While I agree with dadkar2 that sand blasting is the optimum surface for getting plating to stick, you need to be really careful using that as a total stripping method.
What can happen is, as you begin to peel the final layer if plating off, you are actually blasting both the plating and the base metal. This is where you need to really be careful you don't end up with an uneven wavy surface.
The previously described chemical/electro method is probably the best for the very thin layer of chrome, then I like to reverse plate the nickel off in a sulfuric acid bath.
After that, any plating left will be copper, or maybe a little nickel in spots, which blows off real easy with the sand blaster. It saves you a ton of time on the blasting, plus you get a really nice clean surface without having to spend a ton of time at the other end smoothing and flattening your surfrace again.
EXEPTIONS: On white metal (aluminum, pot metal, etc.) sand blasting is about your only option, since those types of metals can't tolerate the acidic chemicals.
Just my $.02 worth................later.
Dave
|