Electroplating copper, nickel & zinc

[SmithDoor]

Well vented is safest way.
I think we do here needs to be vented.

No just remember all the cleaning chemical you and our wife use can make a deadly gas too. Next just think all danger is your car.

Just vent where you are working.

Dave

I use a gold plating solution that contains a cyanide salt. Using appropriate PPE and proper safety precautions it hasn't caused me any issues. We play with a lot of potentially harmful substances (especially molten metals) and cyanide is just another thing to be careful of.

 

[Cogsy]

Also, does pickling or electroplating in a Muriatic acid solution emit Chlorine gas or compounds? Another chemical used in chemical warfare I want to avoid!

The gas produced should only be hydrogen. When we had to strip a large mis-galvanised piece the violent bubbling of the pickle solution would foam up and cause the tanks to overflow. To prevent this we 'flared' them by tossing in a lit piece of paper. It was very satisfying to watch a 50 foot x 6 foot tank of liquid whoosh into a brief fireball then settle down to a nice 4 inch flame over the entire surface for 1/2 an hour or so - especially on a cold night shift.

 

[Steamchick]

Most dangerous thing I do is ride my motorcycle. 10 times more deadly than catching Covid19! 100 times more harmful than smoking. But great fun!

 

[SmithDoor]

Here one way of copper Plating


DIY Chemistry: Teach Yourself Electroplating
This simple experiment, in which you can coat graphite with copper, will show you the secrets of laying down a thin layer of metal.

When you see a thin layer of metal—on anything from chrome car parts to drill bits to jewelry—electroplating probably has been at work. The process is simple: Send current through a metallic salt solution to coat a conductive surface with metal ions. In this project, we're coating graphite (in the form of a pencil drawing) with copper, the material in electric wiring. This turns the image into a circuit that can supply an LED with power. A new way to wire your house? No. Cool? Definitely.

Supplies

• Copper sulfate (e.g., Zep Root Kill)

• White vinegar

• Plastic straw

• Transparency film

• Sandpaper, tape

• No. 2 pencil

• 9-volt battery

• No. 2 mechanical-pencil lead

• Two sets of alligator-clip connectors

• LED with attached resistor

1. In a clear bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of copper sulfate with 1 cup of white vinegar. Stir with a straw. When the vinegar turns blue, the copper is dissolved.

2. Use fine sandpaper to roughen a piece of transparency film.

3. Draw an image on the scratched film with a No. 2 pencil. Your picture needs to consist of a single, thick line and extend to the edge of the film.

4. Clamp a red alligator clip to the positive terminal of a 9-volt battery. Clamp the other red clip to the mechanical pencil graphite.

5. Clamp a black alligator clip to the negative terminal of the battery. Clamp the other black clip to the edge of your drawing.

6. Without letting the alligator clip touch the liquid, submerge the film in the bowl. Tape the clip to the edge of the bowl.

7. Submerge the pencil lead in the solution. Tape its alligator clip to the bowl. The dissolved copper will plate onto your drawing. (You'll see bubbles form on the lead.)

8. When the drawing is completely covered in copper, disconnect the clips from the battery and dry the drawing with a paper towel.

9. Test the copper with two separate plated drawings. Connect one drawing to the battery's positive terminal with an alligator clip, and the other one to the negative terminal with a second clip. Touch one leg of the LED to each drawing; let there be light!

Web site

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a8932/diy-chemistry-teach-yourself-electroplating-15445718/

 

[Richard Hed]

Most dangerous thing I do is ride my motorcycle. 10 times more deadly than catching Covid19! 100 times more harmful than smoking. But great fun!

In the US, I have access to a Honda goldwing 1100, 1985? It's my Daughter's. It's really too heavy for me and there is a stiff clutch we are trying to replace (the wire part). In the Philippines we have two bikes for 5 year olds: a 125 honda and a 180 yamaha. These are tiny for the USA or Europe but about the right size or a bit undersized for Asia. I'd say these are about 1000X more dangerous than smoking! It's not the bikes, it's the place! Peeps just don't understand the rules of the road. But they are the mom and pop solution to the general populations need for transpo. You'll see 5-7 people on a bike. ONe wonders how the tires take it or the bearings.

 

[SmithDoor]

Any thing you do in metal work can very safe. Even motorcycle can be safe.
But you do need to follow the safety rules.

Doing ether one and doing some like drink alcohol is not safe. Just try driving a motorcycle drunk at 100 mph see how that works out.

Dave

In the US, I have access to a Honda goldwing 1100, 1985? It's my Daughter's. It's really too heavy for me and there is a stiff clutch we are trying to replace (the wire part). In the Philippines we have two bikes for 5 year olds: a 125 honda and a 180 yamaha. These are tiny for the USA or Europe but about the right size or a bit undersized for Asia. I'd say these are about 1000X more dangerous than smoking! It's not the bikes, it's the place! Peeps just don't understand the rules of the road. But they are the mom and pop solution to the general populations need for transpo. You'll see 5-7 people on a bike. ONe wonders how the tires take it or the bearings.

 

[Richard Hed]

Here one way of copper Plating


DIY Chemistry: Teach Yourself Electroplating
This simple experiment, in which you can coat graphite with copper, will show you the secrets of laying down a thin layer of metal.

When you see a thin layer of metal—on anything from chrome car parts to drill bits to jewelry—electroplating probably has been at work. The process is simple: Send current through a metallic salt solution to coat a conductive surface with metal ions. In this project, we're coating graphite (in the form of a pencil drawing) with copper, the material in electric wiring. This turns the image into a circuit that can supply an LED with power. A new way to wire your house? No. Cool? Definitely.

Supplies

• Copper sulfate (e.g., Zep Root Kill)

• White vinegar

• Plastic straw

• Transparency film

• Sandpaper, tape

• No. 2 pencil

• 9-volt battery

• No. 2 mechanical-pencil lead

• Two sets of alligator-clip connectors

• LED with attached resistor

1. In a clear bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of copper sulfate with 1 cup of white vinegar. Stir with a straw. When the vinegar turns blue, the copper is dissolved.

2. Use fine sandpaper to roughen a piece of transparency film.

3. Draw an image on the scratched film with a No. 2 pencil. Your picture needs to consist of a single, thick line and extend to the edge of the film.

4. Clamp a red alligator clip to the positive terminal of a 9-volt battery. Clamp the other red clip to the mechanical pencil graphite.

5. Clamp a black alligator clip to the negative terminal of the battery. Clamp the other black clip to the edge of your drawing.

6. Without letting the alligator clip touch the liquid, submerge the film in the bowl. Tape the clip to the edge of the bowl.

7. Submerge the pencil lead in the solution. Tape its alligator clip to the bowl. The dissolved copper will plate onto your drawing. (You'll see bubbles form on the lead.)

8. When the drawing is completely covered in copper, disconnect the clips from the battery and dry the drawing with a paper towel.

9. Test the copper with two separate plated drawings. Connect one drawing to the battery's positive terminal with an alligator clip, and the other one to the negative terminal with a second clip. Touch one leg of the LED to each drawing; let there be light!

Web site

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a8932/diy-chemistry-teach-yourself-electroplating-15445718/

For silvering telescope mirrors, there is a purely chemical method (that is, no electrolysis of any type). since silver, gold and copper are on the same line in the chemical elements , I'm wondering if there isn't a similar method for copper? Gold is difficult to deal with, but copper should have a similar ability.

 

[SmithDoor]

On the History Channel they had way back using just copper and vinegar to plate nails using no power.
I try that way and about week later I copper on nail.

I would not plate gold or chrome because chemical at dangerous.
I have work as machinist for place that did hard chrome so found how to do hard chrome.
1) it is simple to do
2) no one follow safety rules other than let the wind blow.
3) I do not what chrome chemical at home

Dave

For silvering telescope mirrors, there is a purely chemical method (that is, no electrolysis of any type). since silver, gold and copper are on the same line in the chemical elements , I'm wondering if there isn't a similar method for copper? Gold is difficult to deal with, but copper should have a similar ability.

 

[Richard Hed]

On the History Channel they had way back using just copper and vinegar to plate nails using no power.
I try that way and about week later I copper on nail.

I would not plate gold or chrome because chemical at dangerous.
I have work as machinist for place that did hard chrome so found how to do hard chrome.
1) it is simple to do
2) no one follow safety rules other than let the wind blow.
3) I do not what chrome chemical at home

Dave

Most silvering on telescope mirrors is now done with a special aluminum oven. It costs a lot plus postage to and from. silvering is very simple with only a small chance of making silver (something) that is an explosive. You have to guard against that, but it is simple otherwise. I'm just curious, since aluminum is the standard for mirrors, if chrome would work by that chemical process. I had a friend one time tell me that the chromist (or whatever they are called that used to chrome things) used to hop right into the vat with the chemical. that is till the EPA or some agency put a stop to it probly in the 70' or 80's. Of course, whomever did that prolly died of some horrible disease like cancerous growths everywhere. The biggest problem with Silver mirrors is that they tend to deteriorate and needs to be re-silvered every year or so. But since it is so simple, not a prob. One can even make the chemical precursors oneself from off the shelf materials.

 

[SmithDoor]

Trouble shooting Nickel Plating Guide

 

[SmithDoor]

Found this way to plate too

Plating copper onto other metals is popular with the steampunk crowd, but it does have other uses. Copper plate is often used as a prep step for plating other metals, such as nickel and silver. It also (usually) increases the conductivity of the metal to be plated. [A_Steingrube] is using the copper acetate method of plating. What is somewhat novel about his method is that he chose to make his own electrolyte solution from household chemicals. The copper acetate is created by mixing distilled vinegar and household hydrogen peroxide in a 50/50 ratio. The mixture is heated and then a piece of copper scouring pad is placed in. The scouring pad is partially dissolved, providing copper ions, and turning the solution blue.

The next step is to clean the material to be plated. [A_Steingrube] uses Cameo Aluminum and Stainless cleaner for this, though we think any good degreaser will work. The actual electroplating process consists of connecting a piece of copper to the positive terminal of a 6 volt battery. Copper scouring pad is again used for its high surface area. The material to be plated is connected to the negative side of the battery. He warns to keep the solution and the material being plated in constant motion to avoid heavy “burn spots”, which can flake off after the plating process. The results speak for themselves. As with any bare copper material, the electroplated layer will quickly oxidize if not protected

 

[doc1955]

copper, zinc and nickel work as I have shown in this short demo video.

 

[SmithDoor]

Thank you for the Video
Dave

copper, zinc and nickel work as I have shown in this short demo video.