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Copper Plating Aluminum - DIY Possible?

March 5, 2009

So, I have several somewhat large piece of aluminum paneling that I would like to plate with a very shiny layer of copper. From doing a lot of reading on this site, it seems as though plating it is not as easy as with other metals - basic immersion's not going to give me a high luster layer, electroplating with an acidic solution may not bind without a strike layer, and I don't know if I'm really up for doing a cyanide bath at home.

The pieces are mostly very flat - two do have rolled corners that would need to be plated, the other two are nice & flat panels. Total surface area is approximately 6 sq. ft - with the two flat panels taking up about 2 sq ft each, and the remaining 2 panels each 1 sq. ft.

Getting a large enough immersion bath isn't that difficult, but from my looking around online, it seems somewhat expensive to do for just something I'd be doing once.

Am I missing something, or over-thinking it? If no, does anyone know what the approximate cost would be if I took it to a professional plater?

Joe Tynan
Hobbyist - Seattle, Washington, USA