flash copper and copy chrome help

[neromich]

I am trying to refinshing some golf clubs. I've stripped the chrome and then ground and sanded out all the surface imperfections. I am sure I have sanded right down to the steel(they have a layer of chrome, nickle, copper) I am haveing trouble getting the flash copper to stick in some areas. I am passing the water break test, and I still use pickle 4 to activatie any nickle that could still be on the head and then I flash copper for an hour. I buff and then bead blast to give it a satin finish. While bead blasting some small areas of the copper blisters. I need some ideas I am about at my wits end.

[fly]

Those areas might be were your hanging it from, that will cause problems also..

[sswee]

From experience with glass beading for finish and not plating. Drop your air pressure down to 50 or 60 psi. The lower, the better. Back off with the nozzle and keep it moving. The heat generated from the air flow and particulate will blister plating. I've seen it get hot enough to ripple aluminum. Just hit your hand one time, even with the heavy rubber glove, you'll have a hard time getting your hand out fast enough. Ask me how I know. LOL
SS

[jimcarry]

The satin finish you are looking for is in the strike zone correct ?
This should be achieved before plating not after . Simple enough after polishing mask off the area you want to stay polished and then bead blast the strike zone remove the masking clean and do water brake test then plate this will give your strike zone the satin finish you want

[neromich]

I am going for a satin finish on the entire head. So I thought that needed to be done on the copper. Maybe I was just to aggressive with the bead blast.

[fxstcguy98]

You can't activate nickel with pickle #4, you have to use sulfuric at a low concentration like 15% for just a few seconds. If you are flash coppering for an hour, you probably only have about .0001" of plate and it doesn't take much to blister it. Like said above, start out with the satin or flash copper for an hour at a time for 4 or 5 hours sanding lightly between sessions.