Electroplating? anybody done there own.
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:06 pm
I have a small fleet of bikes including my intruder 1400, and all need regular maintenance, or rebuilds. and because we get salted roads here, the finishing on a lot of parts ends up looking like crap.
After looking at what needs doing, on my intruder, and other 2 wheeled junk. i decided to give home plating a go. as well as other chemical means of stripping old finishes, so far I've procured a zinc/nickel kit from a supplier here, a chrome stripping kit, and a nickel stripping kit. I am also going to look into copper plating as it can be handy for filling in minor pitting before further plating, or coating.so this is stuff i would like to start a thread on, as I'm sure others have done it before, and will know the pitfalls, and what is feasible and not. I used to get my neighbour to do my plating as he worked at a proper shop, they did everything except chrome.. unfortunately no one within 150 miles or so does chrome to me. but his bosses started giving them earache about doing side jobs. so now this route is not available.
What kind of success have fellow site members had with electroplating, what is possible to the home restorer? i plan on replating all my carb fittings and linkages. any fasteners that need refinishing, especially stuff that can't be replaced by stainless. and i want to strip the chrome off engine covers, driveshaft cover, so i can get them powder coated satin black. same with shock springs, covers (i have some form of progressive suspension shocks, look kinda like there 412, but bottom cover don't take a C spanner like the ones on site now does to adjust) same with fender struts, id like to strip plating and powder coat em.
I was considering doing a zinc/nickel coat, then copper on the engine covers before powder coating. to fill in any minor pitting. same with wheel rims.. if i can't source the stainless ones I'm looking at in germany at the moment. i won't passivate the zinc on these, as i know that causes issues with powder coating. but the zinc/copper would hopefully act as a extra layer of corrosion resistance.
Can anyone categorically say if the stator and clutch covers are steel or alloy on the 1400 intruder? as I'm unsure if i can use the chrome and nickel stripper i have on alloy parts. and don't want to ruin them.
So any advice, tips, do's and dont's? has anyone ever done copper plating? any lists of supplies needed to do various types of plating? as buying the small quantities available in these kits can get expensive, and after looking i can pick up most of the stuff to make electrolytes cheaper from industrial suppliers. any recommendations as to what kind of power supply would be best.. the "thing" in the kit is a bit rube goldberg/heath robinson for my tastes. it basically uses some wire to turn power to heat by resistance using a battery or 12v charger.. would prefer something more made for the task.
After looking at what needs doing, on my intruder, and other 2 wheeled junk. i decided to give home plating a go. as well as other chemical means of stripping old finishes, so far I've procured a zinc/nickel kit from a supplier here, a chrome stripping kit, and a nickel stripping kit. I am also going to look into copper plating as it can be handy for filling in minor pitting before further plating, or coating.so this is stuff i would like to start a thread on, as I'm sure others have done it before, and will know the pitfalls, and what is feasible and not. I used to get my neighbour to do my plating as he worked at a proper shop, they did everything except chrome.. unfortunately no one within 150 miles or so does chrome to me. but his bosses started giving them earache about doing side jobs. so now this route is not available.
What kind of success have fellow site members had with electroplating, what is possible to the home restorer? i plan on replating all my carb fittings and linkages. any fasteners that need refinishing, especially stuff that can't be replaced by stainless. and i want to strip the chrome off engine covers, driveshaft cover, so i can get them powder coated satin black. same with shock springs, covers (i have some form of progressive suspension shocks, look kinda like there 412, but bottom cover don't take a C spanner like the ones on site now does to adjust) same with fender struts, id like to strip plating and powder coat em.
I was considering doing a zinc/nickel coat, then copper on the engine covers before powder coating. to fill in any minor pitting. same with wheel rims.. if i can't source the stainless ones I'm looking at in germany at the moment. i won't passivate the zinc on these, as i know that causes issues with powder coating. but the zinc/copper would hopefully act as a extra layer of corrosion resistance.
Can anyone categorically say if the stator and clutch covers are steel or alloy on the 1400 intruder? as I'm unsure if i can use the chrome and nickel stripper i have on alloy parts. and don't want to ruin them.
So any advice, tips, do's and dont's? has anyone ever done copper plating? any lists of supplies needed to do various types of plating? as buying the small quantities available in these kits can get expensive, and after looking i can pick up most of the stuff to make electrolytes cheaper from industrial suppliers. any recommendations as to what kind of power supply would be best.. the "thing" in the kit is a bit rube goldberg/heath robinson for my tastes. it basically uses some wire to turn power to heat by resistance using a battery or 12v charger.. would prefer something more made for the task.
