|
|
|
|
Hello My name is Ray (for short)
I have a few questions about starting a plating business.
I understand that most people warn off Home brew set ups which I can understand. I'm not here to argue setting one up at home but I was wondering is there safe alternate chemicals to work with? I was reading on some of these home starter set up sites where you could buy environment safe products like an imitation chrome. Is this really safe for us and the environment or is it a smoke screen? I'm just needing something right now to plate on plastic parts as far as chrome is concerned. Then I read where there is Gold plating kits without poisonous gases to deal with or is that BS also? Now if I set one up whether at home or a shop is there a economy version of a waste management system? I mean if I have to open a shop in order to plate I think I should start small and see if it will catch on. I don't want to sink a 100,000 into something that may not catch on and be out a ton of money. I understand there are no guaranties in starting a business but I just think losing 5-10k is better than 100,000.00.
Speaking of waste systems--
Does a system that evaporates the water worth a flip? Its left with a slug type material stored in drums that is picked up by a waste disposal company?
I also hear this Odessa, Tx spill a lot in regards to a home brew set ups, is there a link etc to this? My town gets its water basically from the same place as Odessa and I've never heard of this before. Since I'm in Odessa a lot is there some sort of records office I could pop in and take a look at the case? I just would like to know as much about what I'm up against if I choose to start my own plating business.
I also have been thinking of Anodizing and wondered how I go about finding someone who could safely dispose of the old acid? I hear people say that a local disposal company wouldn't relieve you of any responsibilities as fair as the EPA is concerned? Also can't the acid just be neutralized and not cause any damage when disposing of it?
Thanks for your time and replies whether it's good or a flamer.
Raymond Hayes
Student - Midland, Texas
|
++++ Avoiding real chrome is always a good idea if the chemicals will not be managed by trained professionals, but any electroplating that you sell as a survive or as a plated part makes you subject to EPA 40 CFR 433 waste disposal permitting requirements, Raymond. It's on line if you want to read it. Evaporation is probably okay as a rule, but still requires permits. Further, it is best not to mix wastes, so you might need a bunch of different evaporators. Plating on plastic is a complicated procedure, however, so you might consider a chrome-like paint for your plastic, such as offered by Alsa or Gold Touch. These have come a long way in the last few years, and some OEM automobiles now come with chrome-like paint on the wheels rather than real plating. The Odessa superfund site was not a "home brew set up", but it was a chrome plating shop operating out of a large double garage. The liability for costs case was tried in the Federal courthouse in Midland there; I was involved. Here is one article about the Odessa case that I found on-line. Just as it was once thought safe to take drums of chemicals and bury them, and the people who did it 40 years ago are paying the costs of those wastes, today's disposal methods may not suit the citizens of tomorrow. One problem is that you are responsible for the waste forever.
++++ No plating system is environmentally safe! Some are worse than others, namely chrome and cyanide based systems. Evaporation only slightly works. eventually you get so much "salt" in it that it virtually will not evaporate and is a miserable mess to clean. They are more functional where you only need to reduce the liquid level and plow back the filtered concentrate into the plating tank. This will eventually kill the plating tank tho. (unless and except). Plating is fully as much an art as a science. Who do you plan to learn from? You will require a lab of sorts to control your tanks. Are you a chemist or an experienced lab tech? Read the fine print of any "hobby" system!! It will say" dispose of all material in accordance with local, state and federal regulations". Some implied information is flat out illegal. You will be fine until someone finds out about your operation or you have an angry customer that turns you in. Fines typically are from $500 to $5,000 per offense, per day, plus costs. Something as simple as an unlabeled haz waste tank or a label without a start date or a disposal record can bring many days fines if they chose. AND multiple levels of government can levy fines. Lastly, it is a dirty nasty business. James Watts |
|
|
Save
This Page (why?) - Home - ©1995-2009 finishing.com
