HELP! How much power do I need to plate?

[busapilot]

Hi! I'm new to plating, and I wondered how much power do I need to plate aluminum sportbike rims and swingarms? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Rick

[mcaswell]

Plate them with what type of plate?

[busapilot]

How much power is required?

I am wanting to chrome plate sportbike rims and swingarms. How much power is required from the power syupply to do this? I know it's based on surface area....1 amp/ sq inch. I'm guessing it will take 200 amps. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[txturbo]

power

Its more than that.

[48Buick]

Busapilot:
You might concider a small kit to get started with. Get the proceedure down and then move onto rims and swing arms.
Rims are pretty intense not only to polish but to plate also.
If its just a couple of rims.....you would probaly be better off letting a shop do them.....(I hate saying that! But its true.)
48 Buick

[chromo]

Also don't you do aluminum alittle differnet when plating than steel?

I haven't done aluminum yet, but don't you have to zink it or something soon as it's polished then the plating bath eats off the zink? Is that process just a dip or is it also plating and whats the current for that if it is?

I'll be doing aluminum one of these days too.

I'm hibernating for the summer Traveling not plating, but come this fall I'll be setting up a compleat new shop and getting serious with it!

Chromo

[48Buick]

Chromo:
Yes, to plate aluminum you must polish, clean, zincate it (which is just a dip) and then into the nickel bath for its initial plate.
48Buick

[chromo]

Thanks I wasn't sure if the zincate was a type of electro plate or a dip.

Chromo