What kit should I get?

[drheelin]

I want to Brass plate some old piano pedals. I Know they are either cast iron or steel and that I will have to nickle plate first. my question is, are the plug 'N plate kits good to plate this much area. they say for small projects, I just dont know what they are calling small. Aso, they are rusty, how should I clean them before plating?

[jimcarry]

Re: What kit should I get?

The plug and plate will work you just need to do a few practice pieces first if you haven?t all ready. As far as cleaning them yes definitely .
For removing rust I recommend Caswells scrubber wheel removes rust and small blemishes in the metal.
Form there I would identify the metal you are working with and polish.
Remember the best finish you start with is the best finish you will end up with

[gsw3]

Re: What kit should I get?

drheelin, as jimcarry said "Remember the best finish you start with is the best finish you will end up with".

He is not fooling around here.
If you want a mirror surface, the parts must look like a mirror prior to plating.
Prep work is 99 percent of the plating process.

The base metal can be finished in (2) ways:

1. Clean/derust the steel (bead blasting is the best I have found) and then nickel strike, plate a ton of acid copper on the part (to fill in the roughness) then sand and buff the copper to a killer shine and then to the final plating.

-OR-

2. Clean/derust/sand/buff the steel to a killer shine and then go to the final plating.

I have done both methods and it depends on the parts shape and amount of damage.

If, for instance, the pedals were lightly pitted it would be about the same amount of time and effort to work the steel pedals to a mirror shine, then go to final plating rather then applying multiple copper coats to fill in the pitting.

If the pits were deep, you will spend too much time working the steel down to a mirror finish.
It would be better to nickel strike them, plate multiple copper coats (sanding between coats) and then polishing the copper or skip the nickel strike using flash copper instead.

No matter what method you choose, you should always apply a copper plate for corrosion protection and ease of buffing prior to the final plating.

George W.
Orlando, FL