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Old 11-28-2004, 03:22 AM
gsw3 gsw3 is offline
Amateur Metal Finisher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 69
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I made the roto-plater myself.

Basically a 24rpm 12Vdc gearhead motor suspended over the tanks.
I put a resistor in series with it to lower the speed to about 16rpm.

I made a machined nose piece that fastens to the output shaft of the gearhead motor and a spring wiper spring makes contact (Negative DC from power supply) with the nose piece.
A 1/16" hole is in the end of the nose piece and the cathode hanging wire fastens in it with a allen head screw.

Always get perfect plating coverage (I also use (2) anodes and large air bubble agitation) and you don't have to stand over the solutions to turn/rotate the parts by hand.

The only expensive part is the Pittman gearhead motor.
Retail about $125.00 however, I have been getting them used, in good shape for $15.00 at a local surplus place.
Picked up the last one they had in stock on Friday.

They got a new shipment of a different brand (and have about 100 of them) new, for $12.50.
Not as well built (duh...$125 verses $12.50, but should last a year or so)

http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/index...p;Category=128

It is the 6-12Vdc gearhead motor on that web page.
It turns about 6rpm at 12Vdc.

I could send you some .pdf.s of my plans.
You would have to adapt the plans a little to fit the above motor however.
e-mail me if you want me to sent them.

About the largest parts I plate are about 50 sq inches because of my small tank size (2 gal tanks).
Because I plate mainly copper and nickel I usually do not exceed 5 to 6 amps.

George W.
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