Thanks Rich. That's good to know and your explanation is much appreciated.
As I determined from the little wall adapter wand kit I got, it seemed best for use on tiny bits, such as screw heads and smaller accent pieces. I guess I luckily had some success with the nickel on my tonearm (it's a smaller section of a portable Columbia in the 16X series), but trying to over plate it with gold product had its issues, mostly due to the difficulty in getting proper coverage and tone (the unnecessary dramatics I had leveled on me when making post sale inquiries notwithstanding, lol ). It is my understanding from having fasteners plated (not for me but for a vendor I know), that any plating is best ordered in bulk as the jobs are among other factors priced by weight. Has the group (or a group) ever gotten together for a job? You mentioned Steve Farmer. From my reading on other resources it sounds like he may or may not still offer his services (I take such information gleaned with a lump of salt). Is he available as of 2013? If so I'd appreciate an introduction. Thanks again Rich and all listening in. On 6/26/13 9:22 AM, "Rich" <rich-m...@octoxol.com> wrote: >The physical equipment required to properly plate anything is expensive >and in some cases difficult to obtain and must be constructed from >scratch. The chemicals required to do the various required cleaning >steps are difficult/expensive to obtain in small quantities and toxic. >The mechanical prep is difficult and again requires polishing equipment >not commonly available. I have looked into this several times and the >result is always the same, high cost - less than desired results as a >DIY project. There are some things you can pull off at home and some you >can not. Gold and nickel plating of used antique parts is not easily >done even if you can successfully get the part properly polished and >cleaned. The smoothness - shine of the final product is determined by >degree of polish of the unplated part. > >The electroless nickel process works well for easily polished small >parts such as screws and levers but become prohibitively expensive on >larger pieces but it does work. There are several different formulations >of the plating bath and the ones that plate the best are also the ones >that are difficult to obtain due to the shipping restrictions, and human >- environmental hazards > >On 06/26/2013 07:17 AM, Arvin Casas wrote: >> Thanks Rich. Have you tried home plating yourself (or consider it at >> all)? How did you find it in the end better for you to send it out? >>How >> badly off was/were the piece(s) you that required refinishing? >> >> I'm genuinely interested in understanding how you came to your >>conclusion. >> Was it simply a matter of weighing cost and time or were there other >> factors? >> >> I'm not looking to do this for speed of result or cost efficiency. I >> recognize that an inherent third in the "iron triangle" is quality which >> ideally I'd like to preserve, but if for learning purposes that is >> sacrificed I'm willing to do, to a point. Plating in my mind is not >> irreparable, as say major woodworking, so I see no harm picking my 2/3 >>in >> learning how a good job is done. >> >> That's how I approach this hobby (as well as all my others). My research >> and appreciation of the invention, innovation, and evolution of >> phonographs includes exploring the mechanics of their inner workings and >> the methods and processes of their manufacture and restoration. >> >> I know one can easily just order one's dinner made, but sometimes it's >> beneficial to learn how to cook, even if only to better appreciate a >>well >> prepared meal, at least for me. >> >> >> >> On 6/26/13 1:50 AM, "Rich" <rich-m...@octoxol.com> wrote: >> >>> The easy way to get all of this plated is to ship it off to Steve >>> Farmer. It will probably be both quicker and cheaper than the DIY boy >>> chemist approach. >>> >>> On 06/25/2013 10:46 PM, Arvin Casas wrote: >>>> Yeah, color matching in the graphics design world as well as other >>>> industries is more complicated than most people understand. One man's >>>> gold is another man's trash, to reverse the cliché. Unfortunately I'm >>>> not >>>> aware of any system such as Pantone that can be applied to metal >>>> finishing >>>> - at least for lowly phono plebs. It would be great to match my >>>>tonearm >>>> to a standard, get its "code" and have a finish replicated for it >>>> chemically. >>>> >>>> I have seen other options via a few cursory and early searches, but my >>>> query to the group was in the hope that someone might have a >>>> recommendation based on experience, even if negative. Of course I'm >>>> always keen to experiment for the sake of continuing the knowledge of >>>> our >>>> hobby (as I know you know Ron from those "funny" posts of mine on >>>> MOCAPS- >>>> laughing at not with me - regarding my trying to grow cactus for >>>>needles >>>> here in MA). This last venture out into terra incognita however, was >>>>a >>>> little further into hostile territory than I normally prefer to >>>>endure. >>>> That's why I was hoping others out there might have had at least some >>>> cursory experience for me to explore further. A few pennies lost or >>>>in >>>> vain is one thing, I don't enjoy risking my person. >>>> >>>> Speaking of risks to health, are there any chemists out there who >>>>could >>>> chime in with any information on what to avoid? While I don't think >>>>we >>>> have a hall of martyrs for the preservation and restorations of things >>>> phonographic, I'd hate to be the one to inaugurate its building, lol. >>>> >>>> Arvin >>>> >>>> >>>> On 6/25/13 10:49 PM, "Ron L'Herault" <lhera...@bu.edu> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Seems to me Caswell sells/sold a real gold plate kit too. The >>>>>problem >>>>> with >>>>> Gold, and nickel too, but not as bad, is that it is hard to match >>>>>gold >>>>> colors. A little difference in karat amount or a few different other >>>>> chemicals and you have a different gold color, greener, yellower, >>>>> whatever. >>>>> Have you tried googling home electroplating kits or brush plating >>>>>kits? >>>>> >>>>> Ron L >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org >>>>> [mailto:phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org] >>>>> On >>>>> Behalf Of Arvin Casas >>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 12:50 PM >>>>> To: phono-l@oldcrank.org >>>>> Subject: [Phono-L] Home Plating Recommendations? >>>>> >>>>> Hello All, >>>>> >>>>> I hope your summers have all started off well! >>>>> >>>>> I was wondering if any of you had any recommendations for home >>>>>plating? >>>>> (No, that is not some variation on getting on base on a first date, >>>>> but in >>>>> regards to metal plate finishing as can be done at home.) >>>>> >>>>> Always the willing guinea pig for our hobby, I tried the Caswell Plug >>>>> N' >>>>> Plate system and had some success with their Nickel product, but only >>>>> so-so >>>>> success with their faux Gold. (When I tried contacting their >>>>>customer >>>>> service to troubleshoot, the owner came off as a bit "emotionally >>>>> incendiary" in his replies to a newbie, so I decided it's not worth >>>>>me >>>>> continuing to experiment or use their products.) >>>>> >>>>> Are there any other possible approaches or solutions? I have a few >>>>> gold >>>>> plated pieces that have suffered some damage over the years prior to >>>>>my >>>>> coming into them, and I was hoping, short of sending them out (which >>>>>I >>>>> believe is priced per pound), to see if there was something I could >>>>> try at >>>>> home on the few pieces that I have that need restoration / >>>>> preservation. >>>>> I >>>>> recall reading about home-brewed tank solutions (mixing gold chloride >>>>> etc.,. >>>>> using batteries), but can't recall where (or if they worked). >>>>> >>>>> Any recommendations? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks! >>>>> >>>>> Arvin >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Phono-L mailing list >>>>> http://phono-l.org >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Phono-L mailing list >>>>> http://phono-l.org >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Phono-L mailing list >>>> http://phono-l.org >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Phono-L mailing list >>> http://phono-l.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.org >> >> >_______________________________________________ >Phono-L mailing list >http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
