"Best" BCG

[ABNAK]

I think people tend to loose their reference when they start to look at pictures magnified to to where features smaller than 1 μm (0.00004 inch) are visible.

The nodular formation does make it appear that Nickel-Boron coatings are "porous", but then the hard chromium plating shown in the third image also shows porosity. And, the fourth image shows the micro-cracking present in all hard chromium plating, very bad for fatigue resistance. The porosity and the cracking are what make these two coatings good at what they do. They trap lubricants. Electroless Nickel coatings do not stay as bright and shiny as chrome plating, but fears of carbon build-up and eventual clogging of the action are just silly.

I wasn't inferring that was the case, just that the NiB coating has not exactly been popular here, and the "darkening" (pores filling with carbon) was one of the reasons if I'm not mistaken.

Personally, if given my druthers, either a high-quality hard chrome finish (like DD for instance) or the CC Mystic Black would be my choices. Not bashing phosphate ones, just stating what I would choose over others.

[DwayneZ]

And, the fourth image shows the micro-cracking present in all hard chromium plating, very bad for fatigue resistance. The porosity and the cracking are what make these two coatings good at what they do. They trap lubricants.

Well, you need to explain further.

Under the scope at that very high magnification, the cracks and pores seen are many times smaller than the magnification (assuming magnification is fov). With cracks and pores that small, how does a fairly large/long molecule of lube get "stuck" there?

[DwayneZ]

Where the keys finished in FZ too? I think I installed my key because it's phosphate.

Yes, all the parts were treated. IIRC even the screws, but I would need to verify it.

[DwayneZ]

Isn't NiB (like the FZ) actually porous when looked at REAL closely? i.e. under a magnifying glass or microscope? IIRC that is the reason they have been bashed here on M4C as they tend to fill in those pores with carbon. Never owned a NiB BCG personally, but I recall threads here that were not exactly favorable to that finish.

All materials are "porous" if you can keep cranking up magnification.

There has to be some sort of relevance in the discussion.

If some pores were big enough to take in some carbon fouling, it could perhaps then shear down and act as a lube.

[markm]

Isn't NiB (like the FZ) actually porous when looked at REAL closely?

For me, I don't know or care what NiB looks like under magnification. All I know was my part was a carbon fouling sponge. It was one of the worst AR items I ever owned.

[lysander]

Well, you need to explain further.

Under the scope at that very high magnification, the cracks and pores seen are many times smaller than the magnification (assuming magnification is fov). With cracks and pores that small, how does a fairly large/long molecule of lube get "stuck" there?

A 'micrometer", or μm or 10^-6 meters

For the first image, the line above "10 μm" is 10 μm long.

For the second image the black bar is 2 μm long.

For the third image the black bar is 50 μm long.

In the fourth set of three images there are 10 dots at the bottom edge, the distance between the dots is 1 μm.

For the last image, the little line in the white box is the scale, the line is 50 μm long.

From the images we can see that the various gaps, unevenness in NiB coating is 1 to 2 μM and cracks in the chromium plating are on similar order of .5 to 1 μm.

Your average oil molecule is on the order of 1.7 x10 ^-10 meters long. So, there is room for 10,000 of them in those 1 μm wide cracks.

[DwayneZ]

A 'micrometer", or μm or 10^-6 meters

For the first image, the line above "10 μm" is 10 μm long.

For the second image the black bar is 2 μm long.

For the third image the black bar is 50 μm long.

In the fourth set of three images there are 10 dots at the bottom edge, the distance between the dots is 1 μm.

For the last image, the little line in the white box is the scale, the line is 50 μm long.

From the images we can see that the various gaps, unevenness in NiB coating is 1 to 2 μM and cracks in the chromium plating are on similar order of .5 to 1 μm.

Your average oil molecule is on the order of 1.7 x10 ^-10 meters long. So, there is room for 10,000 of them in those 1 μm wide cracks.

Good info. Thanks for it.

I did a little looking, some info suggests oil chains are nesr 20-40 Carbon diameters long. This is just the length. So likely much small on the short side of teh chain.
Carbon is around 1.54A diameter.

If I use 30 length, this is about 46.2A, or 0.00462um

So yep, small enough to fit in.

[vicious_cb]

For me, I don't know or care what NiB looks like under magnification. All I know was my part was a carbon fouling sponge. It was one of the worst AR items I ever owned.

Pretty much, Ive heard of zero people who make their purchasing decisions based on the electron microscopy image of their bolt coating. What I do is know is its always the garbage bottom tier bolt mfgs who tend to chose NiB over the other platings like NP3 or Chrome. Then there are numerous reports like yours of NiB bolts and carriers sh**ting the bed more often than other types of platings and coatings. To me thats called a clue. I won't touch a NiB bolt with a 10ft pole.

[DwayneZ]

Pretty much, Ive heard of zero people who make their purchasing decisions based on the electron microscopy image of their bolt coating. What I do is know is its always the garbage bottom tier bolt mfgs who tend to chose NiB over the other platings like NP3 or Chrome. Then there are numerous reports like yours of NiB bolts and carriers sh**ting the bed more often than other types of platings and coatings. To me thats called a clue. I won't touch a NiB bolt with a 10ft pole.

Before I went to FZ, I did go digging online to find pros and cons, and I not finding much in the way of NiB collecting crap over time.

Can you share some links or articles on this issue?

[e z money]

Are Noveske and Tool Craft BCG any good? I am thinking about buying one. How do they compare to BCM?