Plating and electropolishing

[caroleallen]

I'm always trying to speed up the various processes and am wondering if anyone has any experience of plating and electropolishing machines that they would care to share please.

[coffejohn]

Hi, can you be more specific?

I am using electro erosion, which is a form of electro polishing. Basically it`s reverse plating in a salt solution; common salt works but NaNO3, Sodium nitrate, is better. A pulsed power supply is best.

Hope this helps.

[Hannah Jackson]

Hi,

I use the tank plating method and have a tank plating kit, some can be found here - http://www.goldn.co.uk/gold-tank-plating-kit/

To keep costs down I purchased the things in the kit individually. If you are only flash plating or guilding you don't need the hotplate/stirer... but if you are looking for thick plating of silver or gold, you will definately need one of them.

I bought it a while ago but haven't had the chance to fully use it so I can't be of much help in that respect. There is an amazing forum with gold and silver plating experts who are very knowledgable here - http://www.finishing.com/236/85.shtml

My only grumble is that with these kind of kits there are wires EVERYWHERE! As it is essentially a beaker on a hotplate stirer, next to a box controlling the amps & voltage so I always worry about knocking it over on to the rectifier... and as liquid and electric do not mix it doesn't seem that safe at all!

I'm thinking of buying a contained unit from Rio Grande, so there are no wires to worry about - http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Mid.../331961?Pos=64 .....Although it is rather expensive!

I recently spoke to Just Casting, they do gold and silver plating. For a small piece 1.8cm x 1.8cm the silver plating quote for 12pcs was about £3.50 per piece so for the moment i've decided it is easier to pay someone to do it for me! lol. I remember you saying you sell in volume, so I can see how the cost of this may rack up.

Spa plating have videos on youtube which I found a great help.... although when I tried it, it was alot harder than it looked! (But that might just be me!)

To speed up polishing rather than electro-polishing I have bought a Vibratory Tumbler from Sutton Tools and abrasive media from Rio Grande (Postage from Rio hurt ALOT! It cost me nearly £120 in postage and import fees alone!), it only just arrived so I am still playing with it to get the process just right. The guy at Rio said it can do the process from start to finish... with the correct media it can sand from 400/600 grit right up to a high polish.

Sorry I can't be of more help.
Hannah x