Author Topic: Electro-plating (Read 547 times)

Tad Houston · « **on:** April 05, 2006, 06:39:47 AM »

Anyone here know how to electro plate something? I would like to put nickle and or brass on lead.

Thanks, Tad

gunnut69 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2006, 12:30:44 PM »

That's not really a DIY project. The chemicals and materials are dangerous and expensive. There are kits that allow individual to plate small objects with a brush but I've not seen one in years. Brownells has some plating equipment and materials (likely instructions too) if you wish more info.

John Traveler1 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2006, 06:06:50 PM »

gunut69 is right on.

I was an electrochemical hobbyist for several years, and take it from me: cost effective home electrical chemical plating is not feasible.

Brush-plating is about at involved as most do-it-yourselfers get.

Copper plating lead bullets for example, requires constant-motion tumblers, heated solutions, constant monitoring of solution pH, densities, and temperature. Nickle plating requires a base coat of copper.

All the plating chemicals and cleaners are toic, and disposal is regulated by local, state and federal law, with heavy penalties for violation.

You will note that a great majority of plating shops have been put out of business in the last generation, mostly due to the high cost and heavy penalties for hazardous material disposal.

HTH
John

ShadowMover · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2006, 08:47:19 PM »

Are you trying to plate bullets, or something else made of lead? I've done copper on cast wheel weight 44 mags before. Search the cast bullet section for copper plating.

Tad Houston · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:46:47 AM »

Accually i would like to plate lead fishing jigs i cast from wheel weights. I thought thats what the foul-out system was basicaly was- deplating the copper in your bore. Read once where you could make that bore cleaning system yourself for close to pennies.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2006, 06:24:23 AM »

It is in essense but there is a difference. The foulout plating can be easily wiped from the electrode, plating cannot.. In plating the material to be applied is carried in a solution of material(don't remember what) and the negative electrode receives it's coating as the from that source. The electrical flow is provide by a positively charged electrode also inserted into the solution. The foulout system plates from one electrode(the barrel) to another(the bore rod). The solution is fairly innocuous.. The solution used in normal electro plating is far from innocuous! In brush plating the part is charged(minus) and a brush(plus charge) are connected by the plating material in a creamy solution. I've not done it so can't really tell you much more.. Plating is hard to get done. Once most cities had a plater but that day is long gone. The is a shop, in Florida I think, called T&A Refinishing(maybe plating) thagt was succesfuly used by the last shop I worked for. Good luck!

Plink · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2006, 02:39:57 AM »

I've never done any brass plating, but I do electroless nickle and electro gold and silver. If nickle will plate to lead, Caswell Plating and Brownells both sells a good quality electroless plating kit. For doing fishing jigs, it would probably be as simple as just suspending them in the solution for as long as needed. Email Caswell and ask. :-)

Tad Houston · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2006, 05:33:39 AM »

Thanks Mike, Who's caswell and how do i get his email address? Sounds like what i'm looking for.

Plink · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2006, 03:21:38 PM »

They're at www.caswellplating.com

You can email or call to ask about nickle plating lead. They may have the information up already, but I doubt it. They're focused mostly on steel/aluminum, etc. Flash copper might also be an option. Poke around their site and see if anything suits your needs.