DIY Electroplating

[kevin_norfolk]

I want to use up some of my scrap silver to electroplate some small items of EPNS that I have made into jewellery.

I understand the fundamentals of electroplating. I intend to make the scrap silver into an ingot to use as an electrode and the item to be plated will be the other electrode. With the right electrolyte and a suitable current the silver will be removed from the ingot and deposited on the EPNS metal.

My problem is in the fine detail;

What do I use for electrolyte?
Is the silver the anode or the cathode (+ or -)?
What voltage and current is required?

Does anybody have any experience/knowledge in this area that you would be prepared to disclose? The electrical safety is not a problem as I am an electrical engineer.

Shawn.

[ps_bond]

There's a really good book on electroforming (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electroforming-Jewellery-Handbooks-Leslie-Curtis/dp/0713652969) available; that covers a lot of theory and practice. However... From memory, they're very keen on cyanides in the plating solution (which is why I haven't dabbled in that side of it). Your ingot is the anode, target is the cathode BTW. There's a bit on electroforming & plating in The Jewelry Repair Manual (http://www.amazon.com/Jewelry-Repair-Manual-Allen-Hardy/dp/0486291618), but I can't remember offhand what it had to say about silver - probably cyanide again given the age.

IIRC Caswell Plating sell cyanide-free plating solutions.

Stable supplies & current density calcs I expect you'll not find an issue...

[kevin_norfolk]

Thankyou Peter

I am not sure I would be allowed to buy/use any of the cyanide based solutions as a hoby plater. I shall follow up the information about Caswells and the two books. When I have searched on the internet I have not used the keyword "electroforming" so there is another lead for me to investigate.

Once again Thank you

Shawn.