I was wondering id anyone has tried zinc plating small items such as bolts and screws at home. Here in the UK you can buy a kit to do the job which is quite inexpensive.
I would love to hear from anyone who has tried themselves.
Many Thanks
David
Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
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- John Brooks
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
David
I do it, its not too hard to set up, I have done Copper, Nickel and Zink. You need pure alloy Anodes for the best finish, eBay has them and Youtube (home electroplating) has a bunch of videos on how to do it. The DC power supply and chemicals are not too hard to find. You can set up a plating station for small parts like bolts and brackets for about $150.00~200.00. Its not too hard and is allot of fun saving the original parts.
I do it, its not too hard to set up, I have done Copper, Nickel and Zink. You need pure alloy Anodes for the best finish, eBay has them and Youtube (home electroplating) has a bunch of videos on how to do it. The DC power supply and chemicals are not too hard to find. You can set up a plating station for small parts like bolts and brackets for about $150.00~200.00. Its not too hard and is allot of fun saving the original parts.
John Brooks
62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965
62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965
- Dan Kalinski
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
+1 on what John has to say.
The following is a U Tube video from "Mike M" who is restoring a 911 and is doing a masterful job. In this video, he discusses the Castwell products for plating.
https://youtu.be/hTupOgImpWo
Happy New Year.
The following is a U Tube video from "Mike M" who is restoring a 911 and is doing a masterful job. In this video, he discusses the Castwell products for plating.
https://youtu.be/hTupOgImpWo
Happy New Year.
- Harlan Halsey
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
Check out the Eastwood Zn plating kit. I have been using one for a few years now and it works well, powered by a couple of D cells.
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
Dan, the video is inspirational thank you.
Is it possible to chrome small parts in the same way?
David
Is it possible to chrome small parts in the same way?
David
- John Brooks
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
David
Chrome really takes three coatings, copper, nickle and then chrome.
The castwell kits are not too expensive, you can assemble your own for 1/2 their cost, but they are turnkey and pre-assembled. They make good stuff.
You can do the Copper and Nickle at home pretty easy. The top coat of chrome is a little harder and the chemicals have cyanide in them and that makes it a little harder to handle. I grind the pits, then fill them with a solder, sand and smooth. Then I copper plate and then sand and polish. When I get it back to the surface I want in copper, then nickle plate over that, polish that coat, clean it wrap it in tissue. Then take it to a chrome platter to do the top coating. That only takes a few minutes and cuts the cost of re-plating to about 15% of the cost of having the platter do it all the work. I have the hangers and everything ready for the final coating. The guy I use can turn a part around in a hour or so after I drop it off.
Most of the platters cost is in the labor for filling, polishing and sanding. The pot metal parts like door handles and front turn signals are a real pain since the little dots are actually exfoliated deep into the metal, the little pits become caverns. Filling them takes patience but it is all doable.
Chrome really takes three coatings, copper, nickle and then chrome.
The castwell kits are not too expensive, you can assemble your own for 1/2 their cost, but they are turnkey and pre-assembled. They make good stuff.
You can do the Copper and Nickle at home pretty easy. The top coat of chrome is a little harder and the chemicals have cyanide in them and that makes it a little harder to handle. I grind the pits, then fill them with a solder, sand and smooth. Then I copper plate and then sand and polish. When I get it back to the surface I want in copper, then nickle plate over that, polish that coat, clean it wrap it in tissue. Then take it to a chrome platter to do the top coating. That only takes a few minutes and cuts the cost of re-plating to about 15% of the cost of having the platter do it all the work. I have the hangers and everything ready for the final coating. The guy I use can turn a part around in a hour or so after I drop it off.
Most of the platters cost is in the labor for filling, polishing and sanding. The pot metal parts like door handles and front turn signals are a real pain since the little dots are actually exfoliated deep into the metal, the little pits become caverns. Filling them takes patience but it is all doable.
John Brooks
62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965
62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965
- Matthew Devereux
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
This guy also has a nice set-up for zinc and yellow zinc plating. He has been doing it awhile and has some good tips. He says it cost him about $1000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmn94B5 ... gAmQzNKmpw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmn94B5 ... gAmQzNKmpw
Matthew Devereux
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'00 Boxster S
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Re: Has anyone experience of Zinc plating at home
Matthew,
Thanks for another great video.
Looking forward to having a go.
David
Thanks for another great video.
Looking forward to having a go.
David