New mag anno....

[punkncat]

Having just picked up another mag, gots a question about the anno. This one was purchased new by the guy I got it from in June. It is a "stock" Xvalved mag and has the tac rail on it, intelliframe, etc.

The whole marker seems to be more of a satin black, not really gloss, not dust per se. It just has a dull finish overall. I like it for the most part, aside from the valve. It also has a satin feel to it, def not near as glossy or deep as I remember the X valves I owned in the past. The reg half itself shows a great deal of blem in the anno under sunlight. I cannot even get my camera to pick it up as I cannot get focus that close, but to the eye it is very noticable. Looks a lot like overspray from a paint can, but there is nothing "on" the valve, the blem is def under the finish. I have also noticed a somewhat "snowflake" looking characteristic to the finish on the ULE body.

Overall, it is not unpleasing aside from the valve, those blems should have never passed. In defence, if it were assembled and tested under electric light the problem would never have even been seen. Dust parts match quite well, much like they do with the tac body. Since there is no specification on the store between dust and gloss, are all the parts like this now? Are the days of deep, rich anno and good finish on the final polishing done?

As another side note to this observation, it seemed as if the price for the RT "custom" has fallen some from what I remember. So, was the lowering in price brought on by the change made in the anno process?

[TwilightG]

I've had the same experience lately too.

At one point, I was searching for a gloss black ule body. Near impossible to find!
I have no idea when exactly AGD changed their ano (since I buy all my mag parts used) but it looks like gloss black has become a rarity for all of their parts.

It is a bit disappointing that a company which takes so much pride in quality would skimp on the finish :(

[Tunaman]

Well if you guys want to pay for custom flawless anno jobs then be prepared to pay alot more for the parts. Some parts cost upwards of 10.00 each to be polished properly. Want a custom anno job? You already know where to look. ;)

[TwilightG]

I was only pointing out that the quality of the ano has declined from what it once was.

[punkncat]

It has been my experience in the past that AGD had some of the best anno in the business...PK Selective anyone? It seems like w/o warning, or notice, etc. that the finish quality went WAY off and I (for one) was very suprized by it.

[p8ntbal4me]

It has been my experience in the past that AGD had some of the best anno in the business...PK Selective anyone? It seems like w/o warning, or notice, etc. that the finish quality went WAY off and I (for one) was very suprized by it.


That has nothing to do with AGD,.. its PKS.

Word on the street for those of us sending out large numbers of parts to be anodized is that PKS is no longer the shop they once were.

I have had one gun done YEARS ago by them,.... top notch.

Now,... I wouldnt send them anything I was involved in making. :(

[Drix]

Haven't I heard that PKS changed owners? Or was that Grunt? One of them now has a brother running the show and their quality has gone significantly downhill.

[p8ntbal4me]

Haven't I heard that PKS changed owners? Or was that Grunt? One of them now has a brother running the show and their quality has gone significantly downhill.

The guy that was involved in PKS QC and batching has left PKS,.. this was over 3 years ago.

I learned this from a friend.

It has been confirmed by another person I know whom no longer buys and sells anything in paintball,.. but has anodizing done through PKS for the DoD.....

He remarked a few months ago that the quality of the work "just isnt there anymore"

[hill160881]

O great. so who do i have do my ano on my mag?

Tunaman hinted, so any details. Or is it him.

[Spider-TW]

The guy that was involved in PKS QC and batching has left PKS,.. this was over 3 years ago.

I learned this from a friend.

It has been confirmed by another person I know whom no longer buys and sells anything in paintball,.. but has anodizing done through PKS for the DoD.....

He remarked a few months ago that the quality of the work "just isnt there anymore"
And QC is over half the work for good ano. Clean and timely is the difference between any of us throwing a part in the acid and a nice professional ano job. Chemistry does not forgive.

[bunny5]

http://www.sflemag.com/images/stories/pbpixels2/sfl.png
*PK Selective

[captian pinky]

is that a recent anno or an older one and that is an amazing anno

[bunny5]

The marker above was anodized one year ago. I decided to test out a few anodizing companies and PK Selective is what I chose to get a Euro Xmag, Dallara, and two sfl emags done. I was very happy with the communication, turn around, and the finish.

They are more pricey than a few other anodizing companies around but the result is amazing.

[Mongoose]

PK's prices went up and the quality went down......not even close to what they used to be. And yes the main person that handled the actual anno process has left a while ago.

[p8ntbal4me]

O great. so who do i have do my ano on my mag?

Tunaman hinted, so any details. Or is it him.


I use the same company as Mongoose does. They have done AGD work in the past directly for AGD.

PTP uses the same company as well.

Time is something you cant really hold an anodizer to if you are getting a good rate per piece.

Longer you wait,.. the better the time frame they have to prep the work,.. the better the finish.

[bunny5]

PK's prices went up and the quality went down......not even close to what they used to be. And yes the main person that handled the actual anno process has left a while ago.

I will agree that the prices are high, after my nightmare with Gruntbull when they butchered my old Euro Xmag TWICE, I decided that the price was justifiable.

I did attempt to have PK create a Jurassic Goo SFL Emag back in 6/1/2009, but to my dismay the person who created the process left PK Selective. (I can't remember the name off the top of my head) Peter said they didn't have the set-up needed to create reverse splash fades. :(

[Mongoose]

I use the same company as Mongoose does. They have done AGD work in the past directly for AGD.

PTP uses the same company as well.

Time is something you cant really hold an anodizer to if you are getting a good rate per piece.

Longer you wait,.. the better the time frame they have to prep the work,.. the better the finish.

After Big E and myself tried polishing up one of my bodies.....i can understand why they take some time.....and what a mess. but in the end it is well worth the wait.

[Mongoose]

I will agree that the prices are high, after my nightmare with Gruntbull when they butchered my old Euro Xmag TWICE, I decided that the price was justifiable.

I did attempt to have PK create a Jurassic Goo SFL Emag back in 6/1/2009, but to my dismay the person who created the process left PK Selective. (I can't remember the name off the top of my head) Peter said they didn't have the set-up needed to create reverse splash fades. :(

Yup...Peter shot down many of my ideas.....told me it couldn't be done "I hate hearing that"

So i moved on and cant be happier with the products im getting back....Not to mention they were able to create exactly what i was looking for.......A complete dust black gun with a blood red splatter in GLOSS.
We are gonna be selling complete markers in this custom finish "Shameless plug" :p

Here's a pic of my Brother in law's "Dust Black ..gloss orange splatter....The pic does not do the finish any justice

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll108/VenomousDesigns/016.jpg

[hill160881]

Well i will tell you what i want and i was told it was not possible by PK selective.

Dark high gloss purple with a chrome splash or better yet a chrome lightning bolt pattern.

On this marker

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/hill160881/UL%20Ego-mag/100_0096.jpg


http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/hill160881/UL%20Ego-mag/MiscPneuWork006.jpg


Who do you use Mongoose? Or am i missing it in this thread.

Any recommendations would be great. :bounce:

[Soonersdds]

I second the recommendations, need to have some work done myself

[Spider-TW]

Dark high gloss purple with a chrome splash or better yet a chrome lightning bolt pattern.

"Chrome" is your problem. Chroming is a different process than ano. Doing both on the same part would be an impressive trick.

[p8ntbal4me]

"Chrome" is your problem. Chroming is a different process than ano. Doing both on the same part would be an impressive trick.


He has a point.

In order to chrome a piece,... you have to nickle plate it first. Im not sure if the masking will handle that process.

[TwilightG]

It could be polished and clear anodized. Not quite the same as chrome but similar look.

[hill160881]

The guy from PK said they would have to polish and clear ano it, then do the purple. He said he could not guarantee the results from piece to piece(Especially the valve).

The other option is a dust ultra white with dust black accents.
He said he could make me very happy with this option and it would be pretty cheep(compared to any glossier finish)


What about dark purple with silver splash? is this possible?