Guypie Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Has anyone set up a homejob electroplating rig? It doesnt seem too hard to do zinc or nickel plating I was just wondering if anyone here had actually tried it. I have tried electrolytic cleaning, it worked ok ish, good for cleaning motorbike gas tanks but not much else. I found an instructable for nickel using vinegar www.instructables.com/id/High-Quality-and-safe-Nickel-Plating/step7/Common-Questions/ And read up on zinc plating a while back and have been stashing away zinc stuff that i find ever since Any result pictures would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOHC Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 We use to do this at uni tec, I am not sure of the chemicals we used but it used a car battery and a big slide variable capacitor, we were doing nickel plating, it only took a few mins for it to work, had to start the amps low then build them up or it would turn black. You don't really want to have the shit you do chrome plating with around your house, its toxic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guypie Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Yeah wasnt really wanting to do chrome, from what i have seen its about a 50 step process too. Screw that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danger Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I've been meaning to try parkerising firearms parts in the lab with a DIY manganese solution. Looks pretty easy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taistorm Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I used to do my own zinc plating through Tony at Lynchbuilt Engineering. 3 tubs setup, wouldnt be able to tell you about any further details haha has been a few years and have shithouse memory. I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about the setup if you give him a call. Can find his details here http://www.lynchbuilt.co.nz.Pretty awesome but very tedious and patient job. Components must be very clean for a nice finish (we would bead blast the bits and pieces beforehand) and shadows during the electroplating process will cause failure so the bigger the tubs (depending on what you're plating) the better.If you touch the components with your fingers the grease will cause the plating to look like balls.From memory the first tub had some type of acid, second had a cleaning formula and third was the electroplating tub.We would dunk the bead blasted components into the first tub for a second then leave it in the second for a few minutes. Once that was done would leave them in the plating tub for a few hours. Once this was done the components would come out and dunked into the gold passivate for1min to give it the awesome finish.Wish I could be more descriptive but yeah nah haha, it's been too long.Chur,Tai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kws Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I used to do my own zinc plating through Tony at Lynchbuilt Engineering. 3 tubs setup, wouldnt be able to tell you about any further details haha has been a few years and have shithouse memory. I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about the setup if you give him a call. Can find his details here http://www.lynchbuilt.co.nz. Pretty awesome but very tedious and patient job. Components must be very clean for a nice finish (we would bead blast the bits and pieces beforehand) and shadows during the electroplating process will cause failure so the bigger the tubs (depending on what you're plating) the better. If you touch the components with your fingers the grease will cause the plating to look like balls. From memory the first tub had some type of acid, second had a cleaning formula and third was the electroplating tub. We would dunk the bead blasted components into the first tub for a second then leave it in the second for a few minutes. Once that was done would leave them in the plating tub for a few hours. Once this was done the components would come out and dunked into the gold passivate for 1min to give it the awesome finish. Wish I could be more descriptive but yeah nah haha, it's been too long. Chur, Tai Many years ago i worked as an electroplater and you're pretty close on what we used to do. IIRC to zinc plate is was; Hot wash > rinse > acid dip to activate > rinse > zinc tank > rinse > passivate if required > rinse The chemicals were VERY nasty stuff (the acid was sulfuric and hydrochloric, and we had a potassium cyanide tank too) and it was bad enough working with them at work (daily nose bleeds etc) let alone having any of that stuff around the house. The zinc plating part is the easy and safest part. I dont know if there is a home alternative to activating the metal in acid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taistorm Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 ^^ Hit the nail on the head. Hydrochloric and sulphuric! Fully forgot about the rinsing as well haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Can anyone accurately describe the galvinising process? Having some quality issues at work with the stuff we get done and I'm keen to know what's acceptable. (eg what is the yellow stuff) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thought I might have a go at this for some motorbike bits like screws levers etc.. The idea is to set up a couple of small baths for small bits and pieces using 20l containers so I can put the lids back on them and store them safely and use them as I need them. Just starting to get some bits together, have a small omron controller, power supply, small tanks and some anodes for both so far, a mate might be able to lend me a polisher and wheels/consumables for a nice finish. Did anyone else end up having a crack at this? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I recall slacker.cam did this somewhere. Edit: //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/30295-cams-toyota-ae86-trueno-racecar/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks, that's exactly what I want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Well here's a heads up, high tensile bolts must no be dipped in hydrochloric/ sulphuric acid as it changes their structure and weakens their tensile strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOHC Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 The whole electroplating process causes hydrogen entitlement, motorcycle wheel spokes must be baked in an oven to drive out the hydrogen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Don't you mean hydrogen embrittlement (spelling might be off) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Possibly Warned not to do it by an electroplater, he mumbled something like that. So you can reverse it by baking? I have a feeling that some of the quad bike bolts could have been HT and had already done it before being told this.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOHC Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yes hydrogen embitterment, spell check changed it for me. if you heat the parts to 120 degrees C you can drive it out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostchips Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Possibly Warned not to do it by an electroplater, he mumbled something like that. So you can reverse it by baking? I have a feeling that some of the quad bike bolts could have been HT and had already done it before being told this.. Just cook them with your normal food. It's not quite as bad as they say. Unless you're building high performance brakes of course. Domestic quad bike, no worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 From memory..it causes pockets of hydrogen to build up under the surface and expand, causing tears 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Pretty much, nice simple read here, glad me mentioned it ! "The release of hydrogen atoms into a metal causes them to pool in microscopic flaws and tears. Individual atoms bond to form molecular hydrogen, which is then under pressure to escape and drives greater cracks into the metal. Eventually, the metal will blister and become brittle." http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/stopping-hydrogen-embrittlement/engineering 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 BTW, setting up a simple acid zinc setup, nice and easy and the electroplater is going to set the whole thing up for me so I can zinc away until my heart's content... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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