Flash Copper Problem

[bhhodges]

whatever base your plating too dosent really matter except for maybe potmetal. what has improved my copper and nickel plating by far is proper cleaning of the base without a doubt. i use electrocleaner in a stainless steel stock pot with the stock pot being the anode and this way i can clean each item i plate 360 degrees all the way around instead of maybe an anode in the front and back or whatever. since i changed to doing this i never have falied a water breat test ever. have i had bad results in the plating tank?? i sure have---but not that many ----and the ones i have had can be traced back to usually to much voltage or amperage while plating, so dont blame a new batch of plating solution, my opinion would be to look at proper prep and cleaning.

bill

[dadkar2]

Bill's approach mirrors mine exactly. Cleaning is everything. The most important thing is passing the waterbreak test.

Ken

[wayzata]

Ken,

Thank's for your good information on the flash copper. Everything you said sounds like good stuff. I am getting ready to order the flash copper material from Caswell for the first time, so your advice is very timely.

Can I ask how you determine if you have under 60ma/sq.in.? What kind of reostat set up are you using? Do you use a six vlt system to plate with? Is the copper a little more forgiving than the copy chrome?

Phil