need some info ...

[cray]

thinking of trying one of the plating kits but im not sure which one is easiest to use or leaves the best results without having to polish or buff.. i need something that is quick to use , nice and shiny but more importantly strong.. i know you cant have your cake and eat it to but do any of these platings work without having to do any work afterwards to the finish to get a decent look.?
i was thinking about the tin plating , looks quick and fairly easy but im not sure about the strength..
any advice or suggestions would be apreciated , i dont know much about plating..

[dadkar2]

Caswell's Electroplating Nickel is great. The new additive he now includes with the kit (leveler and brightener) makes a huge difference. The trick to getting a good finish without having to buff afterwards is to make sure the part is polished and well prepared beforehand. My parts have recesses and holes in them. If I try to polish the nickel afterwards with a wheel it is a disaster. I have been reliably plating beautiful clock cases without any more than a hand buff with wax afterwards for years.

Again, the key is surface preparation up front. The part should be thoroughly repaired and buffed the way you want the finish to look before you plate. Otherwise plating will just emphasize the defects in the base. And nothing you do afterwards will make it look right.

Ken