Nickel Plating Problems After Flash Copper

[SLOSteve]

I'm having problems plating a radio bezel. First I sandblasted the part really well. Then I degreased for 5 minutes then rinsed with distilled water and into the flash copper for about a half hour. The parts came out really nicely coated. I then put them in a 200 degree oven for a few minutes to stop the discoloration problem I was having previously. It worked, so I'm thinking it should take the nickel nicely too. I got the temp just right (110) started agitating the nickel tank then lowered my part into the tank starting at very low amps. I checked the part in five minutes and noticed it was blotchy all over. Some dark spots, some shiny spots, some wierd spots etc. So I figured I just need to leave it in a little longer and up the amps which I did. I uped the amps to about 3 then left the part in for about 20 minutes. When I pulled it out to check it it looked the same as it did when I checked it at 5 minutes. Some parts I could still see the flash copper and the other nickel plated parts were once again blotchy.

Does anyone have suggestions? Is the part not clean enough? Should I have sanded the part before and after flash coppering? Any help would be appreciated!

[KCV6]

Hey Steve,

Did you clean the part and activate the copper after baking just prior to nickel plating?

You need to polish all the dark patches out of the baked copper surface and de-grease and then activate in 10% Hydroclauric acid to get a nice bright active copper surface before nickel plating.

All is not lost, just polish the part now and degrease and activate and re nickel plate

Cheers

Mark

[SLOSteve]

Originally Posted by KCV6

Hey Steve,

Did you clean the part and activate the copper after baking just prior to nickel plating?

You need to polish all the dark patches out of the baked copper surface and de-grease and then activate in 10% Hydroclauric acid to get a nice bright active copper surface before nickel plating.

All is not lost, just polish the part now and degrease and activate and re nickel plate

Cheers

Mark

Hi Mark!

I started to sand the dark spots with 400 grit but I sanded and sanded and sanded and wasn't able to remove all of it. Maybe that's part of my problem?

In the 10% acid solution does it need to stay in there with agitation or just dipped in the solution? Is it then sprayed with distilled water then in the nickel bath?

BTW........how's your plating going on your end?

Steve

[KCV6]

All is going well here, I am about half way through doing about 700 zinc bits. LOL. Havn't done much nickel of late.

If you go through the copper, you will need to flash copper again or the acid will attack the pot metal so be carefull.

It should only require a clean up with 800 to 1200 grit, any corser than that and the scratches will show through the nickel.

cheers

Mark

[SLOSteve]

So should I just "dip" the part to activate it before going into the degreaser, rinsed and directly into the nickel? I want to be sure to get this right.

Also is there any way to minimize the black parts I'll have to sand off?

[SLOSteve]

So should I just "dip" the part to activate it before going into the degreaser, rinsed and directly into the nickel? Does the acid activator need to be heated? I want to be sure to get this right.

Also is there any way to minimize the black parts I'll have to sand off?

[SLOSteve]

Hey Mark,

I'm trying to attach a picture of the bezel but for some reason it won't upload.

Okay...I'm sanding the bezel with 600 (figuring that will take the black off faster) then go to 800 to take care of the scratch marks. The "roughness" of the flash copper is coming off just fine but there are more pronounced black spots where I sand. This is making me nuts. Is this going to come off in the acid etch or no?

[SLOSteve]

We're talking "days" of sanding here with all the inside corners etc.

[KCV6]

It should brighten up fine just with a 30 second dip in activator. just make sure it doesn't start fizzing. If it does then you have gone through the copper back to zinc in the pot metal.

Process should be de-grease, rinse (hot tap water will do) then activate then distilled water rinse and straight into the nickel tank.

copper will brighten up in seconds when it is dipped in activator.

PS just email me the pic at mark.smith5@baesystems.com, will be quicker

Cheers

Mark

[SLOSteve]

So in other words I don't need to sand down to my knuckles, er I mean until it's shiny and all the black spots are gone? I know I'll hit base metal before my knuckles give way.

So if I decide to go with a build up of acid copper I would go there after the activator, rinse then to the nickel or do I have to polish it again before the other steps?