Many questions about brush plating over old nickel plating

[HowdeeDoodee]

Totally new to this plating thing.

These questions reflect my ignorance.

I have a vintage snare drum with badly yellowed hardware. To replace the hardware, would cost $70 or less. The hardware is about the size of a person's thumb or smaller. So I figure the brush plating is what I need to use.

Questions:

1. What do I use to clean the hardware before replating with nickel?
2. Can I re-nickel using the brush plating system over the old nickel?
3. Do I have to take off the old nickel finish before I brush plate?
4. Do I have to brush plate the pieces more than once?
5. Do I have to polish over the old nickel before I re-plate? If so, what materials do I use to polish before I replate?
6. If the old nickel is corroded or worn through, what do I do then?
7. If I brush plate and get a new nickel plating, what do i then polish with or can I than polish at all?
8. Is the brush plate finish equivalent to the original nickel finish in terms of durability?

[CarWiz]

First off, nickel doesn't yellow it greys or turns foggy. Could the parts be silver plated? I suspect the hardware is nickel plated brass and the years of polishing has worn the nickel off or very thin. You can plate over the brass and/or nickel after it is polished, cleaned and the old nickel "activated". To do it well, you'll need to remove the hardware though. The activation process involves soaking the part in a weakened solution of sulfuric acid (battery acid) for a couple of minutes. After soaking, rinse the part(s) in distilled water and plate immediately. Do not handle the parts with bare hands after the initial cleaning. Do not use rubber gloves. Touching the part with either will cause a bad plate.

Polish the part to the finish you want it to look like after plating. The plating will conform to that finish. Scratches will show as well as pits or flaking. You can do this by hand or with a buffing wheel and polishing compounds.

Clean/scrub the part with a heated degreaser to remove all buffing compounds. Follow with rinse then a cleaning with Acetone or Denatured Alcohol. Then rinse the part again with distilled water. (Tap water contains contaminates.)

From here, go to the acid bath for a soak. Rinse, then plate. Don't let the part dry out once it's activated.

[HowdeeDoodee]

Thank you CarWiz for your response.

From your response, just to be clear, are these the steps I take?

1. Remove parts
2. Polish the part to the finish you want it to look like after plating. The plating will conform to that finish. Scratches will show as well as pits or flaking. You can polish the part by hand or with a buffing wheel and polishing compounds.
3. Clean/scrub the part with a heated degreaser to remove all buffing compounds.
4. Follow with rinse in distilled water.
5. Clean the part with Acetone or Denatured Alcohol.
6. Then rinse the part again with distilled water.
7. Go to the acid bath for a soak for 2 minutes.
8. Rinse in distilled water.
9. Plate (Don't let the part dry out once it's activated.)

Can I use muratic acid for the acid bath?

Thank you again for the response.

[KCV6]

Yes, 30 seconds in 10% muratic will activate the old nickel and brass.

[CarWiz]

I didn't have much luck with muriatic (hydrochloric) acid the last time I tried it over old nickel & brass. HCL didn't seem to break the surface tension and I couldn't get a good water break test. I switched to sulfuric and it was better. In other words, HCL may work but I didn't want to take the chance. The "book" says to use sulfuric too.

I do mostly small parts so for rinsing I use a couple of 32oz. spray bottles. I fill them with warm distilled water so I know I get a fresh rinse each use. You'll also use less water than trying to keep a fresh bucket of rinse water. It's also my water break tester. You can get the spray bottles at hardware stores or just about anywhere. Wash it out before use.

[KCV6]

As carWiz said, sulphuric is probably best, and the idea with the spray bottles is definately the way to go, you will use far less distilled this way.