Newbie ? on copychome and flash copper?

[KevinW]

OK, I have been reading and studying, but have a couple of questions.

I have to replate chromed steel seatbelt tongues and buckles. The tongues have varying degrees of rust and pitting. The buckles have a little rust as well as fine line words. I will be glassbeading the rust.

1. Will I have to still use the acid dip to remove the chrome and nickel coats?
2. Can I use the flash copper to provide the base and then solder pits then a final coat of flash copper?
3. Can I then use the copychrome?
4. Will Copy Chrome hold up under normal (classic car) seatbelt use?
5. Will the flash copper and Copy Chrome fill the fine etched wording? (hopefully not)
Last but not least, Can Copy Chrome be NOT buffed for a satin look? Maybe glass beading the copper prior to the Copy Chrome might give it the look.

Sorry for all the questions at once, but I'm trying to figure out what type of kit to buy. I.E. 2 gal triple Chrome or less expensive flash copper and copy chrome.

Thanks, Kevin

[mcaswell]

1. Will I have to still use the acid dip to remove the chrome and nickel coats?

Yes - you can't plate over existing chrome, so you'll have to strip that first. You must also "activate" existing nickle if you want to plate over that with nickel.

2. Can I use the flash copper to provide the base and then solder pits then a final coat of flash copper?

Yes - that will work.

3. Can I then use the copychrome?

Yes - Copychrome will plate well over copper.

4. Will Copy Chrome hold up under normal (classic car) seatbelt use?

Yes. It's very hardy.

5. Will the flash copper and Copy Chrome fill the fine etched wording? (hopefully not)
Last but not least, Can Copy Chrome be NOT buffed for a satin look? Maybe glass beading the copper prior to the Copy Chrome might give it the look.

It won't fill the etched wording, unless you put a VERY thick layer.

Bead blast the copper plate to a matte finish, then copy chrome for a sating look.

[KevinW]

Thanks! Flash Copper and copychrome it is.

One final clarification.

Once I acid dip to remove the chrome, will I still need to "activate" the nickel prior to the flash copper coat?

NEW TOPIC

I was also reading about the Flash copper over Pot Metal. It looks like Flash copper will do the job for copy chroming the pot metal.

Looks like clean, de-pit and dip the PM to clean off the coats, flash copper, fill pits, flash copper again, then Copy chrome.

This sounds like a much easier procedure on PM then the PM primer, or solder-it paste. Am I correct? I would like to do this on outside door handles. Thanks, Kevin

[mcaswell]

Once I acid dip to remove the chrome, will I still need to "activate" the nickel prior to the flash copper coat?

No - you only need to activate the nickel if you're applying new nickel over it.

This sounds like a much easier procedure on PM then the PM primer, or solder-it paste. Am I correct? I would like to do this on outside door handles.

Yes it is MUCH easier and better than PM Primer. Flash Copper is a new product for us and we're very happy with the results people are getting.