Volts?

[nil8u]

I recently purchased the 5 gal triple chrome kit and have had no luck at all! I am trying to plate the 5 inch long 1/2 dia. copper pipes in the nickel solution and have only had it work once, and it wasn't that thick (plated for 30 mins.)I polished most of it off. I am using the white compound on a loose coton wheel like the video says. Heres the question. The only time it worked is when I plated 4 of the pipes at once @ 2 amps.
Being as I am a cheap-skate I am trying to plate one at A time @ 1/2 of an amp. The manual says that I should keep the volts at aprox. 2-4 volts. Is this why the single pipe is getting such a weak plate. I've tried the single pipe several times now and cannot get it to work. The anodes are about 4-5" away from the part and I am using a caswell 25 amp rectifier, both anodes, filter pump and air bubble agitation from a fish tank pump. I am going to try the four pipes again tommorow but I need to know how to do smaller parts for the future. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[fly]

your amps or too high, try just under 1 amp (.0785) you might want to heat the solution to about 140 degrees, check the manual.

[fly]

the formula that you use for pipe is 3.14 x length x width x .1=? (3.14x5x .5x .1)= .785 for your peice.

[nil8u]

The video says to use .5A per pipe. Being as it has A surface area of 8sq".
So that would mean 2a for four pipes right? The solution says 1a per 16sq".
I am not getting any plate at all so I dont think the amps are too high. Too low if anything.
What manual do you have? Mine sucks it doesnt have $#it. So many questions un answered like how many times can I use a hanger wire.

[nil8u]

Originally Posted by nil8u

I am going to try the four pipes again tommorow but I need to know how to do smaller parts for the future. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

SUCCESS!!!! I plated the 4 pipes @ 2 amps and they look great! I raised the temp of the bath to 120 degrees and pickled in #2 instead of #4 for five mins and went "live" into the nickel bath. I still have yet to get A good plate on a single pipe @ .5A. So my question is do the volts matter? Has anyone else tried only one pipe with success? Do the anodes need to be closer? I hope to plate smaller parts in the future and really need to get this down. Any help would be awesome. Thanks, Lance

I am starting to see what everyone means about most platers are bald! This stuff is very frustrating but well worth the end result. Bad part is I'm just getting started. I still have 3 more tanks to go...Patience is key!

[fly]

what does the single pipe look like after plating, and go up to 140 on your temp. Some say not to reuse a hanger but sometimes I do for a few more times. The formula that I use works for me but their are different ways of doing it. Try using a flat sheet of copper instead of the pipes, and measure it length X width X 2 for both sides and see what you get. You shouldn't have to pickle before plating with nickle, just pickle the nickle before plating with chrome if the nickle is not activated.

[nil8u]

Thanks Fly I appreciate your help. The copper single pipe is coming out looking just as it went in. No plating whatsoever. I think I might have A problem with the electrical connections. I'm going to rewire and try again. One more question... is the nickel activated when it comes out of the nickel tank? Do I have to pickle before I go into the chrome or can I rinse and go straight into the chrome? Thanks again fly!, Lance

[fly]

Yes it is activated and can go in chrome after rinse, the reason you activate is if you have to strip chrome off or if the part is laying around for a while after nickle plate. How do you have the piece rigged up?

[nil8u]

I wrapped the copper hanger wire around the tank bar twice and twisted the ends together so it is tight and ran the other end throught the pipe, made a loop, and twisted it up. Then I bent the loop to sit flat. I dont see how this would have worked once but not again. I was thinking of drilling a hole through the pipe and trying it that way.
What guage wire do you use from the bus-bars to the tank bars and anode? Do you use aligator clips or bolt the wire to the tank bar and anode? Do you wrap the tank bar or do you have bolts to tighten the hanger wire to the tank bar? The manual touches here and there on some of this but is rather vauge. I really appreciate the help fly.
THIS FORUM NEEDS MORE GUYS LIKE YOU!!!!!

[fly]

Thanks man, but all I do is drill a hole in the anode and make a hook and hange it from the bar, and attatch the pos. wire to it. Not sure of the gauge wire but its about 12 gauge. My wire has aligator clips.