plating and size power?

[chromo]

I'm going to buy some stuff soon like the plating kits and powder coating also. I have been lookng lots of places at lots of kits.

Most suppliers claim brush plating can be done fine on all size items, since the only area actually needing currant is the brush, compared to tank plating where the power requirement is higher as size of part goes up.

Here at caswell you say a bumper can't be plated by brush because of the currant required(I think)? I plan to buy your $115 kit for nearly all plating.

Does the size of the part actually make a difference, or is it the area being plated, which is only the size of the brush? I am mostly wanting to do the gold plating, but will most likely do lots of chrome also.

The others say the chrome will apply evenly with the brush without leaving any brush marks or streaks. Of course the others are also trying to sell $800 or higher kits compared to your $115 one.

Also wondering if the instructions included with the kit is the same $25 book you sell seperatly? I saw it mentioned if I buy the book, then latter buy the kit I'd get $20 refund towards the kit ($5 was shipping)

I am very interested in changing the chrome emblems on expensive cars to gold ones, also bike parts too.
Your site shows 1 part lye to 9 parts water and reverse polarity will strip chrome. Does this harm the paint on the car? Should that only be used off the car? I will be doing on the car gold plating alot.
What is used to "Activate the nickel" before gold plating? And is that a real 24k gold plate?

I know it would vary with thickness, but how far does an oz. of gold plate cover for a good show quality plating? I am building a custom car I want lots of gold and chrome on.

Thanks

[mcaswell]

You can plate a bumper by brush plating, but we don't recommend it because it's not time efficient and will result in a slightly uneven layer.

It won't leave streaks or brush marks, but it will be difficult to plate a perfectly even layer simply because you won't be able to ensure that you brush every inch of it for exactly the same amount of time. This may or may not be important to you.

The instructions are a small booklet. If you plan to do a lot of plating, get the manual too.

Take the emblem off if you can, or make sure to mask the surrounding area in case of acid spills.

A sulfuric acid solution is used to activate the nickel.

The gold we sell is 24ct.

4 oz of gold will plate approx. 0.5 - 1 sq foot.

[chromo]

Thanks for the fast reply. I already ordered the $115 kit last night, might call and add a couple more items in a few minutes.

I have a lot of junk metal laying around here, copper sheets and pipes, some junk silver and gold jewelery. 1950's nickles
Old silver coins.
Old copper penies, stuff that isn't worth anything as is.

Can most of those items be used for making more pen plating solutions?
What would I use for a liquid for the solution? I will mostly be pen plating I think. Some tank plating.

I saw mention if I use an anode of the same material I am plating the solution is replenished as I plate. Silver anode for silver tank plating. What is the liquid? I've seen people make coladial silver with distilled water, though they weren't plating anything. Just breaking down silver rods and suspending the silver in the water.

I have alot of parts I'd lke to plate, like steel brake lines and fittings, that won't be worth putting much money or trouble into.
I am building an open frame custom car. I want it to be flashy, but it will be driven often, some on dirt roads. I live in a rural area and 3/4 miles on a dirt road. So for something like this I don't want to be polishing stuff like brake lines, but do want them to look nice at the shows and cruises.

This is sort of a T bucket roadster style car, I plan to buy the powed coat system soon also. Most of the underside will be coated and painted in gloss black and red. Maybe some blue.
What would you suggest for a flashy plating for brake lines that won't rust or need much care. They will be treated like normal lines on a normal car mostly. Used often but forgotten about except for an ocasional pressure wash or steam cleaning of the underside!

I've got all the parts to build it, now to plate and coat it and assemble it!

I also want to be doing all the other palting like auto emblems and home faucets as a business later.

I'll be taking lots of pics as I build latter, so if I get good results with your kits I'll have some pics you might be able to use, before and afters


Thanks again.

[mcaswell]

Can most of those items be used for making more pen plating solutions?

I assume you mean wands, not solutions? You shouldn't use scrap metal unless you can be assured of it's purity. Most of the materials you mention are alloys of many different metals and won't give you good results.

What is the liquid?

They're proprietary formulas.

I've seen people make coladial silver with distilled water, though they weren't plating anything. Just breaking down silver rods and suspending the silver in the water.

Definitely won't work for plating.

What would you suggest for a flashy plating for brake lines that won't rust or need much care.

Nickel or Chrome

We look forward to the pictures.

[chromo]

Thanks again.

I hope to have my kit today or tomorow. The shippers website showed it should be 2 days to my area, though that sounds a bit too fast to me for ground shipping. Normally most my orders from other places arrive in 3 days or 4 from day of shipping.

Anyway, I have a part or two ready to try it on.
Are the any harmful solutions in the plug n plate kit I need to be extra careful with or kept away from my daughter? She's 11 and does about everything I do. Pewter casting, builds computers, etc..

She has a New red bicycle I am sure she will be plating on. She likes chrome. I just found a Black one I am buying for me I will be doing some gold on. Something to practice on.
I think most the parts on theses bikes are a brushed aluminum (wheels, pedals). Does the Plug n plate kit come with everything I will need to plate aluminum? I got the $115 kit with all the various solutions. If not what else will I need? I've read it on the website, but not sure what all is what.

Also I plan to buy the anodizer kit before long. What all do I have to supplie for that? Sounds like something I could do easy enough, but also sounds like alot of things I might need that's not supplied.

Thanks

[mcaswell]

Are the any harmful solutions in the plug n plate kit I need to be extra careful with or kept away from my daughter? She's 11 and does about everything I do. Pewter casting, builds computers, etc..

Not really. You should treat them like you would drain cleaner (although drain cleaner's much more dangerous) You don't want it on your hands, in your eyes or mouth, or on your clothes. A pair of gloves and common sense is all you really need.

Aluminum will be a problem with the Plug N' Plate Kits. You need to immerse any aluminum part in Zincate solution to remove the oxide before plating. See http://www.caswellplaing.com/zincate.htm

You then need to immerse the parts in the plating solution. Brush plating won't work. I doubt you have enough solution to immerse the parts found on a bike.

Anodizing is very simple to do. All you really need beyond the kit is some battery acid, aluminum wire (Radio Shack), protective gear and a power supply, like a battery charger.

[chromo]

Got my kit today!
I haven't had time though to do much, although my daughter and I are the proud owners of several gold Quarters and Dimes now
Have a couple gold screws for my black computer case too.

I hope to do some real plating with it tommorrow, but we just got COLD and snow today down here. I'll probably be fixing pipes instead.

As for the earlier questions,
I'll skip the bike parts for now, I may buy the anodizer kit and do that. Maybe chrome the spokes since they aren't aluminum. That's another thing I wondered about. Would I need to remove the spokes to anodize the wheels, or just pull out all the bearings and go from there? What effect would anodizing steel have? Not that I want too, but for problem parts like bike wheels or whatever that I can't take apart very well. Spokes are a problem for me, I can never true a wheel!

Also I assume all the solutions like gold and silver are safe for silverware/cookware after plating and washing? Are any unsafe for eating?

[mcaswell]

Would I need to remove the spokes to anodize the wheels, or just pull out all the bearings and go from there?

You can mask the spokes with masking agent (http://www.caswellplating.com/maskit.htm) and anodize the whole thing.

You can't anodize steel, just aluminum.

They're all fine for eating off, except the nickel & Copy Chrome™. Nickel based finishes can cause skin irritation, which is why you'll never find a nickel plated watch.