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Electroplating Rose

Hi,
I run a plastic electroplating & electroforming company in New Delhi, India. I have a requirement to plate flowers like Rose, Carnations, etc. The problem is that the roses are flimsy n applying any sort of conducting coating, kind of wilts the rose and also they are unstable in the plating tank. Please suggest.

Rahul Kakkar

2006

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Plating of delicate one-of-a-kind flowers is a craftsman's art more than fodder for a production plater's tanks, so you may not find all of the answers expressed in words, Rahul. Still, the first hurdle seems to be that you need to lacquer the flowers before applying the conductive coating.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006

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Thanks Mr. Ted, I was thinking on the same lines too. Of finding a lacquer to harden the flower...but I am unable to find such to obtain immediate hardness. I tried wax, but the results were not too consistent.Though it bought me closer to the attainable finish. Please suggest any form of lacquer or paint.
Thanks.

Rahul Kakkar

2006

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I am not a lacquering expert, but I do know that this is done with multiple very thin coats of a spray lacquer.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006