Electroplating Nickel over Solid Brass

[esantoro]

Has anyone ever electroplated nickel over brass? I'd like to see if it's possible to start nickel plating on demand some of the solid brass hardware I currently have, dees, rings, rivets, etc.

Thanks,

Ed

[tonyc1]

Has anyone ever electroplated nickel over brass? I'd like to see if it's possible to start nickel plating on demand some of the solid brass hardware I currently have, dees, rings, rivets, etc.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed, you can usually buy N/P brass hardware.

Tony.

[Regis]

Ed,

I've done some gold plating in the past. It is not expensive to try but, you may not like results. Doing small-time or "as you need it" is messy and results are less than perfect. Messy meaning getting your chemicals (cleaning & plating, & perhaps pre-plating) out and up to temp. Also, most chemicals have expirations so, you'll be throwing away some. Biggest problem, I think, in small operation is consistancy. Cost is low but, so is quality.

MY 2ct's

Regis

[TTcustom]

I live near a large enough City that finding a plating shop that would run my stuff was not a problem. I had to wait until they had a full load, but time was not an issue for me. I would agree with Regis that it doesn't pay to try and do it small scale, sporadic production on your own. Let someone else worry about EPA, carry the inventory and the overhead involved. The only other thing I would add is to be sure that your parts surface quality is what you want. hand finish your brass parts before you send it out. Plating is only a couple thou thick and imperfections will not get totally covered up.

[celticleather]

I buy my cast brass buckles from J T Batchelor in London, and they supply them either as plain brass or nickel plated (in the same styles), for the same price. The same goes for most of their brass hardware.

[WilliamWood]

Has anyone ever electroplated nickel over brass? I'd like to see if it's possible to start nickel plating on demand some of the solid brass hardware I currently have, dees, rings, rivets, etc.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed: I make high-level oak-and-leather cases for double shotguns, rifles, and engraved handguns. I also repair old fitted gun cases. Many of these have nickel-plated hardware. I have been making some of the hardware myself as I am an old burnt-out tool-and-die maker and some of the old 1920-50s' high-class luggage fittings an locks are simply not available. My nickel plater went OOB due to harassment from the EPA, and I am going to experiment with "Brush Plating". I just ordered a kit from a supplier specializing in this process( CASWELL (caswellplating.com) and I'll post some results of my experiments. It is used a lot in the aerospace industry. I've heard it is ideal for a small shop as it is not a vat-type plating process and the chemicals can be sent through UPS. I used to have a similar set-up for re-plating gold Browning triggers when I was bluing guns, sold by Brownell's the gunsmith's supply house, but they don't have it any more. i still have my buffer-polisher, and can degrease to spec. According to their literature, direct nickel to brass is possible. WWood