Nickel plating?

762mm

762mm

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Hello,

I was just wondering... is there a consumer-oriented product line that allows to have metal parts nickel-plated in a home DIY environment?

How would a process like that bind to the old blueing on a semi-auto pistol, for example? Let's say one would want to get an old blued semi-auto frame & slide plated, what do they need to consider prior to going ahead with it? (ie. is stripping the blue to bare metal required?).

Thanks! :)
 
Hi.

I have had things nickle plated and done both silver, gold, and nickle plating. The parts have to be clean - really really clean. I would sandblast/beadblast to bare metal, use a boiling cleaner/degreaser prep after, and then plate.

Depending on how thick the plating is you can get transfer from the bottom layers that makes the colour mottled.

Caswell makes DIY plating kits. They also sell instructions.

YMMV
 
I have a Caswell plating system 10amp rectifier with nickel/ chromium / zinc tanks. In order to do high quality electroplating on a 1911 frame and slide the prep is EVERYTHING. I have done some great plating jobs that were flawless, however to get to this point I have also created alot of chrome pieces of sh*t. You need to prep the material your plating untill it looks so perfect you think it shouldnt need plated at all, I mean FLAWLESS. Then you are ready to deagrease and start plating. Whatever you don't like about your prep job will only show up three times worse after plating- plating does NOT cover up flaws it makes them really stand out. Expect to tie up 800-1000 to get started with 1.5 gallon baths , chemicals and rectifier.
And yes bare metal only, then copper plate, "reprep if needed to repair flaws " , nickel plate and then cromium. Whatevers being plated must me a good conductor for electroplating or covered with a conductor.
 
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Stovetop ElectroLESS Nickel used to be available in a KIT from Brownell's. With the current craziness at the US border, I don't know if you could get such a kit into Canuckistan today.

I did a lot of electroless Nickel PREPERATION back when I was gunsmithing, and what the previous poster said about FLAWLESS prep work being required is pretty accurate.

The electroless nickle gives a far superior finish for firearms over Electroplating, but IMHO, both operations are a bit advanced for home gunsmithing. After I did my "flawless" prep, I took my parts to a large shop that specialised in anodising and plating, and even then, with all their experience and with all my careful prep work, we still had an occasional "oopsie".
 
Electroless plating may be a more cost effective solution. I have never seen it done however it seems a much less expensive process, but It will most likley still require a great deal of labour and effort. Caswell Canada in Port Perry can probably help you out 905-985-8627. From past experience with cost you can expect your set up with all required supplies to be about twice as much as indicated in the kits by the time your truely properly equipped to test/correct and balance you baths pH , have alternate anod and cathode plates and mounts, multiple bath pumps for better circulation to reduce your hydrogen bubbling and pitting and rotory drive motor for even plating in the smaller tanks -you will have doubled your cost.
Not that I'm tring to talk anyone out of getting set up I just wish at time I knew what I was getting into when I started. If you plan on electroplating larger objects with chromium it requires 1 amp per square inch of plating- this can make for a very expensive venture but nickle plating approx 1 amp per 15 square inches of plating-much smaller and less expensive rectifier needed.
Unless you plan on doing a fair bit of plating and really enjoy taking on new projects and challanges you might want to send your plating needs out to a business, it will for most individuals be more cost effective and less stressfull.
The Canadian Caswell sight has been down for a few months now however the USA site has some great information and examples of what can be done.
 
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