Re: plating xmas balls...are you serious?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Nick Andrews" <nicothefabulous-at-hotmail-dot-com> 

Check out http://www.caswellplating-dot-com for plating kits and information.
They have a chrome system with no cyanide or haz fumes for 495.

Nick A


>From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: plating xmas balls...are you serious?
>Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 18:07:56 -0700
>
>Original poster: Mike <megavolts61-at-yahoo-dot-com>
>
>Ok,   if you wish to plate a plastic object,  I STRONGLY suggest using the 
>age old siliver 'mirroring' process.  You can find the recipe in just 
>about any old chemistry book....or email me offlist and I'll send 
>it.   The copper 'electroless' process is ok, but much less likely to 
>adhere as well.
>   Once you've put on the initial silver coating, then you can easily 
> plate the silvered part with another metal....because you can now apply 
> electrical current to affect the plating.  Be advised that you will have 
> to be working with toxic cyanide solutions, so don't even bother if you 
> don't plan to be careful.  The cyanide solutions are safe.....unless you 
> somehow manage to acidify them...then you have your own gas chamber.
>    Note:  aluminum cannot be plated from an aqueous solution.  It 
> requires some nasty organic solutions....a spun toroid would be much easier.
>Nickel plating is relatively easy....don't bother with chrome 
>plating....too much work and the benefits would be minimal, if any exist.
>   There are a few electroless nickel plating solutions, but again,  a 
> quick silver plate is so much more convenient.   Copper plating is so 
> easy and cheap(commercial house wiring is electrolytically refined and 
> pure enough for a cheap anode material).  You can build up a very nice 
> layer of copper, then go for whatever metal you want to see(gold eg.).
>     I've plated a lot of RF induction furnace parts...used silver....the 
> tarnish isn't an issue except for looks.   Honestly....I would still use 
> the dryer duct type...soooooo much easier.
>Mike
>