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Paintball Aluminum Plating

 

Hey, I'm coming from the paintball industry and am looking for a unique way to plate my aluminum marker (gun) and accessories. Several interesting, and eye catching looks have come to mind.

The first was what I was told is "Look around at "physical vapor deposition" or "chemical vapor deposition", which are the technical terms for the process".

The second theme I was looking at is "black nickel" I don't have any pictures of the aforementioned, but I do have the formula for the above process; and I had remembered, a long time ago some one asked me how you do black nickel, and I couldn't find my formula. Well, I found it. Of course be careful with this stuff as always.

The electrolyte consists of:
5 oz. Nickel ammonium sulphate [affil links]
3 oz. nickel sulphate
1 oz. zinc sulphate [on eBay or Amazon]
2 oz. sodium sulphocyanate
and 1 gallon water.

Use at room temperature and only 3/4 to 1 volt, any stronger and it ends up a gray color. Items should be heavily copper plated, including brass before applying Black Nickel plating.

Anyways, thanks for your time

James Lindsay
- Fairfield, Connecticut

Anodize in almost any color you wish.

Dale Woika
Surface Conversion Sciences - Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, US