Electroless Nickel Plating
By Ron Schmuck
Hello Everyone, Here is a way we have used for years to nickel plate parts that will not be subject to hard use.
1. In plating everything must be absolutely clean, so a good bath in a solution of hot washing soda is done first. If the part is really dirty we first clean the parts by annealing, which is to heat the part over a Bunsen burner until it turns dull red, then slide it quickly into a pickling solution (avoiding splashing). The pickling solution will anneal (by quickly cooling it) and clean the metal at the same time.
For the pickling solution for copper and alloys mix 1 part of concentrated sulfuric acid with 9 parts water. Caution: always pour the acid into the water, and remember it's very caustic, so use extreme care with skin, eyes, lungs, clothing, etc.
2. The part may only require pickling to clean, which simply means to put the part into the pickling solution for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. For iron and other base metals make your pickling solution .5 part acid to 9.5 parts water.
"Plating without electric current"
Thin films of nickel or silver can readily be plated on copper, brass, etc., simply by local chemical action. These films are not as durable as those made by regular electro-plating, but they may serve well on objects that will not be subjected to hard use, which is just about everything except the piano pedals.
4. Plating with Nickel
When moistened with water, the following mixture will cause a plating of nickel to be formed on copper or brass;
Nickel ammonium sulfate 60 parts
Powdered chalk 35 parts
Powdered magnesium metal 4 parts
Mix the powders thoroughly, and apply to the previously cleaned metal with a cloth pad kept wet with water. I also have a few mixtures for silver plating; if anyone wants them let me know.
Best Regards
Ron Schmuck |
(Message sent Thu 30 Jan 1997, 05:38:39 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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