Letter 5955

Need to gold plate over plugged holes in alum plate 

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For optimum electrical conductivity, I need to hard gold plate an aluminum vacuum plate (.5" x 8" x 8") that has been lapped for a very flat and smooth surface on the top. The top of the plate has 300 pin holes (.025) thru the plate. I need to plug up 200 of the holes prior to hard gold plating. The plate is used in a clean room.

Can you advise what method of fill will be compatible with the nickel / gold plating process? I'm hoping not to have to use alum .025 dowels.

thanks, Brent

Brent Cadroit
- San Diego, Cal.

That is one nasty job. So tiny and so many is a relatively small area.

I would check to see if any vendor makes a "pull plug" out of soft silicone. A 0.030 would probably be a proper size.

You can get taper plugs that small, but they are not easy to install.

You can take vinyl tubing,, about ).030 OD, cut the ends on a taper at appropriate lengths and pull these thru. They work, very well, but are more time consuming than a pull plug.

Do you absolutely have to plug them, Could 0.001 oversize and plated do the same thing? I assume that they can not be plated and chased afterwards because of edge burrs.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

I dont have to plug the aluminum block before gold plating.

So, can you advise a gold type filler to fill the holes after the plate has been gold plated?

thanks, Brent

Brent Cadroit
- San Diego, Cal.

I can't speak for James Watts, but I'm certainly lost now, Brent :-)

I don't have even a clue what you are looking for. Please explain what you mean by "I need to plug up 200 of the holes prior to hard gold plating" but "I dont have to plug the aluminum block before gold plating".

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

Me too.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

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