Electroless Nickel Plating
By Ron Yost
I have many parts to replate on my Philipps Pianella, so I asked about home-shop nickel plating some time ago in rec.crafts.metalworking. I was advised to try the Electroless Nickel Plating kits sold by Brownells.
Brownells is primarily a gunsmith supply company, and their catalog is a treasure-trove of hard-to-find materials and tools. The catalog is U.S. $5, but if you're a professional restorer it's free. Great people and wonderful service!
Brownells, Inc.,
200 South Front Street,
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
tel: 515-623-5401 (24-hours!)
fax: 515-623-3896
I understand electroless plating has many advantages, not the least of which is that the plating is not as thick as electro-plating and thus will not alter the fit of screwed-together parts. Note that this process is for STEEL parts only!
Here's an edited description from Brownells Catalog #48, p.141:
> BROWNELLS ELECTROLESS NICKEL PLATING
>
> Beautiful, bright nickel plating in your shop without use of an
> electric power supply transformer or the hazards of cyanide salts.
> Finish is as lustrous as the very best of professional electroplating
> but tougher, more flexible (it will bend 180-degrees without damage)
> and more rust resistant (240 continuous hours of salt spray).
>
> Our Electroless Nickel Plating is easy to apply, requiring a minimum
> of special equipment and no technical knowledge. By following our
> thorough instructions, the plating will be equal in looks and quality
> to that of the most experienced shop.
>
> Electroless Nickel Plating requires using four, easy-to-mix chemicals
> which we carry in concentrated form. Details and exact quantities of
> the mixtures are described in detail in the instruction book, available
> at no charge ... just ask for it!
>
> Electroless Nickel Plating has the following features:
>
> * Can be soldered, brazed and welded
> * Excellent resistance to corrosion
> * Micro-Smooth structure - far superior to electroplating.
> * No extensive polishing for high luster.
> * Lay-Flat molecular lattice - no bumps and ridges, thin edges,
> or bulges around screw holes.
> * Even thickness of Nickel overall.
> * Nickel stripper available that requires no cyanide!
>
> Send for our free instruction booklet which gives step-by-step
> procedures and also tells you how to make your own tank, stirrer and
> hot-plate setup.
They also carry a solution called "Nickel-On-Nickel" that allows re-plating WITHOUT stripping the old nickel, as well as Nickel-On-Aluminum solutions and solutions for stripping plating.
Brownells is a very old company, not given to superlatives, so I'm sure these products work as advertised. I'm very interested in these processes, so please keep us informed of your progress! Good luck!
Ron Yost
Paso Robles, California |
(Message sent Tue 28 Jan 1997, 05:22:43 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
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