No passwords, no registration, no paywalls, no popups, no AI

As an Amazon Associate & eBay Partner we earn from affil links

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

Search our quarter-million Q&As

Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989

-----

Practical to switch tank from zinc to copper plating without dumping?

I'm currently using a hobbyist zinc plating system to re-plate numerous small parts. I've had lots of good luck and wanted to play around with other metals, such as copper. So here's my question. Can I pull out my zinc anodes, install the copper anodes and de-contaminate the solution by plating a dummy piece?

Charles Stence
Restorer - Indiantown, FL, USA
October 13, 2009

No. You'll wind up making a mess of things; you'll still have too much Zn and not enough Cu in the solution. Remember, what gets plated is what is in solution, not what's hanging on the anode bar.

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida
October 15, 2009

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: