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Q&As since 1989


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Plating Onto Mirror Stainless...NOT a Cakewalk

I'm pleased to be here with the pros. Thanks for the opportunity. I am anticipating plating various metals onto 301 Stainless plates for sale (art), however, this stainless has a #10 (ultra-high polished mirror finish) surface, and I have lots of it to use.

Interestingly, however, this metal is NOT to be touched with hands or brush, my work being conducted in a very clean-room type environment (it scratches very easily) Here's the dilemma for but pros:

This mirror finish is partly due to a thick coat of wax. Unfortunately, you can't plate on wax! Unless I SCRUB the dickens out of the plate with first a solvent, then TSP [trisodium phosphate [on eBay or Amazon]], then give it an acid wash (HNO3) (the first two resulting in destruction of the mirror finish), I cannot plate for beans! No plating will stick otherwise.

How can I clean off this mystery wax WITHOUT touching the stainless (even dust particles in the air rubbed onto such a finish with the finest cotton will scratch it, ruining the work). I know there's a magic bullet out there somewhere!

Thanks Folks,

DANIEL RIQUE
art - STUDIO CITY, California
2003

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If the wax is the only problem, Daniel, it can be removed in a vapor degreaser.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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Followed by a cathodic etching in 20 cc/lit of H2SO4.

Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2003

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Not aware of "wax residuals" on mirror polished stainless steel surfaces. Are you sure it's not adhesives from the removal of the protective PVC/PE films?

Michael Liu Taylor
specialty stainless steel distributor - Dallas, Texas
2004