Nickel plating

[SmithDoor]

There are two problems
1) if use tap water can change the color
2) plastic tanks.
Use ironing water / distilled water
Use glass jars

Dave

Thanks for all the inputs on nickel plating. I gave up and went with the brass. This is the Edwards Radial 5. Plumbing bending was a new experience.

 

[tim9lives]

Yeah Master. The YouTube videos act like it’s easy. Most of them, are coating a copper penny. Copper seems to take the nickel plating much better. The problem is that steel and iron are very difficult to plate with copper using most chemicals we can get. Almost every article I’ve read mentioned using a cyanide copper strike formula. I don’t even want to mess with cyanide.
That said, I gave up many times over the last number of years. Zinc is an easy plating project using just vinegar and epsom salt. It’s easy.
But, as far as nickel goes....the only successful attempt I’ve ever had was using what’s called the Watts Nickel Formula when plating steel. I haven’t tried plating cast iron yet. That’s because I haven’t scaled up yet. I’m planning on scaling up and doing some larger items soon. My main motivation is rust prevention and that’s why I tried the plating of cheap parallels. The parallels have been holding up great.

also...when plating it’s absolutely necessary to have everything totally clean. Must wear gloves and wash all traces of oil off the workpiece. I first washed the parallels with Bar Keepers Friend. Then electrocleaned in an alkaline bath. Then a 10 second dip in a diluted muriatic acid dip. The acid dip was a diluted acid. Like one part acid and two parts water.
And it’s highly recommended to use distilled water. But I did use filtered tap water because the pandemic just hit and there wasn’t any water in the stores. After all of that... I checked the parts with a spray bottle filled with water to see if I had a good water break. That means no water is beading on the part.
And then to the Watts plating.

 

[doc1955]

Yeah Master. The YouTube videos act like it’s easy. Most of them, are coating a copper penny. Copper seems to take the nickel plating much better. The problem is that steel and iron are very difficult to plate with copper using most chemicals we can get. Almost every article I’ve read mentioned using a cyanide copper strike formula. I don’t even want to mess with cyanide.
That said, I gave up many times over the last number of years. Zinc is an easy plating project using just vinegar and epsom salt. It’s easy.
But, as far as nickel goes....the only successful attempt I’ve ever had was using what’s called the Watts Nickel Formula when plating steel. I haven’t tried plating cast iron yet. That’s because I haven’t scaled up yet. I’m planning on scaling up and doing some larger items soon. My main motivation is rust prevention and that’s why I tried the plating of cheap parallels. The parallels have been holding up great.

also...when plating it’s absolutely necessary to have everything totally clean. Must wear gloves and wash all traces of oil off the workpiece. I first washed the parallels with Bar Keepers Friend. Then electrocleaned in an alkaline bath. Then a 10 second dip in a diluted muriatic acid dip. The acid dip was a diluted acid. Like one part acid and two parts water.
And it’s highly recommended to use distilled water. But I did use filtered tap water because the pandemic just hit and there wasn’t any water in the stores. After all of that... I checked the parts with a spray bottle filled with water to see if I had a good water break. That means no water is beading on the part.
And then to the Watts plating.

When I did my brass pipes I made for my v-8 it seemed to taake very well. I think the secret is clean and buff the brass to a high shine plus use a good de-greaser. I use the stuff Wal-mart sells. Its an orange base de-greaser. Also I used a vinegar bass solution not acid. And the same goes for copper plating. Some materials that will not take nickel you need to copper plate first brass is not one that needs to be copper plated. Anyway like I said I do have a video of brass zoomie pipes being plated. They turned out looking like chrome when finished.

 

[tim9lives]

When I did my brass pipes I made for my v-8 it seemed to taake very well. I think the secret is clean and buff the brass to a high shine plus use a good de-greaser. I use the stuff Wal-mart sells. Its an orange base de-greaser. Also I used a vinegar bass solution not acid. And the same goes for copper plating. Some materials that will not take nickel you need to copper plate first brass is not one that needs to be copper plated. Anyway like I said I do have a video of brass zoomie pipes being plated. They turned out looking like chrome when finished.

Yeah Doc. All copper based metals take nickel very nicely. Brass is mostly copper so it will accept a nickel electroplating very easy. And is just like a lot of those YouTube videos. And...vinegar is 5% acetic acid. It works but it’s a slower process. When plating brass or copper it’s fine. But steel and iron need a more aggressive acid in order to pickle the metal in my opinion. Vinegar will work but it’s slower. But with brass and copper you just don’t need a lot of etch on the metals
And the problem is that it’s very, very hard to plate steel or iron with a copper strike. All of the commercial platers use a cyanide copper strike.
At least that’s my take from what I’ve read. I tried many different formulas, trying to copper plate steel. I ended up with a dull copper base which was covered with a black soot. And this was using a regulated power supply and following all the voltage and amp plating rules.
But, if you’re trying to plate any copper based metal then there’s a number of simple formulas out there which will suffice.

and yes...distilled water is always much much better. I finally purchased 6 gallons for my next attempt at this electroplating

 

[SmithDoor]

If you ever go in commercial plating company you see at less 7 tanks for plating zinc.
This to get nice bright zinc color. Takes very short time .

But a commercial hard chrome uses just one tank.
The part is first machined or ground then clean with break cleaner next in to plating. The part after a day comes out tank a dill sliver color.
For a bright chrome needs to polished.

Dave

 

[a41capt]

I have a decent luck using the Caswell plating copper as a base on steel. On pitted steel gun receivers, I’ve built a copper base and draw filed to a flat finish. The copper fills the pitting nicely, and then a plate of nickel to cover, and a beautiful reconditioned firearm.

I haven’t tried the acetic acid method from YouTube, I should give it a go to see how it works. I’m out of other chemicals so it’d sure be a cheaper option!

 

[doc1955]

If you ever go in commercial plating company you see at less 7 tanks for plating zinc.
This to get nice bright zinc color. Takes very short time .

But a commercial hard chrome uses just one tank.
The part is first machined or ground then clean with break cleaner next in to plating. The part after a day comes out tank a dill sliver color.
For a bright chrome needs to polished.

Dave

Ok I went out to the shop and plated a piece of brass tube. I used the solution I made with vinegar and 2 pieces of pure nickel and a usb charger, So here is a short video of me trying to show how I have done it with excellent results.

 

[SmithDoor]

Looks great
Thank you
Dave

Ok I went out to the shop and plated a piece of brass tube. I used the solution I made with vinegar and 2 pieces of pure nickel and a usb charger, So here is a short video of me trying to show how I have done it with excellent results.

 

[awake]

Doc, that was a nice demo of the difference you get between a polished base and an unpolished one. Thanks!

 

[SmithDoor]

This may help

Dave

Tried my hand at nickel plating. May have left item in solution too long. It turned black. The black does polish off, but the result is an odd silver/yellow color.

 

[tim9lives]

From what I’ve read....and mind you I’m certainly not an expert, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn.
Anyway, the problem with most Chrome Electroplating is hexavalent chromium compounds are toxic. Like real toxic and also very highly regulated now. Electroless Chrome is a totally different animal.
But, for electro chrome plating steel they first plate with copper ( and that’s a cyanide process) .... theand then nickel plate and from there into the chrome tank. There is some newer tech using trivalent chrome which isn’t as bad for you. But the hexavalent chrome is super bad fumes. Heavy metal toxins. Plus , on the corrosive spectrum...it’s also up there with fuming muriatic acid. It’s a highly corrosive process in that everything in the shop corrodes.
But, plating copper based metals are much easier. Maybe I’m wrong Doc, but I’m guessing that if you go back into your shop and try to plate a steel bar using vinegar....it ain’t going to be easy. By the way....zinc plated nails and hardware isn’t the same as cold rolled steel. Nickel over zinc works a little easier than nickel over steel.

oh...the other thing about plating metals is the professionals don’t really share their secrets. Reading lots of posts on finishing.com even points out so much is proprietary info. But, watts nickel is well documented.

 

[doc1955]

From what I’ve read....and mind you I’m certainly not an expert, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn.
Anyway, the problem with most Chrome Electroplating is hexavalent chromium compounds are toxic. Like real toxic and also very highly regulated now. Electroless Chrome is a totally different animal.
But, for electro chrome plating steel they first plate with copper ( and that’s a cyanide process) and then nickel plate and from there into the chrome tank. There is some newer tech using trivalent chrome which isn’t as bad for you. But the hexavalent chrome is super bad fumes. Heavy metal toxins. Plus , on the corrosive spectrum...it’s also up there with fuming muriatic acid. It’s a highly corrosive process in that everything in the shop corrodes.
But, plating copper based metals are much easier. Maybe I’m wrong Doc, but I’m guessing that if you go back into your shop and try to plate a steel bar using vinegar....it ain’t going to be easy. By the way....zinc plated nails and hardware isn’t the same as cold rolled steel. Nickel over zinc works a little easier than nickel over steel.

Nickel plating is not the same as chrome plating. Chrome plating is a lot harder in both respects as doing and outcome.
And the process I do and have had very good results is not done with any toxic acid unless you consider the acid in vinegar toxic. It is a simple straight forward process for nickel plating whether for a chrome look or to just stop oxidation. The main thing is to have parts that are to be plated clean. If you want a chrome look you need to start with well polished parts or material. Nickel plating will not cover scratches or surface imperfections
If you watch the video I posted you will see that it is a simple process to go from copper or brass to a chrome look in a very short time with no harsh chemicals.

 

[smartmicrons]

Nickel plating offers a one-of-a-kind mix of corrosion protection and wears resistance. In addition, it can add radiance, shine, and attractiveness. Nickel is frequently used as an “undercoat” for other coatings, such as chromium because it has excellent adhesive capabilities for subsequent coating layers.

Electroplating with nickel
Electroplating, also known as surface treatment, is the process of depositing a thin layer of metal or metal alloy to a surface. The goal is to increase the longevity, aesthetics, and performance of the products being plated by changing the technical or physical attributes of the surface, such as electrical conductivity.

Nickel electroplating technology has advanced significantly over the last 50 years, allowing for the efficient production of a wide range of industrial coatings for both ornamental and functional uses. Electroplated nickel is an economically important material, with upwards of 150,000 tonnes deposited each year worldwide.

More information at Smart Microns

https://www.smartmicrons.com/what-are-some-common-applications-of-nickel-electroplating/

 

[SmithDoor]

What I found is pro's of Nickel plating
1) Lower cost
2) easy to in a home shop over chromium.
3) can used for low cost hard plating. Be for chrome plating was lower cost Nickel was used.

The cons is
1) Not as hard as chrome plating.
2) color is not same as chrome plating.

Most chrome shops start with flash copper plate then nickel plate. Then plate with chrome.
Hard chrome plating only uses chrome.

Back 1960's at toy stores they sold nickel plating kit.
I would give that to a 10 year old.

If look at home look at copper plating copper wire and root kill found at plumbing stores.

Dave

Nickel plating offers a one-of-a-kind mix of corrosion protection and wears resistance. In addition, it can add radiance, shine, and attractiveness. Nickel is frequently used as an “undercoat” for other coatings, such as chromium because it has excellent adhesive capabilities for subsequent coating layers.

Electroplating with nickel
Electroplating, also known as surface treatment, is the process of depositing a thin layer of metal or metal alloy to a surface. The goal is to increase the longevity, aesthetics, and performance of the products being plated by changing the technical or physical attributes of the surface, such as electrical conductivity.

Nickel electroplating technology has advanced significantly over the last 50 years, allowing for the efficient production of a wide range of industrial coatings for both ornamental and functional uses. Electroplated nickel is an economically important material, with upwards of 150,000 tonnes deposited each year worldwide.

More information at Smart Microns

https://www.smartmicrons.com/what-are-some-common-applications-of-nickel-electroplating/

 

[a41capt]

After restoring the mechanical aspects and lining bores, I have successfully restored several old and pitted revolvers by first using several layers of plated copper and draw filing until all defects are filled. I usually take the time to then engrave with a “bright cut” to the copper and base steel, and do one more light copper plate to fill the engraving. I then buff the copper plate until absolutely shiny, degrease, and then into the home-brew nickel bath which is VERY easy. The results are stunning, although far from a chrome finish (nickel has a slightly yellowish tint), they are period correct for an antique nickel plated firearm, and restoration to shootable and presentable is a great thing!

John W

 

[Richard Carlstedt]

Well, I didn't read all the references in this thread, and I coordinated all the Nickel plating in our die shop
We did Electroless nickel only ( called EN) on our Dies and I would like to add a few comments.

First comment. You will always get smut with Aluminum .. you need a special pre-treatment for. Aluminum.

Second comment. Do not mix the solutions- a no no for getting good results , if you do steel, ONLY use that solution for steel. Mixing parts in the same bath is a great way to have failure , as you are working with metal Ions and you get cross-contamination. this is especially true if you use the bath for Aluminum.

Third. remember, ALL Chemical reactions are affected by temperature and generally the hotter the better BUT not all times. For instance, Electroless Nickel needs 192 F -closely controlled

Last. Use only Distilled or De_Ionized water and the part needs to be meticulous clean and rinse it in distilled water before plating

Rich

 

[SmithDoor]

How mix and use your home-brew nickel plating?

Dave

After restoring the mechanical aspects and lining bores, I have successfully restored several old and pitted revolvers by first using several layers of plated copper and draw filing until all defects are filled. I usually take the time to then engrave with a “bright cut” to the copper and base steel, and do one more light copper plate to fill the engraving. I then buff the copper plate until absolutely shiny, degrease, and then into the home-brew nickel bath which is VERY easy. The results are stunning, although far from a chrome finish (nickel has a slightly yellowish tint), they are period correct for an antique nickel plated firearm, and restoration to shootable and presentable is a great thing!

John W

 

[Richard Carlstedt]

A few other comments
Thickness of Nickel
Usually anything under .0005" is called a Flash coat
Its good for decoration - or rust prevention if over .0004"
.001" is needed for a working surface ( exposed to abrasion)
and .0015" for heavy work surfaces ---heavier is a waste of nickel

Immediately after plating , do a post heat treatment for superior plating adhesion
For steel, we did 600 F for two hours
For Aluminum we did 260 F for 8 hours. This drives off any Hydrogen !

Last we used Razor blades - bought thousands of them (old style) because the thickness was Extremely uniform and never varied. Clean the blade ( spotless ! ) and placed it in bath at the same time as work.. wait either 5 or ten minutes and then remove the blade and measure it's thickness. The plating thickness will be double as its on both sides. Use the time and thickness you got to project how long to leave the part in ---you will need a tenth Micrometer .. So if you measure the blade after 10 minutes and it is +.0003", you know you are plating at 1-1/2 Tenths in 10 minutes on a surface and you need 40 minutes to do a .0006" plate
Rich

 

[a41capt]

How mix and use your home-brew nickel plating?

Dave

400 grams of copper sulfate to 1 liter of warm water in a suitably sized glass container. Stir with a glass rod to dissolve the copper sulfate, utilize a piece of copper as tall as the container plus enough to extend past the top as the anode or positive charged lead (even a cleaned section of copper tubing or pipe), clean the buffed floor steel part to be plated with cleanser paste and rinsing under running water while wearing latex/nitrile gloves (no fingerprints please!), attach a negative charged lead to the steel part to be plated, submerge in the solution, and run the voltage at 3 to 6 volts dc. Rotate and gently agitate the part until the desired amount of copper has been deposited. I usually remove and rinse the part to inspect and ensure I’m building enough to fill any pitting, draw file down to bare steel again, and repeat the process until all pits are filled. That’s when I engrave and add one final layer of copper, lightly buffing before going to the nickel bath.

The Nickel bath (nickel acetate) is prepared using white vinegar, a small amount of table salt, and two pure nickel bars (bought off eBay) as the anode and cathode. Plating follows the same basic procedure as the one for copper including the degreasing/cleaning, and I always inspect for uniformity (visual) and apply more layers as needed lightly buffing and degreasing between baths until I reach the color/sharpness of engraving desired.

All these methods are clearly illustrated on YouTube, that’s where I learned the home brew plating methods I utilize.

John W

 

[awake]

I followed Doc1955's videos (mentioned above) - very easy and got excellent results.