DIY Electro Plating

[Shox Dr]

Has anyone got a DIY electro plating kit.






(I'm sure I've seen a thread on here but a search came up blank.)

 

[MattF]

To plate with what metal?

 

[Shox Dr]

der sorry. Zinc

 

[danelectro]

Yeah I got one a while back,got mine from Gateros Plating.....quite good, but I'd recommend you get a good power supply if you're going to do it. And as with all these things a little practice is needed!!

 

[BrokenBiker]

anyone done any nickel plating?

I have a nickel coated air rifle barrel that needs re-doing

 

[Burdekin]

anyone done any nickel plating?

I have a nickel coated air rifle barrel that needs re-doing

Yep but with mixed success. I have the Gateros kit also and added to it. Like danelectro says a good power source is a advantage and also a mate came up with a better agitator which gave good results. Some materials are just a PITA to do but some others work a treat.I found it very much a trail and error process.

The rear light reflector didn't go so well, the cap was better but I've got to work things out more before I'd be really happy with the results. And a pic of the kit in action when I first got it.

 

[anjum]

Thanks, I notice that they also do a brush "replica chrome kit" anyone used this?

 

[Shox Dr]

6yrs on... and I’m still no closer to home plating.

Done a bit of research and a saturated solution of Epsom salt in 5% white vinegar, works well. With a 12v battery charger for a power source. Using pure zinc foil as anode

Any pointers? Heat? Is there an optium voltage/ampage?

 

[Slowcoach]

I tried the white vinegar/salt and the only time I got a decent result was putting a copper fitting in and plating that. On theother pieces I tried the ‘plating’ was more like metal flake and just scraped off. Might have been lack of proper prep but I have since got a classic plating kit but haven’t had another try yet.

 

[Dcal]

I've done a bit and as said it takes a bit of practice to get good results.

The Workshop Practice book on plating is a good start (book 11) and there is a lot of info on the internet.
Classic Plating has some good online guides. You don't have to buy the kits from them but it cuts out a lot of the work if you get a ready made kit of the materials.
https://www.classic-plating.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Tank-SetUp-Pdf.pdf

The prep and cleanliness is everything, also the voltage and current has a huge effect on the end results.

 

[Kayos]

6yrs on... and I’m still no closer to home plating.

Done a bit of research and a saturated solution of Epsom salt in 5% white vinegar, works well. With a 12v battery charger for a power source. Using pure zinc foil as anode

Any pointers? Heat? Is there an optium voltage/ampage?

Geoffrey Crocker on YouTube has a great video, using simple chemicals

 

[lchris21]

have recently dabbled with good results. bought some bright nickle plating solution from youplate.co.uk plus various cleaning, pickling solutions etc. Years of losing bits and pieces in the my local platers plus the weeks of nagging and waiting drove me too it. Only tried a few small items but results so far are good. Like any surface finish its all in the clean and prep......you can't polish a ####. Slow process due to the clean and prep bit but strangely satisfying. Ive since modified my setup and played with it a bit, now using a baby bottle warmer to keep the solution at 60deg as opposed to the heat of the ultrasonic cleaner in the picture. Going to put a step by step up when I get round to it, as a few people have asked.

Im no expert, by any means but watch a load of youtube videos......

 

[Shox Dr]

Did you copper plate them first?

 

[lchris21]

no.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Why not simple enough to do.



Copper sulphate from the Bay of Fleas. I have made my own.

Then a simple set up.
Here you can see me plating a bolt for a "Nut And Bolt Chess set" I made
This was a trail to see if it worked.

 

[Shox Dr]

ISTR copper plating first has a few benefits, namely

Fills pitting
Nickle has better adhesion to copper
Copper acts as a cushion, helping to percent flaking of the nickle/chrome finish

 

[the snooper]

6yrs on... and I’m still no closer to home plating.

Done a bit of research and a saturated solution of Epsom salt in 5% white vinegar, works well. With a 12v battery charger for a power source. Using pure zinc foil as anode

Any pointers? Heat? Is there an optium voltage/ampage?

6 yrs Rome wasn't built in a day like a lot of things on here while it's a good idea in our head we just don't get round to doing it

 

[Shox Dr]

6 yrs Rome wasn't built in a day like a lot of things on here while it's a good idea in our head we just don't get round to doing it

I’ve got just round to buying the tube for holding welding rods, I started thinking about that ‘project’ over 10yrs ago

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/best-selection-of-rods-for-a-workshop.22172/#post-243254

 

[the snooper]

I’ve got just round to buying the tube for holding welding rods, I started thinking about that ‘project’ over 10yrs ago

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/best-selection-of-rods-for-a-workshop.22172/#post-243254

Well you had to think it out, didn't want to get it wrong

 

[Barlidge]

I’ve got just round to buying the tube for holding welding rods, I started thinking about that ‘project’ over 10yrs ago

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/best-selection-of-rods-for-a-workshop.22172/#post-243254

haha maybe I'm not the only whose projects seem to be those that time forgot