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Post by vance on Jun 18, 2022 15:37:31 GMT -8
I thought this might be a fun topic for the board. I'll be the dummy!
I'm looking into nickel plating parts myself. I have a friend who is a great plater, but he's very busy and can't get around to my little projects as quickly as I'd like sometimes. It's not a problem when it's my stuff, but I've sent some things to him for others, and....
No problem! Why don't I just plate them myself!
I've collected the acid, vinegar, etc., ordered the nickel plate, modded the power supply, and now I'm watching lots of YouTube videos.
This ought to be interesting!
If it works good enough, it'll be awesome.
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Post by antique diver on Jun 19, 2022 7:49:05 GMT -8
Looking forward to hearing about your plating results!
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 19, 2022 8:02:48 GMT -8
My wife and I went to an old camping gear get together a few years ago: one of the guys was, as I recall, using a car battery powered by a couple of solar cells and the acid-bath was held in Tupperware...  JB |
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Post by vance on Jun 19, 2022 11:07:15 GMT -8
I'm using a 5 volt power brick set up with alligator clips. Tupperware is good, but glass better. Vinegar and salt makes up the solution, and acid is used to clean the parts of any oils and contaminants. It's a pretty simple setup.
I ordered some nickel sheet to make the anode and cathode strips, so it won't get cranked up until that gets here. Didn't pay close enough attention to the delivery schedule, and it might not arrive until July.
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 19, 2022 12:51:46 GMT -8
So how do you dispose of the acid/salt solution? Nickle is pretty toxic stuff, doesn't it stay in solution after the plating process?
JB
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Post by vance on Jun 19, 2022 15:47:45 GMT -8
It does. I'll reuse the solution as many times as possible. Disposal is always a problem, but the local Recology toxic waste drop-off will take it.
Where it goes from there? Your guess is as good as mine. The muriatic acid is more my concern.....
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Post by vance on Jun 20, 2022 14:51:19 GMT -8
I just bought some nickel rods and an adjustable power supply. I need the power supply for other projects, so wth.
These should come in a couple of days.
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 21, 2022 8:09:04 GMT -8
PY, do a little research about this, but: if you combine an acid and a base you're supposed to get a saltwater solution. So, what if you "get rid" of your muriatic acid by adding baking soda?
JB
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Post by vance on Jun 21, 2022 10:52:35 GMT -8
Yes, neutralizing the acid will produce an inert solution. The acid is a small part of the process though. It's the nickel bath that is toxic and will need some kind of handling.
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Post by vance on Jun 23, 2022 14:57:30 GMT -8
I spent most of today reviewing instructions on electroplating, and assembling my setup. Not too hard, but I want to be sure I'm doing it properly.
Results depend on many factors, but I'm not trying to attain show car chrome plating, just corrosion resistance. I'm not doing any polishing. Instead, the focus is on cleaning the parts to get rid of oils, residues of any kind, and the like. You must clean off whatever might interfere with the nickel bond. I put the parts in the sonic cleaner, then dipped them in diluted hydrochloric acid to etch.
My solution isn't as strong as I'd like, b/c I used nickel rods instead of thin sheets. It took a long time to get a mild solution, but I'm going to try anyway. The good news is, the more you use the solution the stronger it gets.
My first attempt is with my Dacor IP adjuster parts. These consist of a nut, a bolt, and a washer. There's 3 sets in the solution right now. Plating is happening, and I'm going to let it go for another 30 minutes. I have the voltage set at 3-ish volts and about .25 amp amp, so it might take a long time to get a good layer.
Results later.
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Post by vance on Jun 23, 2022 17:15:08 GMT -8
Plating is forming, but too thin. I'm not getting enough of a layer. I might need to bolster the solution before going ahead.
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Post by vance on Jun 24, 2022 16:57:31 GMT -8
So, I got some results. Not the best, but I'm going to dial it in. The parts are plated, somewhat rough, but I didn't finish the surfaces. I plated some Dacor IP adjuster mods, and they are ok, if thin. I'll post photos when results are more acceptable.
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Post by h2operations on Jun 25, 2022 7:08:10 GMT -8
I was taught by and inherited plating equipment from a vintage airplane re-finisher. The main things are making sure you have a good base and you polish between layers. This is especially true when going to the chrome layer. You will find that it it does not take a lot of metal to plate. Your nickel will last a while. I am sure you are aware that you can reverse your polarity and strip an item as well to recover the metal. Are you using acid or a nickel sulfate solution in your bath?
You may see better results from a nickel sulfate solution than the acids. Same with Copper Sulfate solution when putting down your base layer. Copper
**** Make sure you do it in a well ventilated area.******** One of the reason most plating is done in other countries now is that the chemicals are toxic. |
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Post by vance on Jun 25, 2022 13:12:42 GMT -8
I made a nickel sulfate solution. I need to experiment with voltage and amperage to get better results. I think under 3v and about .2 amps on little parts?
I'm not going for a super smooth, shiny surface. I don't want it too slick b/c I'm trying to make the parts look like the rest of the regulator. The plating shows machine marks, etc., on the stock parts. Anything too smooth and shiny will look out of place. I just want good corrosion resistance.
I got the not too smooth part, I just hope the stuff is thick enough.
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