Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

Baseline markup for plating

2007

Re: Brass, Satin Nickel, Bronze plating.

Can anyone give me an idea of what I should "expect" to pay to take plate a raw zinc item?
e.g. If the item cost in raw zinc $0.60 should I expect to pay $1.20 for the plated item?

K Schindler
Buyer - Redlands, California, USA

Perhaps you should, but on the other hand, maybe you should not, most surely, who knows? Ambiguous questions get ambiguous answers.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2007

---

There is no particular relationship between the cost of a zinc diecasting and the cost to plate it. As in many other fields, labor is the highest portion of the cost, and it may cost quite a bit of labor to process a small handful of parts, and almost no extra labor to process a thousand. Sometimes each part must be individually racked, in other cases they can be barrel plated (electroplated in bulk). Also, if you are paying a lot for the diecastings they are probably well prepared mechanically, thus limiting the work the plating shop must do, and minimizing defects like cold shuts; whereas is you paying a minimal amount for the castings, you may have moved much of the prep cost to the plating shop.

I'm sure you'd like just a rough rule of thumb, but I don't think you'll find one. Sorry.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007