Takes so long?

[neil]

I was just wondering I am working on a aluminum piece.It is sandblasted first,then sanded, then flash coppered,then acid copper.It take so long to fill all the scratches,How do the professional shops do it so quick,Does cyinide copper plate faster and thicker than the copper we use.How can you make any money when it takes you 16 hrs(or more), to chrome plate a 4 x 9 piece of aluminum?.When a chrome shop only charges $150.00 to do it?. Thanks for your input.

[tgoode]

An hour of additional surface prep on the raw aluminum will save you 8 hours of plating time.

Finish the raw aluminum to a mirror finish and you'll need nuch less plating thickness.

[48Buick]

Neil:
Tgood is correct! Take your time to prep the part and you will come out way ahead when you get to the plating stage.
Cyanide copper will cover better in recesses and can plate a wider range of metals then acid copper. Ive used cyanide copper in the past and the hassles/hazards are NOT worth it! Use the flash copper or another type bath for a strike plate.
Acid copper will be your workhorse though for filling scratches and pits.
Do you have the levelers/brightners correct in your bath?
Sometimes I have to plate corroded auto parts up to 3 seperate times at 1 to 1.5 hours each time. Its a long process.......thats why plating costs so much! You cant just dip it (wish you could! )
48BUICK