In order to strip the existing treatment, the whole crank needs to be stripped. And yes, I could have made the spider like we discussed with no issues because it wouldn't have needed bead blasting and could have just been polished, in fact making the spider even more shiny than it was when it arrived. No worries.
But it's riddled with corrosion. So your choices are, have a nice shiny spider like we discussed and the rest of the cranks looking like they've been under sea for 5 year's or let me try and help you by spending hours of meticulous polishing to help you achieve what you originally wanted had they not beeb eaten from the inside out. I can do exactly as I assured you i could. No problem, I just thought maybe you'd want it looking the best possible so offered to spend time on trying to fix it up and mask the impossible for free.
I did the job I was asked to do and assured you i could do. There's no question there and if you don't want me to try and make it better than so be it. I did tell you that it's probably going to be riddled as I'd just had the same one in and you could see all the corrosion before I'd even touched them when you'd said they weren't that bad. I'm trying to offer you free work, free time and free patience and I'm being told I didn't do what I said I would. Let me know what you'd like me to do with it so I cab try and get it finished and looking it's best or just sent back looking like it did but blue with a polished spider.
There's no need to take it out on me before understanding how the process of anodising actually work's and all I was doing was offering my help"
Me
"I do appreciate all the time spent on this can we just get them to the colour scheme I was looking for and the best finish you can do. I know these cranks are old buts that's what your going to get when working with old bmx stuff just ask sbd"
Jay
"I appreciate that. But anodising is a completely different ball game to.painting or powder coating. That hides all the imperfections. Anodising does the opposite.
I'll start on them again tomorrow"
28th April
Me
"Any updates Jay?"
29th April
Jay
"I'm slowly polishing them but I'm off next week so trying to get everything done and posted by monday"
Me
"Ok thanks Jay so will it hopefully be out in the post monday?"
Jay
"Hopefully, I was off today because my stupid brain is being a twat and I had a few seizures but I'm gonna go in tomorrow."
Me
"Ok mate, no worries health first"
Jay
"Not this time I'm afraid. Too much work. They're looking good so far though. If by some miracle I actually manage to stay at home tomorrow I will get my other half to bring them back here in the morning. Then I can keep polishing and finish them off"
Me
"thank you thank you"
7th May
Me
"guess my cranks didnt make thre monday post"
Jay
"I had to give them to the polisher so I'm waiting for them back. Plus I'm still not at work but my other half said he's not got them off the polisher yet"
Im sorry but by this time i just wanted my cranks back and forget about the whole thing
Me
"Just send them back to me ill get someone else to get the job done"
Basically got loads of you know nothing about anodizing, you dont care about how ill i am and so on.
Anyway asked for them to be sent back to my place of work this was the 7th May
Friday 15th May
Me
"Ive not recieved the cranks?"
Jay
"I'm not at work where the tracking number is"
Monday 18th
Me
"tracking number?"
Tuesday 19th
Me
"I would like the tracking number this morning"
Well im still waiting for either my cranks to arrive or a reply form Jay with another excuse.
At the moment ive kinda excepted that ive lost about £200. I dont think im being harsh or asking to much so im just putting this here so you can all make your own decision whether or not to send her you parts.
Ive never had any trouble with other people on here that offer their services and i now going to be a bit more particular about who gets their hands on my bmx parts that need restro.
stidds:
Thank you for the information Craig.
I think it is important for everyone to remember that things can and do go wrong and some of our parts are very rare and sometimes virtually impossible to replace. Sometimes you have been waiting for something for years and if you get problems with it or it is damaged etc then it can ruin what you have been working on.
I would invite Jay to comment on this thread and give her side of things, of course we are not out to sully her name, but Craig does have a genuine problem with things and we need to ensure that these problems are ironed out for the future.
oldschoolace:
I've done a few bits of resto for a few lads on here and it's something I always take on with a little trepidation.
Sometimes jobs are a doddle and others can end up like that little pea sized spot of rust on a car wing that you thought you would tidy up. Before you know it you have a hole the size of your fist. :-\
I have huge respect for the likes of SBD, Jay, Del and anyone else who is brave enough to step into our world and offer their services knowing that every job can have potential pitfalls.
Sorry to hear you have had a bad experience Craig. It does sound like you have been given a bit of a run around but at least Jay was looking to rectify the problem.
hope it works out for you bud :daumenhoch:
griff:
--- Quote from: oldschoolace on May 20, 2015, 12:15 AM ---I've done a few bits of resto for a few lads on here and it's something I always take on with a little trepidation.
Sometimes jobs are a doddle and others can end up like that little pea sized spot of rust on a car wing that you thought you would tidy up. Before you know it you have a hole the size of your fist. :-\
I have huge respect for the likes of SBD, Jay, Del and anyone else who is brave enough to step into our world and offer their services knowing that every job can have potential pitfalls.
Sorry to hear you have had a bad experience Craig. It does sound like you have been given a bit of a run around but at least Jay was looking to rectify the problem.
hope it works out for you bud :daumenhoch:
--- End quote ---
This ^ I get nervous enough just messing with my own stuff!
Hope you get it all sorted Craig / Jay
CustardLips:
Oh dear... hope this gets resolved. :-\
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