Quote:
Originally Posted by 48Buick
Bryan:
The biggest thing with potmetal is to just stick with it until you learn how to deal with it. Its the hardest metal to plate.
Practice a lot on scrap.
Good luck and let me know if you need any advise.
48 Buick
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Sticking with it is the key! I'm living (still) proof of it. When you mentioned pulling your hair out before plating pot metal you were right. UGH. What a pain but it is fun learning as long as I take a day or two break when I get frustrated.
I've been working on a pot metal radio bezel for quite sometime. Being the really smart guy that I am I didn't start out with the copper pipe practice pieces and went straight to the pot metal (if I'm going to plate pot metal I might as well USE pot metal to practice on, right?). Anyway, to make a long story short I screwed it up so now it IS my practice piece!
I have a couple of quick questions: First, does the part need to be polished to a mirror shine before each plating process, and second: activated in 33% sulphuric acid solution just before the next plate? I think I goofed when I mixed pool acid at a ratio of 1pt to 1gal of distilled water. It should be stronger than that, yes?
Btw.......add me to the list of people you have helped a LOT with your pot metal plating experience and procedures!