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Chrome Is Wrong Color
Hi: I have a small plating set up (5 gal. size)and I'm having some problems with my chrome bath.I am giving the nickel a good buff and it is bright and shiny. When I plate the piece it takes the chrome but it has a slight bronze hue to it.When its matched up against another commercially plated product you can see the difference. Could someone please let me know what might be wrong? Did I get some copper in my bath somehow? Thank you Tom H.
Tom Haltmeyer- Peoria Arizona
2000
2000
Tom,
Hexavalent Chrome plating is different than many other kinds of plating that we do. First, the bath efficiency is much lower, the anodes are lead or a lead alloy, and there are bath concentrations plus temperature that must be constantly monitored. Current density used is much higher than other kinds of plating. You are trying to cover nickel and it sounds like the chrome is just not covering the work. Plating chrome commercially out of a 5 Gallon pail is a very difficult task. My suggestion is to either size your tank larger, or job the work out. I surely hope that you have the much needed ventilation/scrubbing system on your plating tank. Today, it's the law. Plus extremely stringent waste treatment laws that mandate a professionally run operation.
Ed Budman [dec]
- Pennsylvania
With deep sadness we advise that our good friend Ed passed away Nov. 24, 2018
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