Wanting to plate these Gun parts. !! (pics) !! Please help

[waylonh]

I fully intend to purchase products from Caswell, and need to know what to buy. I have Various parts from my Benelli Super Black Eagle 2 (shotgun) that I need chromed/nickled/polished (what ever the process is called)........ I just want these parts to be at or near Show Quality. I would like something that is going to last forever too. Where should I start? What should I buy? You can tell from the pictures that I won't be plating anything very big. What should I buy/where should I start? How hard will this be to do?

I would like to chrome or plate, the trigger, and the bolt lever!

[fxstcguy98]

You will want an acid copper bath to fill imperfections, pits, scatches ect. and a nickle bath for final look. Guns are not chrome plated because of hydrogen embrittlement (I'm guessing that's the reason). First you must determine the largest part you want to plate. Will it fit in a 5 gallon bucket with at least 3" all the way around the part? If so will 3 gallons cover it, or do you need 4.5 gallons. Figure the surface area of the part in square inches and figure .15Amps/sqin. to get the power requirements. I would recommend a constant current DC power supply(ebay), but you could use a car battery and light bulbs to regulate. You will also need cleaners, acids baths, degreasers rinse tanks ect. You may need a way to get the old plating off like a small sandblaster or you could hand sand it or use chemical strippers. Since all plateing is 90% prep work you will need buffing supplies(read Caswells free online buffing manual). Most of all you will need patience out the ying yang, you don't just dip it and it looks beautiful, it takes a lot of work before you get to the tanks.
Darrin