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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ส.ค. 2012
- DIY Zinc Plating as I said you don't have to buy all the chemicals for it to work all you need is=
vinegar
source of zinc ( zinc chloride battery )
you can use salt for the electrolyte
adding sugar is optional
I was using battery charger set to 6 volts and it was plating around 2 to 3 amps
Also stay safe with chemicals read warning labels and make shore area is ventilated because gases released are toxic and combustible - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Nice job! I work in a car plant and we do our own electroplating as well, and there is nothing at all wrong with your approach. It's DIY, and it's on the cheap, so expect compromises in efficiency. What these guys aren't telling you is that they plate in the thousands of amps (ours is off of a 1600 amp service), that their anodes weigh 30 kilos each (we have 72 of them), and that they have access to a slightly different mix of chemicals. At least if they are in the business of plating a body about every minute or so...
And as for being a janitor for the operation, I should be so lucky. I'm just the controls engineer.
As for why I am here, i'm helping out one of our mechanics, he's re-plating his Honda bolts. I need to see how the DIY world does it. :)
Thank you for your time, and sharing your knowledge.
Hey man, your video is very helpful... thanks for taking the time to do it. I see you're working on some parts for a Series II Land Rover. That hand throttle plate is rare and worth a few quid...
Your best off after cleaning and rinsing to soak your part in your boric acid (or similar, our electroplating company uses sulphuric) for around 1 minute just to etch your job, this helps plating stick better, then around 2 hours at 3volt, should give around 50 microns of plate, polish after and done :) hope this helps
Yes...thanks for telling us about the chemicals used and showing us WHAT TO DO. So many of these videos are garbage and music I don't want to listen to....yours is GREAT !
just a few tips for you guys. the ideal solution u need is zinc chloride, potassium chloride, boric acid, hcl acid and a brightner and carrier. the ph should be around 5. the build up around the edges in this video is because the power is to high. if you turned the power down and plated for longer u would get better results. the agitation needs to be ideally under the part you are plating and the anodes need to be closer to the part so that it doesnt have to throw as far on to the part. let me know if ive helped any of you guys
+Daz Dale Thanks Daz! you helped me :)Isn't PH5 near neutral?I thought the bath needs to be acidic. I am getting good plate results but quite dull like this guy till buffed. Would you suggest using a proprietary brightener?Thanks again for your helpful comments.
Yes the zinc will desolve into the solution either way but is much better when the bubbles are coming up underneath the part. The more aggresive the better really. As for the anodes just imagine it as a spray gun the closer you hold the gun to the part the thicker the paint will be and quicker. Usually you have 2 anodes either side to throw zinc from either side. You will get build up of zinc on the corners nearest to the anode if it is to close. ideally you want 2 anodes either side parallel [ | ] to any part that you are plating. You need the part wired on copper wire and it to be suspended in the solution above the agitation not sitting on the bottom of the tub. Obv parts that are polished will look brighter from the get go so keep that in mind. If you get the part to look good before plating you will have better results. And Yes you need to use a brightner of some sort. It Ive bin zinc plating for 10 years now i dont claim to know everything but its just the basics really
Daz Dale, it is always nice to find knowledgeable people. Likewise, do you think your recommended zinc plating solution could tackle high purity aluminium?
Kalanchoe1 i would look at a alocrom conversion like 1000 or 1200 or surtec 650 if you want to protect alloy from corrosion. I wouldnt try to plate alloy it will desolve alot faster in hcl acid and the plating will be shabby and blistered
Daz Dale thanks for the response and information!
Yes as long as you keep taking it out and giving it a scrub. But can also depend on your part.
it is very clear.thank you
This is just for small parts. The bigger the vat the more amps will be needed. Lamp posts and stuff as far as I know are dipped in a big vat of molten zinc not electroplated and have a very thick lair of zinc . Land rover chassis are dipped in molten zinc some time the bulkheads are done this way but can warp the thin metal with heat.
Thanks for this - very interesting. I do wonder if using a slightly lower voltage - say around 4.5V, would produce less gassing on the part and give you a better finish, though plating would take longer of course. I haven't done zinc plating, but I have tried nickel, and got good results with 3V.
Finaly a decent 'how to' video! Thanks for that mate. Have you done any cadnium plating?
For details cleaning use a sued brush (small brass bristled brush used for sued shoes or jackets)
amazing how violent the reaction is only with a 6 volt DC power adapter. I'm wondering if it would be possible to do a larger project. I have some brake calipers that could do with a zinc coating, and i don't need them for awhile so wondering if a few days [or perhaps only hours] would do the trick.
Thanks very interesting. Could you please list all the components and their quantities please?
Thanks
What is the mix formula used ?? WTF; Do you just throw in a bunch of each chem and let'er rip ??
I think that would work. Check to see if the zinc dissolves, it should have bubbles coming from it but its very minute. Steady on the salt, it can make the solution too conductive and burn out the charger. Also keep an eye on the amps, I've burnt one out already.
Zinc is an excellent choice for most automotive parts.I'm looking into having my carburetor done.Getting rid of all those crud gathering pits internally.Zinc plating provides a sacrificial layer against Father Time.Thank you for making this great video. But question: How do you achieve maximum saturation of the Zinc in your solution?
Thanks
i used a UK five gallon fish tank once and done a part as big as a been can. i had to switch the charger up to 12volt and i left it all day with not much coverage. I think it could had done with more AMPS but for a suitable variable transformer is about £100 to £200 new .Also if there's a lot of gaps corners and right angles in your parts it will be patchy but there's a way around this which I will do a video on at some point.if you give it a go keep your bath no bigger than it needs to be.
Great video by the way :))
excellent
I suppose it depends on the what your using the parts for.
how durable is that finish compared to paint (not powder coating)
I throw bits of zinc in and it just dissolves. The solution sits there months at a time and i just throw bit in now and then.
Thanks. I looked in to cadnium plating but decided not to go with it because the fumes are very toxic
if you leave the part really long time plating, can it keep growing even zinc coat, like 1mm thick?
Hello.
So basically the things i need to do is ,take the vinegar and put some salt in it,then put zinc metal in it and let it sit for a few days,and thats how i get the basic solution right?
Please reply.
What is the measurement of each ingredient ?
im not sure if your plate should have to be rubbed with that pad after. your missing something in you bath
Can I use Mexsana instead of zinc chloride?
oh sorry i forgot to say the build up you are getting round the edges could actually be because of the temperature of the solution. it needs to be around 25 degrees c. glad i can help
+Daz Dale Thanks for that, I will give it a go.
Thanks. I hope it was of some use to you.:^)
Not sure. This is about as far as my knowledge goes with plating at present.
Maybe you talking about cadnium plating that has a yellow finish.
We saw this in Chemistry! it was awesommmee 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅
looks good. try copper under and it may come out brighter.
+Joseph Gruenberg Copper under what ?
+solorip I think he means putting a copper strike on the steel first, then plating ontop of the copper with the zinc, which is not hard to do, just dipping the steel part quickly in a solution of copper sulfate and water will do that, but dont let it sit or the build up of copper on copper will cause it to get brittle and peel off the steel,
a thin coat is far more durable than thicker in that case, if you want thicker copper you need to head over to robert Murray-smith's channel and look into his copper nano plating gel and see what he has, as he found a way to copper plate onto stainless steel which any other typical way is not possible, and might be able to be adjusted to do zinc directly onto stainless too :)
sounds good i will give it a go next time i do some :^)
A few questions for you, if you don't mind :) 1. what are the ratios of vinegar, salt, sugar and water? 2. I get a black layer of "gunk" on my parts that need to be cleaned off, can it be that I am using too high a voltage, running at 12V? 3. Is there a way I can measure the thickness of the zinc plating?
It's been some time since I did this video but I think it was pure vinegar. Just add salt until it becomes conductive and i put a couple of spoons of sugar in, I read on forum it helps brighten coat but not sure if it helps.
Make sure you have electrodes the right way round or you will erode you parts.
You can use a micrometer to measure the thickness.
Its just trail and error until you get it right with you set up.
Hope it helps
solorip The strongest vinegar I can buy here is 35%. Will that do the job, do you think?
+Alf Torp Do you have the poles correct way round neg and pos ?
Just for future reference. You only need 0.14 amps per square inch of cathode (part you are plating) surface area. Or you will burn the plating and it will be black. Use a smaller power supply. Or get an adjustable constant current power supply so you can set the amps. Voltage is irrelevant.
off topic but was that a series 2 center gauge panel I saw on your worktable?
Yes, the part i plate is apart of the hand throttle
WOW COOL
could you do this for knives? will the plating hold up while sharpening and provide a protection against rust?
You could do the knife but not hold a sharp edge. you would have to sharpen back to steed.
thanks, i figured that would help. as long as the beef of the knife doesn't rust up. i figure you could just sharpen the edge rust out or scour it out. but the zinc compound he's using, is that titanium or just plain old zinc? could you use titanium powder? like titanium dioxide? i have no idea about the chemistry of it all
One small question if you dont mind, what is the surface finish you can get after this process ? Is Rz=0.4 micron possible with this?
Dinesh Bramhapurkar I have no idea of the what micron the finish would be, its smooth to the touch but gets rougher the thicker it gets.
+Dinesh Bramhapurkar Rz depends on which standard you are using. At best, he might be able to give you a rough estimate of Ra, since he doesn't have a profilometer. Chances are good that you'll need to look into electropolishing to get those kinds of Rz numbers.
I dont have set quantities. I just judge it by eye. A Bit of this and a bit of that. Sorry I cant be more precise
My friend, what passivate should I use to get a yellow finishing. And should I use together or after the first bath :)
Sodium Di Chromate
Awesome video mate! Im doing a steel motorcycle tank which I am using it as a shell to cover a custom fuel tank underneath...changing the style of the tank. I cant afford price of an aluminium tank in the style I am wanting. I do not want to paint as I have stripped the original paint off. Going with bare metal but I cannot clearcoat bare steel. Hopefully you will confirm my answer.
Can I get the same result using your system. Im after the look of the KR500 Kawasaki GP500 Grand Prix roadracer from the early 1980s which had a bare aluminium fuel tank.. Thankyou for saving me many $$$ (Pounds)
If its a large item like a fual tank. your going to need more power than a battery charger. cant you use stainless steel.
If you look up KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica or 1981 Kawasaki GPz1100B1 that is the size of the fuel tank. I will be doing only the shell as I dremel tool cut the bottom of the tank..It was rusted, I have cleaned the inside out free from rust. The real gas tank I still will fabricate that will go under the tank shell I am treating .. Im not sure what you mean by stainless steel? The steel used in the tank is typical carbon steel. Keep in touch Stu.. The tank was about 20 liters or aprox 5 gallon capacity..remember I have no bottom only the shell.
I dont want to paint the tank shel leaving it natural...wanting to leave bare metal with metal exposed.
Can I use your method but do it for like 24 hours because of the size? What should I use instead of the battery charger? You are very informative TY...Stu
If you want it to look good i wouldn't zinc plate it. I would have it nickle plated or chrome by a pro.
in zinc it will look dull, even shiny zinc go's dull.
I would consider clear coating it.
solorip thanks for the good tips.. I could live with a dull look.. chrome is too blingy for the look I'm after..
I de-grease in the diswasher! (When the wife is out)
Gavin Bryant sorry mate not interested in your hygene practises , but do you have a tip on parts ?
You need a lot more research to figure out how much the zinc actually helps to protect from rusting. The thickness of zinc is essential to know if you want to protect the part more than a year... few micrometers doesn't do anything.
About 6 volts and 3 amp's not got good reading instruments, its just a car battery charger
B
from where u got zinc plates ???
dry battery ???
+shreyas patel Yes dry batterys.
hi cool video, can you help me? I need to know how you got the zinc plate out of the battery. it is probably real simple, but I need details. can you make a video on that topic. because a lot of people need to know this soon. we are many that are building keshe foundation plasma reactor and we need copper and zinc plates to make co2 gans. I really need some tricks for zinc and copper plates. your trick will be greatly appreciated in are community and I will share your video on facebook to my friends.thanks a million and pls join my you tube and facebook to keep in touch. it is amazing what is happening.peace and joy! lol
Could I use a power inverter because of the size of the part I'm wanting to zinc plate?
You want a DC current.
something like a Variable Power Supply for science/ workshop.
I dont know about power inverter dont they convert Dc to AC
solorip Thank you for all your help .. I like your voice you sound scientific.. you're the best and I'll keep you for a good reference!
Thanks I'm glad i was of help :^)
Just be careful when you go up in amps and volts from electric shock.
I tried to do this with 1,5V and something about 1,5A, 6V and 2A, my parts always was in gray color. Can you know why?
any extremely thin coating ( of anything ) is black. the atoms reflect/absorb/refract light. you need much longer in the bath to make a thicker plating. most plating is done at higher voltages tho
Edwin Henry Blachford Thank You for your reply. You are right. This solution helped.
hi ,how can i make zinc water as a vitamin ? i have a zinc pot
I dont know, if i was you just go and buy them from the shop. You could poison yourself.
Why don't just zinc spray & electro dip it👍 Thank you too much..
as soon as I polish the part it seems to brush off the zinc . whats happening ?
I think the zinc may be too thin? Not sure
i used too much current and it made some white powder that just brushed away, i tried using lower current and plate long and i got something decent, still working on it how to get good plating (sry for bad english)
+mrdjraz0r Give us some top tip's then. Don't just slag my video off and not tell us how its done. Besides its a DIY video not industrial one. The idea is people can improve from this and maybe give me some tips.
He's probably just one of the guys that operates the crane to dip the parts and has no idea how to actually set it up.
I see metal. I see zinc plating. It works eh. All with a batter charger, clever stuff. People talk shit
I will give you a tip (ive been doing Zinc plating for over 20 years) after you have degreased the UNPLATED work go in an acidic solution (like vinegar) before you go in the plating solution, swilling inbetween each stage of course. . Its bad practice to go in an acidic plating solution with work that is still in a slightly alkaline state. It can cause blistering.
And stop using Zinc sulphate, your electrolyte should be either chloride based or sulphate based, not both!!! Use Zinc Chloride and Potassium Chloride in about a 1:4 ratio with each other. the addition of boric acid is fine that helps keeps the ph steady.
Harry Edwards So what would be best to use sulfate or chloride ?
This is all completely wrong. I work in one of the biggest and only zinc plating facilities in the country (USA). There are so many more things you have to do to raw steel before you plate it.
+Seth Westover
Well then, just leave us hanging !! So what is the RIGHT WAY ???
I imagine this working really good if i put my Electrode Welder with 50 amps as a power source, I might also kill myself with it.
Do not try it... If you survive you won't get good results