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


-----

Gold plating issue

I am learning jewellery plating in 18k any one can tell me why there is no consistency is there any thumb rule to get the correct plating.Please help me so.

Ravi Chandavarkar
plating shop employee - Mumbai, India
February 29, 2008

---

First of two simultaneous responses --

There is consistency in gold plating, but only as long as the bath is in specification. The bath will have its own characteristics depending on its composition. The governing rule in all electrolytic metal deposition is Faraday's Law - you must understand Faraday's Law before you can hope to understand anything too technical about electroplating.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
February 29, 2008

---

Second of two simultaneous responses --

Because it is an art as well as a science. Big shops take fantastic care of their solutions and have trained operators that follow established procedures or they are unemployed.
My guess is that your tank is a bit small for the amount of work that you are trying to put thru it. I will also guess that you do not have a complete and high quality lab.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
February 29, 2008

Tell us, please, more about your system.

Jose Castellanos
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 6, 2008