[dfro]

NOL4154,

Thanks for the information. These zinc plated springs are the only ones I could find that suit my purpose. Maybe if I kept looking I could find a spring this size that is not zinc plated. I will be plating over the zinc first with copper and then plate with nickel and then gold.

I expect the gold layer to wear, but I am hoping that the nickel layer resists oxidation enough to make good enough contact to switch 5 volt logic integrated circuits. I hope the gold keeps the keys I do not play that much from oxidizing. I hope the keys I play more often will keep the nickel plate polished from the slight bit of rubbing.

Maybe I should skip the gold all together and leave a nickel surface finish. What to you think?

Also, how long do you think I should leave the spring in the Plug 'N Plate nickel solution to get a 100-200 micro inch thick plate? The wire thickness is .008 inch and the springs are .063 inch diameter by 1 inch long.

Thanks,
dfro