[ggerhardt]

Yes, it makes sense that a media blasted part will have significantly more surface area and will demand more current. At the current levels I am using, I am not seeing any bubbles coming off the parts being plated. I'll try your suggestion of bumping up the current until I see bubbles. The thing is that I seem to be getting a healthy plating, its just that its a dull gray. With a light buffing with steel wool it shines up nicely. If I dip that dull gray part in the chromium solution, I get a dull green finish. If I polish it first, I get the desired shiny yellow finish.

But just to note, my parts are not shiny and polished when they go in the plating bath - they definitely have a matte finish from the media blasting. Can I expect to get a shiny finish right out of the plating bath?

Thanks for your help.

Geoff