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Electroplating


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From:  RWB355-at-aol-dot-com [SMTP:RWB355-at-aol-dot-com]
Sent:  Wednesday, August 19, 1998 3:59 PM
To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject:  Re: Electroplating

Hi Roderick,

If you really want to silver plate wood via electoplating, you are going to
 need a lot more than just a silver-ion chemical. The surface to be plated has
 to be really, really clean. As wood is not conductive you have to give the
 wood a conductive surface, which means coating it with graphite (e.g). If you
 want a top notch job this coating has to have a uniform thickness all around.
 Your next problem is getting the silver coating even. I donīt know of any
 "thumb rules" that could tell you need so and so long in the bath with so and
 so amps, etc. The toroid would need to be rotated continusely for a uniform
 coating. After electroplating you will need to polish the surface smooth as
 EPing doesnīt give you a shiny apperance on itīs own. Electroplating is simply
 "an art of its own".

Even if you get this done perfectly, you have another problem: silver
 tarnishes pretty quickly in air and under ozone and electron bomardment this
 is even more true. So you will have to coat it with something.

To be truthful, all in all, this is work not really worth doing and you donīt
 need to buy a commercial toroid, either. Make it yourself. You can use just
 about anything: Dryer ducts, metal elbows, alum. vent ducting, wrap your wood
 in aluminum foil etc. The list of possibilties is endless.

 What would look pretty neat is a toroid from some ss or aluminum elbows
 welded together with a circular disk in the middle to attach it to your tc and
 make the electrical connection. After welding you can smooth out the welds
 with an angle grinder and polish it up with fine sandpaper and steel wool, so
 that you donīt have any sharp edges that would bleed off your charge
 preliminarily. Of course you must be able to weld thin stainless or thin
 aluminum. Your best bet would be a Tig welder. If you donīt have one, a
 welding shop should be able to do this for small $$.

Hope this helps,
Reinhard