Zinc Electroplating - COOL!!! (pics)
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Zinc Electroplating - COOL!!! (pics)
I don't know if any of you have tried this before or not. I did a search on CF but only found one reference. My wife bought me this zinc electroplating kit from Eastwood for Christmas:
My first attempt came out pretty good. It was real easy to use and quick. The first pic is a comparison between my hood springs.
The one on the left is what it looked like 6 months after a previous cleaning. I took the other spring (seen on the right) and electroplated it. It turned out good, but only time will tell how shiney it will be in 6 months.
The next pic is another comparison of the master cylinder hold downs. As you can see, the one on the left looks nice and shiney after plating.
Just thought I'd share here on CF for those of you looking to shine things up a bit. The next thing I want to do is Cadmium plating which gives metal that gold look, like the master cylinder cover.
My first attempt came out pretty good. It was real easy to use and quick. The first pic is a comparison between my hood springs.
The one on the left is what it looked like 6 months after a previous cleaning. I took the other spring (seen on the right) and electroplated it. It turned out good, but only time will tell how shiney it will be in 6 months.
The next pic is another comparison of the master cylinder hold downs. As you can see, the one on the left looks nice and shiney after plating.
Just thought I'd share here on CF for those of you looking to shine things up a bit. The next thing I want to do is Cadmium plating which gives metal that gold look, like the master cylinder cover.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,237
Likes: 4,328
From: Westminster Maryland
Redman76,
It looks like you've had good results so far.
Before you do any cadmium plating PLEASE find out about it. Cadmium is VERY dangerous to work with. I think there are very few places left in the whole country that still plate with cadmium because the EPA regulations are so stringent. I understand that disposing of the baths and rinses legally is almost impossible for a private individual.
Regards,
Alan
It looks like you've had good results so far.
Before you do any cadmium plating PLEASE find out about it. Cadmium is VERY dangerous to work with. I think there are very few places left in the whole country that still plate with cadmium because the EPA regulations are so stringent. I understand that disposing of the baths and rinses legally is almost impossible for a private individual.
Regards,
Alan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
I've used it for a couple years. Finish looks good, but not much corrosion protection. Buy yourself a cheap power supply and pitch the batteries. Also, it's not "Cadmium" that makes it gold, it is a yellow dichromate finish that is put over Cad or Zinc. As others have said, you probably won't find a home use kit that has anything with cadmium in it.
Last edited by Duke94; Jan 21, 2008 at 06:41 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Thanks for the feedback and clarification . . . it's a chromate finish that gives it a "cadmium" look. Looked like it would be fun to play with. Powder coating also looks like it will be fun to play with as well since there are so many finishes to choose from. I'm buying the wife all new kitchen applicances . . . guess whose getting the old oven installed in the garage 
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I've used it for a couple years. Finish looks good, but not much corrosion protection. Buy yourself a cheap power supply and pitch the batteries. Also, it's not "Cadmium" that makes it gold, it is a yellow dichromate finish that is put over Cad or Zinc. As others have said, you probably won't find a home use kit that has anything with cadmium in it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: LONG ISLAND
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Cool.........
what did the kit cost ? How many pieces / parts can you electroplate ?
what did the kit cost ? How many pieces / parts can you electroplate ?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I also found another plating kit company that you may look at as well: Caswell
Last edited by redman76; Jan 22, 2008 at 02:42 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 2
St. Jude Donor '08
Looks good.
Also, I see you have foglights in the grill, do you have any pics of how they are mounted? I have a set I want to put in ,but I haven't decided on what would be the best way to mount them.
Also, I see you have foglights in the grill, do you have any pics of how they are mounted? I have a set I want to put in ,but I haven't decided on what would be the best way to mount them.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
PM me on the lights. I don't know if I have any pics and if I don't, I'll try to shoot some tonight.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Springfield Illinois
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
When I connected them, I disregarded some of the common CF advice and by-passed relays. I know . . . how could I? 
I'll give it some more thought though. I do get asked questions about them from time-to-time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 27
From: Eastern North Carolina
For anyone who is interested, Caswell Inc. also sells a lot of electro-plating goodies. I use a product of theirs called Copy Chrome. Most people would have a very hard time telling the difference compared to real chrome plating. It is not all to hard to do, the hardest part is in the preparation of the parts. Their Web Site is www.caswellplating.com.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Joplin Missouri
For anyone who is interested, Caswell Inc. also sells a lot of electro-plating goodies. I use a product of theirs called Copy Chrome. Most people would have a very hard time telling the difference compared to real chrome plating. It is not all to hard to do, the hardest part is in the preparation of the parts. Their Web Site is www.caswellplating.com.
