Diy electro plating kits

[Dauthi]

Dunno if anyone has put this up before but a little searching found these kits for small parts!

Caswell Inc. - Plug N' Plate® Brush Plating Systems

Thinking of doing the black krome on the ends of my Mako, but their stuff would seem to be useful for many mod designs. Not bad for the prices either.

 

[Para]

Check the plating thickness of that method before spending the $$$$. The plating from cheap kits wear off in no time at all.

 

[AttyPops]

Yeah, all those brush on kits will only put on a thin layer at a time.... ?? Just do more layers?? The liquid is expensive but you can shop around. Some kits are the immersion type and would build up better. Lacquer coating where applicable may help the wear issue.

I've been looking at em for silver/gold plating of a copper mod. But don't really have the budget to experiment with em. FYI - there are youtube vids about at-home zinc plating using pennies and vinegar- lol. I played with it but was not impressed. I did get a thin coat on copper end caps using connections on my 5 V direct PT! It was fun to play with. lol.

You can "burn" it if you get the anode and cathode too close... it builds up black oxidized "gunk".

I'd go with the pre-made liquid and shop around. It all depends on how much money you want to spend and whether or not it is worth it to you.

Liquid prices vary, I think gold prices effect it and gold is at a real high right now. Silver is usually much more cost effective. Some of the chemicals in those liquids are nasty too....

All just my 2 cents. Let us know how it comes out!

P.S. Your local jeweler will often plate stuff for you .............

 

[Rocketman]

I used the caswell hard chrome brush kit to plate trigger workings of a firearm then burnished all contact areas. Put down several passes over wear areas. Not bad for DIY

 

[Jim211]

I electroplated a few projects over the years. Basically you use a car battery and put one end on the metal you want to plate and the other, think postive end, on the object you want to plate. It does work but faster if you add baking soda to your electrolyte. Its old school stuff but it works put metal in water/baking soda solution and item you want to plate on postive side.. i think could be reverse.. its been a while . Just know it works because I have done it just been a while.

 

[Dauthi]

I had figured that multiple layers were going to be the way to go. The brush on approach appealed to me because I could plate the visible areas and not mess with the tolerances inside the switch and such. I'll have to do more research of course.

 

[Para]

My first career was a jeweler...it's not like adding layers like paint; there's a lot more to it. All you can achieve with those kits is decorative, you'll have to clear coat the item for it to last.

 

[AttyPops]

My first career was a jeweler...it's not like adding layers like paint; there's a lot more to it. All you can achieve with those kits is decorative, you'll have to clear coat the item for it to last.

+1, sounds like he knows. The pro shops use dip tanks (and really nasty chems). What do the jewelers do? If he takes it to a jeweler is it the same wear issue? Or do they do it better?

 

[Para]

+1, sounds like he knows. The pro shops use dip tanks (and really nasty chems). What do the jewelers do? If he takes it to a jeweler is it the same wear issue? Or do they do it better?

...only if the jeweler has the proper equipment and expertise and few do. Most jewlers limit their plating to rhodium; anything else and they're probably lost. Basically you have to prep the surface, put on several base plating layers in prep for the final plating process, and then have the equipment that can handle the current that's necessary to drive the suspended material onto the surface. Screw up any step along the way and you've got a big mess. Do everything correctly with a cheapie plating kit and you'll have to repeat the process every week or so.

 

[Rocketman]

It's not really that bad. The brush kits serve a purpose. The gold can resurface PC board contacts, done that many times.

I did the trigger on a couple of S&W Model 19's. Flame hardened carbon steel and had to redo it about 6000 rounds later.
Sure not as durable as a dip tank. But it does serve a purpose.