"Cad" plating parts
04-18-2016, 02:44 PM
#7
Safety Car
Just an FYI, but most parts are actually Zinc plated and not Cad. GM would accept parts plated to either one in their spec. The look of the parts are pretty much identical, if plated using the same conditions. Zinc plating is a whole lot easier to find than Cad, and usually a whole lot cheaper. About the only thing that I will insist on being Cad, is radio cases. All Delco radio chassis were Cad plated, as Cad is much easier to solder on than zinc, and several of the capacitors have one leg soldered to the outside case of the radio.
I now do all my own Zinc plating at the shop, so I do not have to wait until I get enough stuff accumulated to make it worthwhile to send out, as most shops have a $75- $100 minimum charge. You really have to specify to the plater what appearance you are looking for, as there are a number of different appearances that can be achieved, depending on the prep and the process. You can get anywhere from a dull grey finish to a shiny silver, to a irridescent gold hue. The gold tint comes from a post-treat with a chromate dip, and is a fairly common look on a lot of Corvette parts, like hood hinges and latches. The depth of the gold hue is determined by the length of the chromate dip.
I just say this because the finish look varies widely from plater to plater, so you have to really know what to ask for, or at the very least, a sample part for them to try and match. That was one reason I started doing my own stuff, so I could control the final appearance. Not worthwhile if you are not doing it on a regular basis, but well worth the effort for someone who regularly needs parts done.
Make sure that your plating shop understands what you are looking for in a finished appearance.
If you are absolutely set on Cad, find a FAA Certified propeller repair shop in your area, as they all have Cad plated parts on them, as this is the only sacrificial plating that is approved for use. I use Jordan propeller down in San Antonio for my radio cases.
Regards, John McGraw
I now do all my own Zinc plating at the shop, so I do not have to wait until I get enough stuff accumulated to make it worthwhile to send out, as most shops have a $75- $100 minimum charge. You really have to specify to the plater what appearance you are looking for, as there are a number of different appearances that can be achieved, depending on the prep and the process. You can get anywhere from a dull grey finish to a shiny silver, to a irridescent gold hue. The gold tint comes from a post-treat with a chromate dip, and is a fairly common look on a lot of Corvette parts, like hood hinges and latches. The depth of the gold hue is determined by the length of the chromate dip.
I just say this because the finish look varies widely from plater to plater, so you have to really know what to ask for, or at the very least, a sample part for them to try and match. That was one reason I started doing my own stuff, so I could control the final appearance. Not worthwhile if you are not doing it on a regular basis, but well worth the effort for someone who regularly needs parts done.
Make sure that your plating shop understands what you are looking for in a finished appearance.
If you are absolutely set on Cad, find a FAA Certified propeller repair shop in your area, as they all have Cad plated parts on them, as this is the only sacrificial plating that is approved for use. I use Jordan propeller down in San Antonio for my radio cases.
Regards, John McGraw
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pop23235 (04-18-2016)