DIY nickel plating - power source

[hansblix1]

Starting my DIY nickel plating project, but have run into a bump I'm hoping you all can help me with. I bought one 12V DC power supply and one 5V DC power supply, and I need to solder them to alligator clips. But before I can solder, which copper wires are +/-? There is no colored sheath. First time doing this sort of project, so my knowledge is limited, and I appreciate any kind assistance.

[outlawmws]

Digital Volt Meter (cheap or free, at HF will do) and it will tell you which is which (compare to any battery as a sanity check)

[SteveRetherford]

i dont know BUT

Many times, you will find a stripe on a wire, and this is usually going to mean that it is negative.

[hansblix1]

OK! Got it. Thank you both. Much appreciated!

[SteveRetherford]

i am rather electronically challenged but i do have a free harbor fright multi meter from at least 10 years ago , hard to believe it but the battery is still good in it still works , but i usually just use it as a car battery tester LOL dont know what all those other settings are for

[Rfieldbuilds]

The Chineseium voltage regs can be had for about $100. You would have full adjustability over voltage and output.
Guessing that 5v @1A is probably gonna be a little (lot) stronger than you need. Let me see if I can find a pic of my Bud Dave’s setup.

[WYSIWYG]

The one with the stripe is usually positive

You have separated the wires, now look at them you will see one is all black and one has a white stripe.

Sometimes there is not a stripe but instead ridges.

On wire pairs there is always something to identify one side from the other.
Even a flat two wire AC power cord has ridges on one side.

[Rfieldbuilds]

Not this one per se. But many good options exist. This was literally the first one that populated when I did the ebay search.

I’d check in with a plating forum on amperage range you may want. Basically I believe the formula has to do with how many sq inches you are plating at one time. A fuel cap is probably 2-3 Sq inches. A fount is probably 1-200 in rough terms.

[inman]

As has already mentioned by other members if you are DIYer you can get different voltages from an old desk top pc.

[outlawmws]

Paging Timm!

GunhippieTimm and Dave/Eel have mastered this. But Eel rarely posts lately (we did see him at the Brannan Island gathering)

[oldfox66]

The center pin was positive ( the diagram on the supply shows this) so a simple current pass thru test on the snipped off end will comfirm which is which. Most that I have used the stripe is positive tho

[hansblix1]

Thank you very much too all contributors. Got it to work using your advice and plating worked. Just did a test piece. 12V was far too much, and oxidation prevented good plating, but that's OK - at least I got the power source working.

Did contact GunHippy Tim - no word yet.

Thank you again, and I hope to post some successful plating.

[argentcorvid]

Do you still have the end with the barrel connector on it?

on the plug-in brick, the symbol with the + and - signs shows the polarity of the barrel.

[hansblix1]

Do you still have the end with the barrel connector on it?

on the plug-in brick, the symbol with the + and - signs shows the polarity of the barrel.

Yeah, I cut those off right away (shaking my head)

Next time I'll know to look closely. Thanks

[12057dave]

Hansblix. Looking forward to your progress. When it warms up I’m going give it a try too. I have this unit being delivered tomorrow. I reached out to Gunhippie also but he has been under the weather as of late and his cell service is hit and miss. He was the first to come to mind also. He was very encouraging. Post up your results with pictures. Anxious to see your progress and results. I’ve done a lot of YouTube watching and seems pretty straightforward. But I’m going to take my time.

[lynn225]

Hansblix. Looking forward to your progress. When it warms up I’m going give it a try too. I have this unit being delivered tomorrow. I reached out to Gunhippie also but he has been under the weather as of late and his cell service is hit and miss. He was the first to come to mind also. He was very encouraging. Post up your results with pictures. Anxious to see your progress and results. I’ve done a lot of YouTube watching and seems pretty straightforward. But I’m going to take my time.

Dave, I use a similar 30V/10A unit for electrolysis. Longwei brand (about 50 bux on Amazon). I plan on trying my hand at nickel plating some parts if and when the weather ever warms up... likely later in the summer.

[Happy Glamper]

Since we're home brewing here, thought I'd share my power supply that cost me about $80 bucks to make. Ordered the circuit boards direct from China and re-wrapped the transformer from a 1.2KW microwave. Never mind my flagrant disregard for wire color codes.. it was all I had on hand at the time. hahaha! Keeps me on my toes..

It'll do 0-60V, 0-20A (1200W) and does both constant voltage and constant current. Well, it would do 1200W if I didn't wrap the xformer a bit short. Closer to 1K as it sits. Also has available timers, presets, ramp up/down settings, blah blah blah. Everything you could want in a lab power supply. I use it for anodizing but am itchin to try some nickel plating..

[Northman49]

I am waiting for someone to post a DIY nickel plated fount. I have done small parts but a fount eludes me.

[12057dave]

Ed. That is my goal. I acquired a 500 Speedmaster and 327. I managed to polish both down to the Brass. Be patient with me. I’m supposed to get my PS today but I plan on going at this slow and deliberate. I hope this thread keeps current. I think we can all help one another with ideas and information especially when those that have tackled this before add their input . Thanks to Hansblix1 for getting the ball rolling. Brandon. Your PS is cool. That ought to do the trick! Lynn. That’s what I’m going to be waiting for. Nicer weather.

[hansblix1]

Posting some photos of a little success I've had with with trials and errors in electroplating.

For those of you that have wanted to try this but perhaps found it a bit daunting as I did - if I can do it, you sure can too. Investment so far has been a couple of strips of nickel ($15), a few DC power adapters from Goodwill ($10), alligator clips and copper wire ($10), household vinegar ($3), and salt. Pretty modest investment for satisfying returns (priceless!).

I am learning a lot as I go forward, and it's become a new and indispensable tool on my workbench. So take this post as encouragement if you've ever wanted to try this. In fact, the reason I finally decided to try it was from kind encouragement I received here on the forum from members. Many thanks!

Photos - only small projects so far - filler cap, generator and jamb nut.

[Happy Glamper]

Looks good to me! well done.

The real trick with anything like this is the prep. It'll make or break your final results.

[12057dave]

That is great Hansblix! The small parts that you plated look good. YOU are an encouragement to me. So keep the pictures coming! As Brandon stated prepping is everything. Looks like you got it going on. Very cool.

[Whitegas Extraordinaire]

Oh my.
Wowser!

[hansblix1]

Looks good to me! well done.

The real trick with anything like this is the prep. It'll make or break your final results.

Thanks for your input. Just from what I've read here's my preparation - 1. clean and polish with 0000 steel wool 2. polish with Mother's, buffing wheel 3. clean with acetone 4. soak and etch in muriatic acid/water solution.
Any suggestions welcomed.

So far this has worked except for a larger piece I tried - a 242 burner frame. See photo below. I was trying to plate the base where the brass shows as well as the mixing chamber. Didn't plate at all. Was this due to size? Poor prep?

I appreciate your opinions.

[Northman49]

How did you suspend it in the solution? Plating is line of sight so all areas to be plated have to "see" the electrodes. Did you remove the air tubes...I assume that's not possible so it limits your "aiming"the plate.Just wondering.

[hansblix1]

Hey Northman - Yes, line of sight. I laid the frame on its side with the anodes at the opposite end of the container. Did not remove air tubes, but did take care to move the mixing chamber as to not interfere too much with the reaction.

[outlawmws]

Wow, now we have 3 members I know of that are getting decent results with home plating: Eel/Dave, Timm, and now Hans! Well done!


Can you post some pics of your plating setup and detail the chem/electrical process?

[Northman49]

Well I have been dabbling in this for some time also. I have posted some results on small items. I am in the process of plating something big...but I will only post if and when I get reasonable results. I appreciate the input of all those pioneers in the DIY plating game.

[lynn225]

Nice results Ed !!

[12057dave]

Yep. Well done Ed. Keep those results coming!

[hansblix1]

Wow, now we have 3 members I know of that are getting decent results with home plating: Eel/Dave, Timm, and now Hans! Well done!


Can you post some pics of your plating setup and detail the chem/electrical process?

Thanks for your interest, and congratulations on the excellent results, Ed.

Posting photos of my set-up along with notations. Using a 6V phone charger, vinegar, salt, and nickel strips. Initially the plating was going OK, but now both large and small objects are not plating, and end up with a black film (like soot) on them. I read that the nickel strips should be clean, so I ran them through my wire wheel. Preparation of the items for plating include 1. steel wool (by hand), 2. acetone bath, and 3. soak in muriatic acid/water solution (1 minute). Am careful to keep latex gloves on and maintain the clean surface of object to be plated.

Any suggestions are welcomed - Thanks!

[Happy Glamper]

power has to match surface area. with smaller parts, you're prolly over-juicing them. with the larger, under powering it..

[Northman49]

Are you using your original solution for new items?

[hansblix1]

Are you using your original solution for new items?

I was until this afternoon. I have just made a new batch of solution using the old the nickel plates.

I still have the original (first batch) solution. I filtered it, and set it aside.

[hansblix1]

Thank you to those who have kindly contributed to my education on this thread. Following suggestions from Northman49, Rfieldbuilds and 12057dave I have purchased a DC power supply that I hope will better plate my small projects using precise voltage and amperage.

Will post some results when have some small victories.

Thanks to you all once again!

[Gunhippie]

here's what I use for a PS:



I regulate the Amperage and let the Volts take care of themselves (Ohm's Law). The smaller the part, the lower the Amperage. For a fuel cap, I might be looking at 300-350 mA, for a collar, 450-500. Watts mean nothing for this purpose, so ignore them.

That PS goes to, IIRC, 10A and works nicely for electrolysis, too.

I tried several other, DIY solutions and finally just broke open the wallet and bought it. IIRC, about $60 from Azon.



Another incredibly useful (almost essential) tool is a decent hot-plate:



I keep the electrolyte at about 124-128F, and it makes a world of difference. The water bath makes for more thermal mass--easier to keep the temp constant--and allows me to use cheap plastic tubs for my plating containers.

I'm lazy, so I buy my electrolyte. Nickel acetate, same as you're making with nickel and vinegar. Might not be much, if any, more expensive given the price of clear, white vinegar.

If I'm just plating brass/copper, I'll reuse my electrolyte pretty much forever. If plating anything ferrous--steel, iron, CI, etc--I only use that electrolyte for it, and replace when it starts looking really rusty.

Some of my favorite projects:



A DIY case for my CV tool. The copper looked OK, but, hey, it's a Coleman tool, so it needs nickel.



This also illustrates an important point when plating: Paint conceals, plating reveals! Polish your work to a fine finish before plating. Unlike paint, plating accumulates faster at sharp edges, so exaggerates any irregularities in your work. The copper tubing and fitting on that case got a half-ass polish with maroon Scotchbrite pads--and you can clearly see the scratches. The cap was polished to a high gleam, and it shows.



Here's one of my favorite pieces:



I plated everything but the fount and windscreens. Polishing the CI burner assy was a PITA, but, IMO, worth it.

[12057dave]

Oh my! Thanks so much for your input Timm. That CV tool looks great as does the 500. More reasons for patience. Your PS settings will remain on my phone with a screenshot. I’m a little hesitant on the 50/50 mix of Muriatic acid dip before plating. I know you shouldn’t leave it in more than a minute or so. I bought a quart of Acetone yesterday and was wondering if that would be sufficient enough and skip the acid bath. I have everything that is needed except the Nickel. Thanks for your and everyone’s valuable input.

[Gunhippie]

I ONLY use muriatic (hydrochloric) acid for CI and steel. For anything else, it's lye in hot water, followed by phos acid in hot water--just long enough to barely "pink" the brass. I use these in a big ultra-sonic cleaner, which really speeds things up. After the cleaning/rinsing, use surgical cloves to handle the pieces. Finger oil will resist plating.

[hansblix1]

Man I hope this thread, and others you have published on this subject, can be pinned up under a FAQ section. This information is GOLD! I have figured out the hard way about the amperage - and you're exactly right - let the Voltage take care of itself (Ohm's law). What I was just "winging" was the area of the piece to be plated and the required Amps for that area. Your estimates, as mentioned above in another post, will be a screenshot on my phone for future reference.

What was also intriguing was the prep - I'd seen most everywhere that folks use "plater's pickel" - HCl + H20 50:50 ratio for nickel plating. You prefer 1. lye ==> 2. Phosphoric acid + US cleaner.

Finally, yes, got to get the adjustable power source. I was using the several phone chargers - 12 V, 6V, 5V, etc, but without the Amp control my results were inconsistent.

Thank you again for posting, GunHippie. Your experience benefits us all.

I ONLY use muriatic (hydrochloric) acid for CI and steel. For anything else, it's lye in hot water, followed by phos acid in hot water--just long enough to barely "pink" the brass. I use these in a big ultra-sonic cleaner, which really speeds things up. After the cleaning/rinsing, use surgical cloves to handle the pieces. Finger oil will resist plating.

[12057dave]

Hansblix. I noticed you had tried to plate your 242 frame and had no success. In my research I did find that existing Nickel cannot be plated over. The old plating must be removed before new can be applied. I am surprised that the small areas that had no plating did not accept the new plating. Your frame actually doesn’t look to bad. Not sure if that was what caused your problem or not. It looks like your frame still had Nickel on it. Just throwing this out there.

[lynn225]

That's a nice power supply Timm. I bought one planning only electrolysis use, and it doesn't have the fine adjustment to three decimal places. Mine is coarse only, to two places. I'll have to play with it a bit and see if it is capable of holding .30 A. I imagine it can, as it is capable of either constant current or constant voltage.

[Ignus]

Wow, now we have 3 members I know of that are getting decent results with home plating: Eel/Dave, Timm, and now Hans! Well done!

Can you post some pics of your plating setup and detail the chem/electrical process?

I guess I make a fourth.

Here’s my plating process: https://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/ ... 32#p489432

[12057dave]

Hi John. Thanks for coming along side and offering up valuable information. Now that I looked at your link I do remember the reflector bowl you plated. What you’ve done thus far looks great! Keep on keeping’ on.

[Ignus]

Cheers, (old British expression akin to ‘thanks’!) Dave.

[Gunhippie]

That's a nice power supply Timm. I bought one planning only electrolysis use, and it doesn't have the fine adjustment to three decimal places. Mine is coarse only, to two places. I'll have to play with it a bit and see if it is capable of holding .30 A. I imagine it can, as it is capable of either constant current or constant voltage.

While mine displays three decimals below the point (thousandths), I'm highly skeptical that it's accurate to that degree. When I have it set to CC (Constant Current), the third decimal sort of wanders all over the place.

In other words, don't sweat it. Ten milliAmps is close enough for horseshoes, hand grenades and plating.

Hans, it's not that I have a problem with the HCl "pickle": solution, it's just that it seems to be overkill for plating non-ferrous metals. For the ferrous metals, it does seem to remove surface impurities in the metals that seem to lead to uneven plating. HCl is also nasty stuff from a breathing standpoint (the gas released by hydrochloric acid is HCl, hydrogen chloride. When it encounters water--like in the linings of your breathing apparatus, it turns back to hydrochloric (Muriatic) acid.), so I only use it outside while standing upwind.

Whoever mentioned not being able to plate over existing nickel, it actually works fine. The only time I worry about it is when the nickel is pitted or badly scratched, for reasons given above.

You can even plate nickel directly over hot-dip tin on steel:





I did use the HCl pickle on that '34 220B collar, as it's mostly exposed steel.

There's also an old-wive's-tale regarding plating ferrous metals. It's said that you must plate the material first with copper so the nickel will adhere. What you'll find in the real world is that you can't plate copper directly to steel, iron or CI. It looks like it's working well, until you pull the piece out of the solution and wipe it down, at which point the copper comes off as a very fine powder. I've seen a lot chrome and nickel that involved heavy copper plating. You'd have to give it a thin nickel plate first, then the copper. I suspect this is done to give some "meat" for further polishing that's a cheaper metal than nickel or chrome. With the size of the parts we're plating, I doubt it's worth the trouble.

[Northman49]

I did some experimenting yesterday. I took a length of rebar and turned one end on my lathe to get a pure steel finish. Then I plated with copper. Brushed the copper plating...it looked nice and solid. Then I plated the turned end with nickel. This is the result. Notice that some of the untouched rebar, rust and all was also plated although I did not test it for durability. So I guess you can plate steel with nickel but has anybody tried it with a decent sized steel object?

[Gunhippie]

The CI burner, baseplate and frame of my all-nickel 500 above are the largest steel/CI pieces I've done. Turned out just fine.

Again, plating steel or CI will contaminate your electrolyte solution with rust. I don't know if this really matters, but I never use rusty solution for anything I want to turn out nice.

As for your success with plating copper directly to steel, I must not be holding my mouth right.

[12057dave]

“Whoever mentioned not being able to plate over existing nickel, it actually works fine. The only time I worry about it is when the nickel is pitted or badly scratched, for reasons given above”. That’s good news Timm. It was just one of a zillion videos on Nickel plating that I’ve watched. Appreciate your continued input.

[oldfox66]

I tried several other, DIY solutions and finally just broke open the wallet and bought it. IIRC, about $60 from Azon.

On sale at this moment for $10 off at $59.41 for those, like myself, who have been waiting to pull the plug on one. The sale price shows when you open the link.