Letter 13016

Electroplating equipment and supplies information 

I got some good info here, but still have a question or two about electroplating. I'm a train guy (Lionel) I want to nickel plate and/or chrome small items, eg connecting rods and boiler parts on the engines.

I can buy a regulated DC power supply (1.5 - 8.5 volts) @ 20 amp max., fully adjustable. Is this ok to use for my small projects?

Which is better for my needs, brush or dip plating?

What all will I need for each process. ie cleaners, activators, rinses, plating medium, and anything else needed that I don't know about yet, (I'm really new to this) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Joe Geiser
- Swoyersville, PA, USA

I, too, have these same questions about nickel plating small items (for me, it's expensive brass door handsets). I didn't see how I access any answers to the previous question--??

Thank you--

Melanie Sparks
- Sallisaw, OK 74955

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Ed. note: Hello Melanie. Although this site is supported by advertisers who may contact Mr. Geiser or yourself in private, it's basically a public forum; if someone somewhere chooses to answer a posting we post their answer. If they don't, they don't. The answer to your question may be different than the answer to Mr. Geiser's.

In answer to Mr. Geiser, I infer that he is an avid hobbyist with a continual need to plate small items, who may be willing and eager to devote months or years to learning the art. He should look to our supporting advertisers like Gold Touch for hobby plating supplies, and to our "must have" booklist to learn about plating.

In answer to you, I'm guessing that you don't want to make a lifelong hobby of plating door handsets, but just want to get them plated. In that case the answer is that it would take you months or years to learn enough to do a good job and you might prefer to know that there are plating jobshops who offer this service to consumers listed in our Jobshops Directory and in local yellow pages. Good luck!

Post a question on a different subject.

 

Answer or follow-up on this subject (in non-commercial fashion).