Thanks for sharing your experience. Plating seemed daunting at first but the more I watch videos like this, the more I'm understanding the importance of protocol and procedure. It's a skill as much as it is an art. So much more so than being a welder/fabricator like me.
Great info. If anyone is wondering (I was): 16 square inches is roughly 100cm2, an area of 10 by 10. So 1A per 100cm2. Oh, and a “thou” is 1/40th of a mm, about one layer of spray paint.
I just recently produced my first successful two stroke cylinder casting in the garage. I want to have a go at plating it myself too, Nickel Silicon Carbide. Currently soaking up all the information I can find on Nickel plating. Really enjoyed your video!
Sounds like an interesting project. I hope the video was useful. Plating aluminium, like welding it, is more intricate than steel as it is far more reactive. Is the Nickasil preferable to chrome?
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Thanks! I'm going to try honing the cylinders in a zincate solution to mechanically remove the oxide layer and replace it with a thin layer of zink before plating. Conventional acid stripping + zincate is problematic due to ridiculously strict chemical regulations in Norway. Normally I wouldn't care too much, but making/using say consentrated nitric acid in a youtube video might draw unwanted attention. Even the Nickel sulfate I have to order to Sweden.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles The Nikasil has ceveral advantages over chrome, but I'm mainly doing it cause the process is interesting and I haven't seen anyone else do it.
Originally I was a chemist and spent most of my career overseeing the loading of oil and chemical deep sea tankers. Concentrated Nitric Acid is very nasty and has a great affinity for organic material eg skin and flesh. The fumes also are highly toxic so I can understand why it is not easy to get hold of.
This turned up in my feed since I've been researching nickel plating... The current per area you quoted isn't that important, running it at lower current for longer works fine too, as long as everything is clean! If you can blast the part with higher voltage for a bit, it will help to clean the metal too, but as noted it gives a dull finish that might be flakey. I'm using self made nickel acetate with table salt.
Thanks a million Michael - I've had a go using a nickel acetate based electrolyte and it seems to have worked OK for a mat finish on a couple of bench tools I made but I was unsure of the correct amperage and duration for a reasonable thickness like 0.001". This video gives me more of an idea of where to start rather than the vague 'as required' that other sources state.
Enjoyed the video.. Question, One of the key points you made towards the end was "using fresh materials" however I am certain that you dont mean scrapping the anode and electrolite after plating each object.. What do you look out for to judge that the materials are getting tired.. regards. John
This is a process where if everything was perfect the plating solution would last forever. The nickel plates will get thinner and thinner and holes will appear as they start to get used up. But the solution is simply a vehicle to get the nickel from the plate and onto the item you are plating. However you will see the solution lose its clarity and become dull and the plating will get dull as the brightener is depleted. But it takes a long time for that to happen.
Thanks for the video. You never know when you have a need for knowledge. I am going to attempt to rebuild a 1930’s Gibson Archtop Trapeze tail piece. Thanks for taking the time to show, especially the mistakes. That teaches us more than a 1000 wins. Good to see what’s coming around the corner because when did anything go right the first time?
Very helpful, thank you for posting this. that type of power supply wants it's initial switch-on to be with no load attached; as likely you are aware so just a reminder for some viewers. Thanks for showing the different surface preparation conditions and end results too. It looks as if one of those vibratory bowls (or two or three) would make some of my parts preparation less tedious.
One problem with how to videos is how deep to go, and you always have to draw a line somewhere. I was working on the principle that if someone bought a power source then they would get instructions with it. But this is always the beauty of comments like yours. I have learned a lot from people who have answered questions in comments or clarified points in the videos. Thank you for that.
We all know we learn from our mistakes so why how to videos get edited to take the mistakes out I can never understand. Probably the "influencer's" ego.
thank you for the video, I have a question. in the plating tank, I have a heater after using the tank and heater for a while some sort of yellow-brown material gets accumulated on the surface of the heater, do you know what it is
Nice, easy to understand instructions. Now I can start plating some bolts from my 65 MGB. Would you recommend copper plating steel before using nickel?
Sorry Ron but this comment slipped by me. You don't need the copper layer with nickel but if you have bad pitting or scoring where you don't want to sand down as far as you would need to go to remove it, you can build up with the copper and then sand that down.
Thank you for the very informative and thoughtful video. I work on jukeboxes, and most people send their parts across the country to have them chromed, at what is to me a prohibitive cost. Nickel plating seems to be a smarter option. But some of the castings are very thick and heavy aluminum or even pot metal. Can those things be nickel plated? Thanks.
I have a 1959 RE Constellation project. The alum crankcase covers have some knicks. When I watched your video you mentioned that copper can be used as a fill. Can the part be masked to fill the dings only then polish the copper to blend the the filled ding with undamaged alum surfaces? Or does the nickel just work on steel? I am thinking about a lot of Chrome plating. The price seems to have gone mad since I last had parts chromed.
Plating aluminium alloys is difficult because of the formation of aluminium oxide on the surface. For the nicks just take the cases to a welding shop and get them TIG welded. They will just put a blob of weld on each nick and then you can sand it down. For alloy I would advise just polishing it, you can get a mirror finish with a little effort and a good polish such as Mothers.
Michael, thanks for the details video. What is the Bath Temperature? 55 - 65 C seems to be the range. Have you been concerned about the PH of the bath?
Hello John. The Caswell instructions say 110F (43C) and that is what I have my heater set at. If you use the intended concentration of solution of the Nickel salt and brightener the pH will be right, and as the reaction simply moves the nickel from plate to solution to plating object the concentrations etc will remain constant.
As others mentioned, this is by far one of the most articulate and useful TH-cam videos on nickel plating. Thank you for making such an informative video! I feel much more prepared for my plating project. I liked the video and subscribed to your channel. Is your plating amperage calculator available online?
You just have to break them down into separate parts e.g the area of the flats on a nut or bolt head times six and then a cylinder for a bolt. It is tedious which is why I did a little spreadsheet so I only had the enter the minimum amount of date. Unfortunately I don't have the formulas any more.
Hello, great video by the way, and thanks for taking the time. I tried it for the first time today, did not use the heater or the agitator, part has some milky looking areas to it, going to use a two part nickle stripper and add the temperature control and agitator, my question is inhave the same agitator, can i remove the carbon filter? Ive heard that the carbon filter removes the brightner from the sulution, what is your opinion, feel free to check out my work i do hand engraving, thanks again
Yes definitely take out the carbon filter it does deplete the brightener. The temperature is important for correct plating and without the agitator you will get a number of problems with the finish.
You need 1 amp for each 16 sq inches. So you need to calculate the total surface area e.g. a 2" x 4" x 1/2" plate would be two sides at 2" x 4" plus two edges at 2" x 1/2" plus two edges at 4" x 1/2" = 22 sq inches. So for that piece you would use approximately 1 1/2 amps. For a round rod you would need the circumference times the length plus the area of the two round ends.
Hi Michael, thank you for this very informative video! I do have a question regarding the brightener... Does it make the finish "brighter", or is it just a gimmick? I'm getting ready to purchase a kit here in the states, and I have seen this as an option but couldn't really find any solid info one way or the other. Thanks!
Yes it does make a difference. The nickel salts replenish themselves in the chemical reaction during the electrolytic process but the brighteners don't. After use of the solution, quite a lot of use actually, you will see your nickel plating gets dull. That is when you need to replenish the brightener as it slowly gets used up..
very informative ...great vid!... i have some motorcycle carburetor bracketry that has already got nickel plating on but most has worn off and is rusting in places ..can i just nickel plate these or do i first have to remove the old nickel plating first
It’s not an aerator it’s a pump circulate the solution. If you aerate the solution you will have a ton of problems. Also that pump take off the charcoal filter on the bottom of the water pump.
RCM (real cool man) - thanks for the great and humble video, it was very informative. I have a Greeves Pathfinder Trials...great trials bike...lousy Puch engine and transmission
Bravo.......I have seen acid use clean oils of part .......reverse polarity on part and will clean part.....note have separate tank for dirty parts....no contamination......cheers
hi Michael, thank you so much for such a great video on plating. my question is that how much of nickel salt should b added to 3 gallons of distilled water and how much of brightener.
Hello Asad. I can't really tell you as it depends on the combination of salts that you use and the type of brightener. If you buy them from a plating supplier they should come with instructions on the mixing quantities.
It was a programme that I wrote myself using Microsoft Access. I used Access just so i could make the input page easier to use but a spreadsheet might be more suitable as it is just a few maths formulas.
Do you mean linking the two plates? They both need to be charged to make the ions flow from the plates to the work piece so they have to be connected directly to the current.
Two reasons really and probably the most important one is that the nickel is more decorative, it's shiny. Also nickel is a much harder metal than zinc, it wears a lot better.
#Michael Waller Great Video! Came across your channel while researching nickel plating. One comment, I do like your idea of a square bucket, would be easier to work with. But a larger square bucket is usually hard to find. If a person only had a round bucket, you can always bend the anodes to approximate the curve of the bucket. That way they don't take up so much space. A square bucket is still better, but a round bucket can be made to work.
Hello David. it is just some basic maths, and believe me it has to be basic for me to understand it. If you are any good with spreadsheets send me an e-mail - mike@britanniamotorcycles.com - and I will send you the formulas.
I would seem to me that you might be able to come up with some watts being used at any given moment rather than have to guesstimate the area on an irregular part being plated. So you could just adjust the amps (maybe volts) until you had the right amount of current flow needed. Maybe a Watts, Volts, Amps, ratio. I'll have to do some thinking on this. I'm about ready to try my hand a nickel plating, I've played around with copper. Have you tried to chrome plate anything.
You are overthinking this , AMPS & VOLTS is all you need . WATTS refer to “real power" over time , AMPs volt-amperes refer to “apparent power" by using Volts & Amps combined you can get your time that you need to have your parts in the solution , If your going to be figuring out the WATTs you will be spending most of your time trying to figure out what you should be doing with a calculator instead of working . I think that Mr. Waller did a very good job of explaining how to nickel plate various items . I worked in the jewelry industry for 40 years and I'm still working in the field but we do Gold , Rhodium , Cadmium , Palladium mainly witch are very toxic compared to doing Nickel plating . I even learned something 👍
I was in charge of a school bus fleet along with buildings I always ordered 50.50 diesel stove oil you lose a little mile but it never gels one year the fuel distributor refused to sell it to me because they had anti gel addatives I threw a fit I bought 10k gallons a time we lived in North central Wa of coarse it got real cold and I had a fleet full of gasoline in the whole fuel system I almost got fired but one of the school board members backed me up same thing happened to him stay with what works folks. Thanks for the video it's exactly what I was looking for
I am pleased the video was of use it was a bugger to make. I learned from one of the diesel supply company's delivery drivers that they had their fleet off the road that day as none of their diesel lorries would start.
Nice to find you, thank you for making this video (BSA Gold Star 1963 born when I was GREAT BIKE then) cold too cold for these two USA California desert guys wow no more complaining about our winters. Nickel plating we know Caswell and their kits, we use this for our cold bluing liquid and gel both but we are thinking of going it alone for nickel plating to see if we can improve it, lets see first how you do with the kit to decide this. Thank you. We learned plenty here a very important thing for us from you the filling in and sand prior to plating with copper for a best smooth finish. Lance & Patrick.
Hello Fellahs. Preparation is key to finish. I have parts on my own trials bike that are still perfect after about ten years of being out in the rain and mud and being washed with degreasers and a power washer. Good luck, you won't be disappointed with the Caswell materials.
Very informative, thanks, Michael. Will you need to polish the nickel, or won't it tarnish? And thanks for the resources, the manuals and calculator, etc. Hope your weather improves...
Yes it will tarnish over time, but it is a long time. A soft polish helps, nothing abrasive, as they leave a sort of protective coating. Caswell recommend a polish but I can't remember what it is. Snowing as I write this.
Truly a great video. Demonstrating the practical and theoretical process of Nickel Plating, by someone who actually knows what they talking about. Sorry, but I had to laugh at your little iccup with the power supply unit. You could have edited it out, but you left it in to show that some times, sh*t does happen. and we've all been there. Thanks for taking time out to share this video.
Yes, but. Aluminium is a more reactive metal than steel and forms a layer of oxide almost immediately that bare metal is exposed to air. I believe that it has to be treated with something like an acid copper layer before the nickel. Check with Caswell.
No clear coat needed. In actual fact it is the nickel layer under the chrome that provides the corrosion resistance. When chrome starts to bubble it is due to poor nickel application not the chrome. Also the nickel is a very hard layer.
It is just an additive for the electrolyte solution that you buy ready made, and I did not think that it was worth going into a lot of detail on the chemistry of it as there are several formulations.
Aluminium alloys require a couple of extra steps to deal with the speed with which the surface oxidises. I have never plated any alloy parts as I always just polish them so I am afraid I cannot be a lot of help. I would contact Caswell plating here in NY state, they are always very helpful.
I just got a 69_70 BSA Victor b25s in Arizona for $60 motor is in good condition I got 2 different fuel tanks 2dodges 2jugs I don't have a clue what I'm doing hahahaha thanks for the uploads cheer's
Sorry but no. Go on line to Casswell Plating in the US where I buy my supplies. I think the materials might not be cheap to ship as they must go as hazardous.
I will describe the process a little = chemical nickel plating without applying electric current = metal part = after degreasing == dressing = part is lowered = into solution = where temperature = + 90-92 degrees and boiled = 1 - 2 hours = solution - electrolyte = nickel chloride 30 grams per liter == sodium acetate 10 grams per liter == and sodium hyposulfate 15 grams per liter = and additives for luster == try in your video == thanks =
"They go and CLAG themselves onto here" Absolute classic Michael Wonder what your American subs made of that little Northern gem? Very interesting video, if I can find a big enough bucket I could have a Brough Superior like tank on my Bullet! WOW How cool would that be? If you do all the bits and bob's on Frankie in nickel it will be shining like a sixpence on err a shul of coal. Looking forward to the next lesson Sir. Hope you are enjoying playing in all that white stuff? we will probably get it in a couple of weeks. Cheers Dave UK
A more thorough explanation of the Nickel Electroplating process than most, (the best I've watched), many thanks for an excellent video.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Plating seemed daunting at first but the more I watch videos like this, the more I'm understanding the importance of protocol and procedure. It's a skill as much as it is an art. So much more so than being a welder/fabricator like me.
I had looked for plating videos and didn't really find any practical information. So I did this one and I am glad so many people have found it of use.
Great video. I've been researching Nickel Plating for the past few days and this answers a few of my questions!
Legend! More channels need to share the pit-falls and disasters! Excellent video.
Great info. If anyone is wondering (I was): 16 square inches is roughly 100cm2, an area of 10 by 10. So 1A per 100cm2.
Oh, and a “thou” is 1/40th of a mm, about one layer of spray paint.
I just recently produced my first successful two stroke cylinder casting in the garage. I want to have a go at plating it myself too, Nickel Silicon Carbide.
Currently soaking up all the information I can find on Nickel plating.
Really enjoyed your video!
Sounds like an interesting project. I hope the video was useful. Plating aluminium, like welding it, is more intricate than steel as it is far more reactive. Is the Nickasil preferable to chrome?
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Thanks! I'm going to try honing the cylinders in a zincate solution to mechanically remove the oxide layer and replace it with a thin layer of zink before plating. Conventional acid stripping + zincate is problematic due to ridiculously strict chemical regulations in Norway. Normally I wouldn't care too much, but making/using say consentrated nitric acid in a youtube video might draw unwanted attention.
Even the Nickel sulfate I have to order to Sweden.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles The Nikasil has ceveral advantages over chrome, but I'm mainly doing it cause the process is interesting and I haven't seen anyone else do it.
Originally I was a chemist and spent most of my career overseeing the loading of oil and chemical deep sea tankers. Concentrated Nitric Acid is very nasty and has a great affinity for organic material eg skin and flesh. The fumes also are highly toxic so I can understand why it is not easy to get hold of.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Absolutely, not something to fool around with. Let's hope the zincate honing works!
Very thorough explanation , in terms anyone could understand . Is you calculations app/software available to download?
This turned up in my feed since I've been researching nickel plating... The current per area you quoted isn't that important, running it at lower current for longer works fine too, as long as everything is clean! If you can blast the part with higher voltage for a bit, it will help to clean the metal too, but as noted it gives a dull finish that might be flakey. I'm using self made nickel acetate with table salt.
Great video Micheal , everything was made that clear that it clagged to my brain , nice one
Thank you, I am glad you found it useful.
cheers mate, best electro plating vid ive seen for DIY.
Thank you. I was trying to cover all of the things that I needed to know when I bought my first kit.
Thanks a million Michael - I've had a go using a nickel acetate based electrolyte and it seems to have worked OK for a mat finish on a couple of bench tools I made but I was unsure of the correct amperage and duration for a reasonable thickness like 0.001". This video gives me more of an idea of where to start rather than the vague 'as required' that other sources state.
I am glad that it was of help.
Thank you Mike,this was very informative and will help many others .
Thank you Michael! beautiful work! I love those motorcycles too!
Thank you.
Enjoyed the video.. Question, One of the key points you made towards the end was "using fresh materials" however I am certain that you dont mean scrapping the anode and electrolite after plating each object.. What do you look out for to judge that the materials are getting tired..
regards. John
This is a process where if everything was perfect the plating solution would last forever. The nickel plates will get thinner and thinner and holes will appear as they start to get used up. But the solution is simply a vehicle to get the nickel from the plate and onto the item you are plating. However you will see the solution lose its clarity and become dull and the plating will get dull as the brightener is depleted. But it takes a long time for that to happen.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Thanx for the reply Micheal.
Thanks for the video. You never know when you have a need for knowledge. I am going to attempt to rebuild a 1930’s Gibson Archtop Trapeze tail piece. Thanks for taking the time to show, especially the mistakes. That teaches us more than a 1000 wins. Good to see what’s coming around the corner because when did anything go right the first time?
Very helpful, thank you for posting this. that type of power supply wants it's initial switch-on to be with no load attached; as likely you are aware so just a reminder for some viewers. Thanks for showing the different surface preparation conditions and end results too. It looks as if one of those vibratory bowls (or two or three) would make some of my parts preparation less tedious.
One problem with how to videos is how deep to go, and you always have to draw a line somewhere. I was working on the principle that if someone bought a power source then they would get instructions with it. But this is always the beauty of comments like yours. I have learned a lot from people who have answered questions in comments or clarified points in the videos. Thank you for that.
Thank you! Best video I’ve seen on this. I was on the fence about trying it but now I definitely will.
It looks nice and wears well. You won't regret using it.
Thanks Mike, well detailed and love the fact you continue to tell it as it is.
We all know we learn from our mistakes so why how to videos get edited to take the mistakes out I can never understand. Probably the "influencer's" ego.
thank you for the video, I have a question. in the plating tank, I have a heater after using the tank and heater for a while some sort of yellow-brown material gets accumulated on the surface of the heater, do you know what it is
They are just nickel salts that get baked on. Wash the heater off each time that you finish plating.
Thank you Michael, very good information!
Come by the hard way.
Nice, easy to understand instructions. Now I can start plating some bolts from my 65 MGB. Would you recommend copper plating steel before using nickel?
Sorry Ron but this comment slipped by me. You don't need the copper layer with nickel but if you have bad pitting or scoring where you don't want to sand down as far as you would need to go to remove it, you can build up with the copper and then sand that down.
Thank you for the very informative and thoughtful video. I work on jukeboxes, and most people send their parts across the country to have them chromed, at what is to me a prohibitive cost. Nickel plating seems to be a smarter option. But some of the castings are very thick and heavy aluminum or even pot metal. Can those things be nickel plated? Thanks.
I have a 1959 RE Constellation project. The alum crankcase covers have some knicks. When I watched your video you mentioned that copper can be used as a fill. Can the part be masked to fill the dings only then polish the copper to blend the the filled ding with undamaged alum surfaces? Or does the nickel just work on steel? I am thinking about a lot of Chrome plating. The price seems to have gone mad since I last had parts chromed.
Plating aluminium alloys is difficult because of the formation of aluminium oxide on the surface. For the nicks just take the cases to a welding shop and get them TIG welded. They will just put a blob of weld on each nick and then you can sand it down. For alloy I would advise just polishing it, you can get a mirror finish with a little effort and a good polish such as Mothers.
Michael, thanks for the details video.
What is the Bath Temperature? 55 - 65 C seems to be the range.
Have you been concerned about the PH of the bath?
Hello John. The Caswell instructions say 110F (43C) and that is what I have my heater set at. If you use the intended concentration of solution of the Nickel salt and brightener the pH will be right, and as the reaction simply moves the nickel from plate to solution to plating object the concentrations etc will remain constant.
As others mentioned, this is by far one of the most articulate and useful TH-cam videos on nickel plating. Thank you for making such an informative video! I feel much more prepared for my plating project. I liked the video and subscribed to your channel. Is your plating amperage calculator available online?
The calculator was a piece of Visual Basic code that I wrote to run in Microsoft Access.
Thanks Michael, very informative.You didn't mention the involuntary smiling when you pull a shiny new part out of the bucket.
It's always nice when something comes out right.
Michael, do u have a formula for the area of nuts and bolts to be plated?
You just have to break them down into separate parts e.g the area of the flats on a nut or bolt head times six and then a cylinder for a bolt. It is tedious which is why I did a little spreadsheet so I only had the enter the minimum amount of date. Unfortunately I don't have the formulas any more.
If the parts have been plated previously does the old plating have to be removed first, or just polished up to a gloss first?
On copper or nickel you should be fine. I am not sure about chrome though.
Hello, great video by the way, and thanks for taking the time. I tried it for the first time today, did not use the heater or the agitator, part has some milky looking areas to it, going to use a two part nickle stripper and add the temperature control and agitator, my question is inhave the same agitator, can i remove the carbon filter? Ive heard that the carbon filter removes the brightner from the sulution, what is your opinion, feel free to check out my work i do hand engraving, thanks again
Im working on a 1911 frame and slide.
Yes definitely take out the carbon filter it does deplete the brightener. The temperature is important for correct plating and without the agitator you will get a number of problems with the finish.
What's the formula for determining the amps so I can replicate it?
You need 1 amp for each 16 sq inches. So you need to calculate the total surface area e.g. a 2" x 4" x 1/2" plate would be two sides at 2" x 4" plus two edges at 2" x 1/2" plus two edges at 4" x 1/2" = 22 sq inches. So for that piece you would use approximately 1 1/2 amps. For a round rod you would need the circumference times the length plus the area of the two round ends.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Thank you
Great video Mike, the program you made is amazing
Hi Michael, thank you for this very informative video! I do have a question regarding the brightener... Does it make the finish "brighter", or is it just a gimmick? I'm getting ready to purchase a kit here in the states, and I have seen this as an option but couldn't really find any solid info one way or the other. Thanks!
Yes it does make a difference. The nickel salts replenish themselves in the chemical reaction during the electrolytic process but the brighteners don't. After use of the solution, quite a lot of use actually, you will see your nickel plating gets dull. That is when you need to replenish the brightener as it slowly gets used up..
very informative ...great vid!... i have some motorcycle carburetor bracketry that has already got nickel plating on but most has worn off and is rusting in places ..can i just nickel plate these or do i first have to remove the old nickel plating first
To be safe you should sand of the old plating and repolish and degrease before replating.
It’s not an aerator it’s a pump circulate the solution. If you aerate the solution you will have a ton of problems. Also that pump take off the charcoal filter on the bottom of the water pump.
Just answered my question. Thank you for this video.
RCM (real cool man) - thanks for the great and humble video, it was very informative. I have a Greeves Pathfinder Trials...great trials bike...lousy Puch engine and transmission
Bravo.......I have seen acid use clean oils of part .......reverse polarity on part and will clean part.....note have separate tank for dirty parts....no contamination......cheers
hi Michael, thank you so much for such a great video on plating. my question is that how much of nickel salt should b added to 3 gallons of distilled water and how much of brightener.
Hello Asad. I can't really tell you as it depends on the combination of salts that you use and the type of brightener. If you buy them from a plating supplier they should come with instructions on the mixing quantities.
Unless I missed it, he never mentioned the type of electrolyte or the temperature it needs to be maintained at for the process to work properly.
What does burned mean? Junky uneven thickness or a weird color? Curious what to look for if I have too much current.
Perhaps charred would have been a better word. It is black and rough to the touch.
Thanks Michael, really informative. I have learnt a lot from your videos.
Thank you. I try to cover the points that I needed to know before I did the things in the videos.
no links into the description?
I loved you video great info. Where can we get software to put measurements in?
It was a programme that I wrote myself using Microsoft Access. I used Access just so i could make the input page easier to use but a spreadsheet might be more suitable as it is just a few maths formulas.
you didnt talk about the additives and types of them or i missed it
Best plating guide out there!
Thank you. All the ones that I had looked at before always seemed to gloss over so many things, particularly problems.
Great videos sir! Question, wouldn’t the solution be conductive enough for the pieces to be “connected”, thus, not requiring a spade connector?
Do you mean linking the two plates? They both need to be charged to make the ions flow from the plates to the work piece so they have to be connected directly to the current.
Thanks for sharing. I learnt something new today. Thanks to you.
all the best to you.
Bend the plate to conform to the radius or the round buck. Great video...thanks.
Have you published you calculation for the area and amps required to plate a piece of metal?
No. I wrote it all in Visual Basic on an Acess form. I suppose that you could do it in a spreadsheet as well.
Michael Waller how do you calculate amps/sq in.
I will send you the details in an e-mail.
Very informative - Especially the 16 sq' " to the Amp' rule .
Thank you for a very informative video. thumbs up for this video. would like to know the ratio of your mixture used.Thanks
I can't really say what the ratio is. Casswell just provide a certain size bag for a given volume of water.
@@BritanniaMotorcycles Thanks for the informative video. Is there a way to calculate the thickness of nickel per hour?
Thanks for video! What temp range should solution be in?
Between 40C and 60C is recommended. I have my bath set at 50C(122F)
Can you tell me the reasons one would choose nickel over zinc (or vice versa) for motorcycle parts plating?
Two reasons really and probably the most important one is that the nickel is more decorative, it's shiny. Also nickel is a much harder metal than zinc, it wears a lot better.
I have musical instrument parts to re-plate. Also some brass parts to nickel plate.
I see you have an HTP tig welder in your shop, where can you purchase those in the UK? Great Video, thank you for sharing!
I am in the US so unfortunately I don't know of any suppliers in the UK. If you can find one though they are good value.
Well done video; thank you for your taking the time to do this.
I had watched a few tutorials and they all seemed to lack a certain
"this is what happens in real life" aspect. Things don't always go right.
#Michael Waller Great Video! Came across your channel while researching nickel plating. One comment, I do like your idea of a square bucket, would be easier to work with. But a larger square bucket is usually hard to find. If a person only had a round bucket, you can always bend the anodes to approximate the curve of the bucket. That way they don't take up so much space. A square bucket is still better, but a round bucket can be made to work.
You see, there is always another way to do things. I am glad that you found the video of use.
Awesome video, best electroplating video I have seen. Is there any chance you could share your calculator?
Hello David. it is just some basic maths, and believe me it has to be basic for me to understand it. If you are any good with spreadsheets send me an e-mail - mike@britanniamotorcycles.com - and I will send you the formulas.
crystals are nickel sulfate- nickle chloride and boric acid-- brightener is most likely sacchrine
Caswell is the best source for supplies and customer service- I spend a fortune with them every year
Thanks for all your efforts Michael like your vids
Thank you. Comments make them more worthwhile.
I would seem to me that you might be able to come up with some watts being used at any given moment rather than have to guesstimate the area on an irregular part being plated. So you could just adjust the amps (maybe volts) until you had the right amount of current flow needed. Maybe a Watts, Volts, Amps, ratio. I'll have to do some thinking on this. I'm about ready to try my hand a nickel plating, I've played around with copper. Have you tried to chrome plate anything.
You are overthinking this , AMPS & VOLTS is all you need . WATTS refer to “real power" over time , AMPs volt-amperes refer to “apparent power" by using Volts & Amps combined you can get your time that you need to have your parts in the solution , If your going to be figuring out the WATTs you will be spending most of your time trying to figure out what you should be doing with a calculator instead of working . I think that Mr. Waller did a very good job of explaining how to nickel plate various items . I worked in the jewelry industry for 40 years and I'm still working in the field but we do Gold , Rhodium , Cadmium , Palladium mainly witch are very toxic compared to doing Nickel plating . I even learned something 👍
nice ickel plating video
I was in charge of a school bus fleet along with buildings I always ordered 50.50 diesel stove oil you lose a little mile but it never gels one year the fuel distributor refused to sell it to me because they had anti gel addatives I threw a fit I bought 10k gallons a time we lived in North central Wa of coarse it got real cold and I had a fleet full of gasoline in the whole fuel system I almost got fired but one of the school board members backed me up same thing happened to him stay with what works folks. Thanks for the video it's exactly what I was looking for
I am pleased the video was of use it was a bugger to make. I learned from one of the diesel supply company's delivery drivers that they had their fleet off the road that day as none of their diesel lorries would start.
Good detail, ponderous to listen to.
Nice to find you, thank you for making this video (BSA Gold Star 1963 born when I was GREAT BIKE then) cold too cold for these two USA California desert guys wow no more complaining about our winters.
Nickel plating we know Caswell and their kits, we use this for our cold bluing liquid and gel both but we are thinking of going it alone for nickel plating to see if we can improve it, lets see first how you do with the kit to decide this.
Thank you.
We learned plenty here a very important thing for us from you the filling in and sand prior to plating with copper for a best smooth finish.
Lance & Patrick.
Hello Fellahs. Preparation is key to finish. I have parts on my own trials bike that are still perfect after about ten years of being out in the rain and mud and being washed with degreasers and a power washer. Good luck, you won't be disappointed with the Caswell materials.
bloody brilliant love it mate
Thank you.
first class video,many thanks,learnt a lot
Well that works both ways.
Very informative, thanks, Michael. Will you need to polish the nickel, or won't it tarnish?
And thanks for the resources, the manuals and calculator, etc.
Hope your weather improves...
Yes it will tarnish over time, but it is a long time. A soft polish helps, nothing abrasive, as they leave a sort of protective coating. Caswell recommend a polish but I can't remember what it is. Snowing as I write this.
Truly a great video. Demonstrating the practical and theoretical process of Nickel Plating, by someone who actually knows what they talking about.
Sorry, but I had to laugh at your little iccup with the power supply unit. You could have edited it out, but you left it in to show that some times, sh*t does happen. and we've all been there. Thanks for taking time out to share this video.
I'm sure you've heard it a million times. Did anyone tell you that you look and sound like Michael Caine?
I was thinking the same, but it's his voice that really makes Michael sound like Michael Kane.
27:50 satin finish.
Great video thank you! Can I plate aluminum? I would like to try nickel plate some wheels. Very inspiring and detailed video!!!
Yes, but. Aluminium is a more reactive metal than steel and forms a layer of oxide almost immediately that bare metal is exposed to air. I believe that it has to be treated with something like an acid copper layer before the nickel. Check with Caswell.
Thank you. One more question. Have you ever clear coated final polished nickel layer? I was wondering could it be more durable?
No clear coat needed. In actual fact it is the nickel layer under the chrome that provides the corrosion resistance. When chrome starts to bubble it is due to poor nickel application not the chrome. Also the nickel is a very hard layer.
Sounds awesome. So many parts in my project that I'm gonna go with plating. Videos like this, keep going! 💪
Great tutorial
Enjoyed the video, I'm thinking of getting a setup to do some work on some parts on my Beamish Suzuki.
Do. It's not too expensive and, if you look after it, a kit plates an awful lot of stuff.
Great Video Michael
Thank you, glad that you found it of use.
Thanq michael you done a good job and very helpfull you have to the bigenars
I am pleased that it was of help.
Great ! Regards from Rio de Janeiro.
You mentioned brightener only once right at the end, but no previous information….
It is just an additive for the electrolyte solution that you buy ready made, and I did not think that it was worth going into a lot of detail on the chemistry of it as there are several formulations.
Most of my bike parts are aluminium would I have to copper coat them first? If that's the case could you do a demonstration of this process?
Aluminium alloys require a couple of extra steps to deal with the speed with which the surface oxidises. I have never plated any alloy parts as I always just polish them so I am afraid I cannot be a lot of help. I would contact Caswell plating here in NY state, they are always very helpful.
Thanks , great tutorial , Hope Fla. was good for you . Bill A
Florida was great, but with my perfect timing when were away for the warmest week of the winter here.
I just got a 69_70 BSA Victor b25s in Arizona for $60 motor is in good condition I got 2 different fuel tanks 2dodges 2jugs I don't have a clue what I'm doing hahahaha thanks for the uploads cheer's
Just get stuck in, it will come right in the end.
thank you sir, I enjoyed that!
Good old microsoft.
India not available this meatral plz courier
Sorry but no. Go on line to Casswell Plating in the US where I buy my supplies. I think the materials might not be cheap to ship as they must go as hazardous.
@ 3:15 Nickel Brightner = Saccharine . ;)
@Smooth Move There are more ingredients probably. I have an old electro plating book which says saccharine. :)
I will describe the process a little = chemical nickel plating without applying electric current = metal part = after degreasing == dressing = part is lowered = into solution = where temperature = + 90-92 degrees and boiled = 1 - 2 hours = solution - electrolyte = nickel chloride 30 grams per liter == sodium acetate 10 grams per liter == and sodium hyposulfate 15 grams per liter = and additives for luster == try in your video == thanks =
Good day == Alexander writes from Russia = can you see nickel plating without electric current in your video == chemical nickel plating = thanks =
I am sorry but I have never done any electroless nickel plating and know nothing about it.
"They go and CLAG themselves onto here" Absolute classic Michael Wonder what your American subs made of that little Northern gem? Very interesting video, if I can find a big enough bucket I could have a Brough Superior like tank on my Bullet! WOW How cool would that be? If you do all the bits and bob's on Frankie in nickel it will be shining like a sixpence on err a shul of coal. Looking forward to the next lesson Sir. Hope you are enjoying playing in all that white stuff? we will probably get it in a couple of weeks. Cheers Dave UK
More white stuff today, about six more inches. At least the temperatures are around freezing and not a long way below.
Thank you for defaulting to Fahrenheit...
It's what I grew up with even though I worked mostly in metric and degrees C for thirty years.
boric acid is in the brightener
Thank you foe the information it really helped a lot, may I have your mail address as I need to get an advise
Wait and see what shit happens in 2020!
Beeg man
When this guy says he is bored he could always go play with his Lego, and stop being ignorant!
Waffle and you do not need a 'kit'. Why are we subjected to the boring story at the beginning? Making the whole thing all too complicated. Boring.
Ok please explain?