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-----Small parts barrel plating cylinders: Freeloader?
Quickstart:
Although components are often racked or wired for electroplating, it is also possible to do "bulk" electroplating, with the parts contained within a rotating polypropylene "plating barrel".
Readers who are unfamiliar with barrel plating may wish to start with our on-line library article "Barrel Plating, by Frank R Zemo"
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Q. I have a customer that is asking for a small cylinder that holds screws and small parts (small loads) inside of a larger plating barrel to be able to do nickel plating on the screws, while other parts are plating in the larger barrel. I'm old now, but I seem to remember something called a "freeloader" that could be loaded with small parts, then thrown into a normal size plating barrel with larger parts.
Does this "freeloader" or whatever it's called still exists? Where can one purchase it? Thanks. ⇦ Answer?
Regional Sales Manager - Hardeeville, SC
April 24, 2026
A. ... and I thought I was old 🙂
Sorry, not familiar with it, Doug, although it sounds like a good idea.
Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Thanks Ted. I'm sure my memory of this is just that, a memory. I wish I had been able to hang on to all of the old literature and books I had.
Perhaps one of our old contemporaries can remember.
- Hardeeville, SC
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