plating services

[JimH]

Here is a picture of mine kind of blurry but I haven't had a chance to take any new ones yet.

[Doug Rose]

Jim...real nice.....wonderful ....Many thanks for the pic....Doug

[Dan/Panther]

I gotta make me one of those.
Doug, Jim, Gorgeous phones.

I could visualize a set.

Gold, White.
Silver, Black.
Copper, Green.
Rose Gold, Pink.


D/P

[Jim Stettler]

I gotta make me one of those.


D/P

Sounds like you need to make 4 of those...

[Dan/Panther]

I only have one metal shell.

D/P

[JimNY]

Hi All,
Just some follow up to this post. I ended up using New England Chrome in West Hartford Ct.  The first pieces were hand delivered and returned to me in less than one week. For my second job I mailed the pieces and received them back in about 2 weeks. The folks there are no nonsense but friendly and their work seems pretty good.  Based on my experience I would recommend them if anyone else in looking for the same.  The only downside is that they seem a bit pricey, however based on the result I realize I could not duplicate it with an 'at home' kit.

[Pourme]

~

Wow...That's a great looking piece...That shinny chrome really lights it up!

[JimH]

Jim, looks beautiful! Ready for at least another hundred years!

[dsk]

I do not have the elbow-grease for buffing it up to the most shiny quality, but I had to test if I could do electroplating with what I have for hand.  Instruction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PtnwtOR24
I did not have those electrodes, but I had some old chrome tools, so why not test? 

I cleaned an old rusty bell as well as I could and ended up with the first picture, then I putted it in a jar as the negative electrode, and the tool as the positive. Added vinegar and salt and water and putted on about 0.5 Amp. Almost nothing happened, so I left it for 3 hours!  Came back and it did not look well, but I buffed it by hand and you can see the result here.

I really need a buffing tool!
dsk

[countryman]

That's very interesting, thanks for the video link! So you actually did chrome plating, which is a much bigger challenge than nickel plating if I got that right?
Nickel strips for spot welding battery cells are really cheap on eBay. I guess I might do some trials. I still have a home made cradle for a french type 24 waiting for nickel plating...

[dsk]

It may be that I used to much time, and the chrome layer became to tick???

Not extremely scientific. 

I have asked a chemistry doctor about environmentally risks, and the liquid may become dangerous for the environment, but keep it, it will work better when it has been used for a while, when you want to get rid of it, just use a piece of steel as the negative elctrode, and a carbon rod as the positive, let the power do the work and after some hours, the negative electrode has received the metallic ions and the liquid can safely be let out. The rod the steel rod are then waist equal to other metals. 

Then we are environmentally safe too 
dsk