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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Anyone done any plating?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Oct 8 2003, 04:28 PM

I found this site:

http://www.caswellplating.com/

Have you done any home plating - cadmium, yellow chromate, nickel or other?

How easy is it REALLY...? Does it save any money-time-hassle? Seems like it would be a good solution for doing small nuts/bolts etc.

Is the plating of good quality?

Worth trying or better to just take the parts to plating shop?

Posted by: Jeroen Oct 8 2003, 05:04 PM

The last person I remember doing his own plating soon dissapeared into 914 oblivion and was never heard of again... DIRK WRIGHT

So be carefull, you're playing with fire

cheers,

Jeroen

Posted by: ChrisReale Oct 8 2003, 05:39 PM

Wasn't Karl headed down this path a few months ago?

Posted by: Qarl Oct 8 2003, 06:52 PM

I've done it (Copy Cad and Yellow Zinc kit). I bought the 2 gallon and added some additional power packs. Works pretty good, but you DO have to follow the directions and pay attention to temperature and the amperage/voltage/sq cm rules.

What do you wanna know?

Oh, and I did the Caswell Plating stuff!!!!

Posted by: ChrisReale Oct 8 2003, 06:53 PM

OK, Karls crazy, who's next?

Posted by: Qarl Oct 8 2003, 07:08 PM

The zinc plating works really well once you figure out the voltage/amperate/sq cm crap.

The yellow zinc "coloration process" leaves something to be desired.

Also, you have to plate 1 to 4 things at a time unless you invest in better equipment. This can get tedious after a while.

Really you have $150 invested in the kit. I checked with the local plating company and they can do 10 lbs of stuff for like $50.00 in a day or two.

Check the archives for some pictures of what I was able to do.

For those less crazy than me, just bring it to get plated.

Look up Metal Finishing in the phone book.

Posted by: ChrisReale Oct 8 2003, 07:12 PM

I'm just giving you a hard time Karl, I actually think its cool that you gave it a shot

Posted by: Qarl Oct 8 2003, 07:51 PM

I attempted it and was successful (minus my fingerprints)

Attached image(s)

Posted by: redshift Oct 8 2003, 09:37 PM

I can plate things up to about the size of a human arm in length, I only have experience in nickle, silver, and gold, but it's all the sameish.

M

Posted by: maf914 Oct 9 2003, 07:16 AM

Karl's picture has me confused. I remember wondering the same thing when he posted this before in his progress report. Why does the cad plated pivot appear to be smaller than the non-refinished piece? Usually a lighter colored, brighter item appears to be larger?

Mike

Posted by: Qarl Oct 9 2003, 07:58 AM

It's the same size... just an optical illsion due to the flash.