Topic: Do It Yourself Zinc Plating

[RRRToolSolutions]

Regarding this finding someplace to get zinc plating done for the original finish - I've looked at the Caswell kits on/off all day. I really want to try this myself, but wonder if the finish is as durable as what these parts originally came with. We've already agreed that chrome is over the top and not correct (not to mention expensive). I have 50+ bolts and brackets, 72 spokes and nipples, and all of the carburetor parts, linkages, and adjustment screws and springs - I can easily justify the expense of the kits - 3-4 times over and have the right finish - if it's durable.

Have you guys seen or tried this home-kit for yourselves? Eastwood and Caswell both make it sound too easy. Clean, shine, and hook current between the parts and the sacrificial zinc anodes - in minutes you have a zinc coated part. I read that too much current would cause blisters and splatter accumulations of zinc. This makes me think that the big guys can't use any more "power" than I could - once that magic number and time was perfected.

Is there anyone who will say "big mistake"? Since I love doing my own work and that time in my garage is the best part, I want to try this -

Please speak-up if you've been there and would never go there again.

Thanks,
Gordon

[sparty]

Gordon,

IMO, the time spent cleaning and polishing the pieces alone would have me sending out the bolts to a professional.  Yes, you can do it yourself, but will the resulting finish be of equal quality to those who do it as a profession?  Plus, those kits are not inexpensive - it may cost you more to DIY.  However, if you choose to DIY, let us know how it works, you could be on to something.

Art

[DONZIE]

Gordon I have been doing all my own zinc plating for over 10 years. I started off with caswell but quickly got away from them as they don't tell you all you need to know. Their goal is to "hook" you then once they do you will need one thing after another & you will spend way more than what you thought you would. For you to get started with the supplies you need from a reputable supplier you will spend well over $1000 for a small starter kit. If you insist on doing it your self I trust eastwood more tha caswell.
donzie

[RRRToolSolutions]

Donzie,

Thanks for the heads-up. Can you suggest which of the Eastwood kits has the needed parts? The Caswell kit is $175 while the oly kit I found at Eastwood was $69. I thought you "get" what you pay for, so I would would have went with more is better -

The Eastwood kit looks like a toy, but perhaps they have more than one. I have to have a bath deep enough to do an entire spoke at once. Are we talking the same kit?

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=134&itemType=PRODUCT

Thanks,
Gordon

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Gordon,

A suggestion on a container for spokes might be a 50ml graduated cylinder in either glass (more expensive) or plastic (nylon?). You would get the necessary length with minimal volume. If I don't forget I will see what volume and lengths we have at work to use as a guide for you. What I don't know is the diameter you would need to drop in the anode along with the spoke.

Jerry

I just located 2 examples I remembered I had. The first is an actual nylon like (Nalgene) graduated cylinder. 250ml volume, 13.25" tall and 1 3/8" ID. The second is a less expensive alternative and probably easier to source. It is a clear plastic type of some sort cylinder labeled Wine Art I had used with my hygrometer when I made some wine many years ago. 9.5" tall and 1.75" ID. If you wanted an actual graduated cylinder I'm sure your friendly Pharmacist would be able to acquire one for you 
 

[kayaker43]

The correct plating for fasteners and spokes is not zinc, its cadmium. The silver color on nspokes straight cadmium and the gold tint you see on some fasteners is a separate process on top of the cadmium called gold iridite.

I don't really know what I'm talking about, just repeating what I was told, but I am confident that zinc is not correct. You can buff it up to shine but it will quickly dull like an old fencepost.

[Grumpol]

Zinc and nickle (sp?) were the precursors to cadmium and chromium plating, anyone with a battery charger, a few large plastic tubs and the initiative can electroplate metals, gold, silver, zinc etc are all possible, its all up to you.
This will give you everything you need to know to get started without having to spend a fortune

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http://rapidshare.com/files/164553518/11_-_Electroplating.pdf