I think I ruined my nickel bath

[Tad Anderson New User Find all posts View Profile Close Tad Anderson]

I mixed up the solution and added the 4 bottles of brightner ( 1 bottle per each gallon as instructed )

I put in one of my tank bars to be nickeled as a test run, I acidently connected the leads backwards and an hour later I found myself with a copper plated anodes.. ugh

I cleaned the anodes best I could and changed the polarity for another hour - this deplated the nickel anodes but pitted them out as well and grew large coral like structors on the copper pipe ( tank bar )

I threw out the tank bar, cleaned the pitted anodes and put in a scrap peice of copper pipe.

I let it sit for 15 minutes and took it out, it seems to have a nickel plate over it though it is very crusty, rough and green salt like particals are stuck all over it - also the high areas have a differnt plate then the low areas.. its a mixture of copper and nickel in color , not really one or the other.

I'm afraid I managed to screw it all up, I'm using a 12v battery charger on 2amp setting, I just wanted to see it work while I waited for my rectifier.. ugh

Any ideas?

-Tad

[dadkar2 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close dadkar2]

I can top that one. I went to adjust the pH of the Nickel bath and overdid it. The bath started to precipitate out green scum onto everything including the tank. Needless to say it would not plate. Get this...I put about 4 ounces of bicarbonate of soda into the solution to neutralize the acid. The solution fizzed up a storm but the precipitating stopped.

I then filtered the solution through a coffee filter. I put it back together, replaced the anode bags, plated out for 1 hour, and the solution now works better than it did before this happened!! I plated a part, polished it, and it is beautiful. Go figure.

I don't know if I will keep the nickel solution, but it sure was an interesting experience. If I end up dumping the 2 gallon bath, I won't be too upset. I have plated over 100 medium size parts with it and have had it for over a year. It has easily paid for itself. -----Ken

Ken