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Anodising or plating on steel

My first question- is the gold colored coating of steel products such as hydraulic fittings and fastenings a form of anodising?

Second question- How do I achieve this process of plating in a diy environment?

Any help on this would be very helpful with a project I have in which I would like to make some grit-blasted fittings from an engine look like new.

Antony Cole
- Devon, England

No. This is a chromate conversion coating on top of zinc plating or cadmium plating. The original equipment may have been cadmium plated, but that's a no-go for almost everytone today, let alone a diy-er. Go with the zinc plating. But be aware that the plating industry is job shop oriented and there are shops who could do this for you.
pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

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