Gold Plating multiple items at once

[jonramos]

I would like to Gold Plate 30 or more small items at once. The items are small nickel nuts (.5in tall by .25in wide).

I have purchased the Gold Plug N Plate Kit, but doing them one at a time is not really efficient.

Is it possible to make some sort of metal grid that the nuts can be screwed onto and then dipped in the solution all at once. If so ,how can I be sure the current is even throughout and that the voltage is correct, and also how long should it be immersed?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[chromo]

I am thinking here that a simple way to do that would be screw them onto the bolts and connect all the bolts together with a wire and tank them.

Lots of ways to mount the bolts if you want something for constant use, or maybe just solder or bolt the wire to each bolt and hang across the tank.

If you have a nice long bolt of the correct size I would say just screw alot of nuts onto one bolt and tank that. Leave room between the nuts of course. I think it should work ok. Remember though you may be plating your bolts as well as the nuts. Won't hurt anything, but will use up your solutions faster plating things you don't need plated!

You could insulate the bolts with paint, tape, tight rubber washers, etc.. so that the bare spots of the bolts don't plate. But, you'll have to be sure your not insulating the nuts too. I wouldn't worry about it for small use, but if you do a ton of them latter I might think about it. Or find a bolts that won't plate but do conduct electric well would be the easest maybe.

[chromo]

Oh yes, another simple idea would be use a metal coat hanger and make a hook. Sand the paint off J part where the nut will sit so it conducts electric, the painted part won't and will not plate either.

Connect all hangers to same lead wire and sit the nuts on the hooks, hang in tank. This should work well, but you need a hanger for each nut, compared to the bolt idea where you can screw 4 or 5 on each long bolt.

Course you could make 10 hangers quick and plate 3 times to get your 30.

Chromo