My BigRed Electroplating

[atcmatt]

Gday,

In restoring my bigred i opted to electroplate all my fastners, bolts clamps etc, so they would look nice and new. The setup is a simple bath with chemical, an electrical current, nickel anodes and a heat source. The pics kind of self explain. I payed 150 Aus dollars for it and at first it dident work out, so i kept at it and got a smaller tank and she works a treat now! Its gonna take me a few weeks to plate all this stuff but itll get done nonetheless and should look sweet.

Here are a few sample pics for you all. The brake cam in the first pic is before and the second one is after...

Matt

[PowerTrike]

Looks awesome Matt! Thanks for posting those. ttyl

[renotrikeguy]

So with all these little sparkly things on your trike, are you ever gonna ride it and get it dirty? (j/k) Nice job Matt.

[MTS]

looks nice..could you do that with like a head or cylender..or is it sumtin that actually cooks onto it im a bit confused

[atcmatt]

You could do it to a cylinder off a 70, 90 or 110 cause they are steel. It cant plate alloys, well not that ive tried....It is not baked on but it is transfered through an electrical current, the nickel comes off the anodes. It is a very tough finish.

Matt

[BIG BAD RED]

it is anidizing for steel's...but for the head ive seen some adds down on the central coast for places that anidize heads and cylinders...youl haveta check into it

[broook]

"Electric current????" How much do you use Matt?

12 volt battery, 110v or 220v mains.

As a matter of interest what is the current used in Australia. 110 or 220 or 240 ???

[renotrikeguy]

You can get a quick intorduction in "Electroplating" by clicking this link http://www.caswellplating.com/movies/index.html# Look for the "How to Electroplate" flash file.

I believe most of the home plating kits use a 6 volt lantern battery or a power supply that puts out 6 volts.

[broook]

Good site. Thanks.

[atcmatt]

Hey Brook, we use 240 volts. Yes the power supply is mainly used on 6 volts but is adjustable to suit different loads of plating.

Matt

[MTS]

soo...if you used it on a cylender though it would wreck the slever unless you did it then got it bored??

[renotrikeguy]

Are you wanting to plate the inside or outside of the cylinder? If you want to do the outside you could always bolt a head onto the cylinder and plate it upside down in the tub. Thats how I would do it.

[MTS]

Are you wanting to plate the inside or outside of the cylinder? If you want to do the outside you could always bolt a head onto the cylinder and plate it upside down in the tub. Thats how I would do it.
heh never thought of it that way.. :beer

[bill doyle]

Looks awesome Matt! Thanks for posting those. ttyl
How much are you lookin' to get for the two ES's? I'm interested in one if the price is right.
Bill