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Copper plating of lead

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Lead shot has been copper plated for many years. Now, lead bullets are copper plated. How do you plate copper onto lead?

Thank you.

Wayne M. Godfrey
hobbyist - Westford, Massachusetts

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Hi, Wayne. One thing you need to do is to treat the lead with hydrofluoric acid -- the single chemical which probably most frightens trained professional platers. Don't even think about plating onto lead in a hobbyist environment unless you've had special training in it please! What do you wish to copper plate and to what end? Thanks.

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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There is a mechanical process for plating copper on lead projectiles. This involves no cyanide and no electroplating. It is a variation of mechanical plating and uses a special technique to get a uniform, bright, adherent copper deposit.

Arnold Satow
- New City, New York

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March 7, 2011

Thanks Arnold.

Mechanical plating sounds like the way to go.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey