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DIY: Stainless Steel Wire

Certain metals, like steel, are expensive to mine or ore. This causes the products composed of them to be more expensive as well. Electroplating provides an affordable alternative, however. During this process, two objects conductive to electricity are placed in a liquid and connected to an electrical power source. The reaction between the liquid and the electricity causes the surface of one object to transfer to the other. Knowing how to do this properly can save you time and money.

Things You'll Need

Steel plating solution
Splash proof safety goggles
Protective gloves
Beaker
Power adapter with alligator clips

Instructions

- 1
  Acquire steel plating solution from an online electroplating kit retailer or your local hobby shop.
- 2
  Wear splash-proof safety goggles and protective gloves to prevent incidental eye or skin contact.
- 3
  Pour enough plating solution into the beaker to fully submerge the wire. The beaker must also be large enough to fit both the wire and the piece of steel being plated onto it without either piece touching. If the pieces come in contact with each other during the plating process, the steel may not coat the wire in an even manner.
- 4
  Attach the positive-charged alligator clip to the piece of steel and the negative-charged alligator clip to the wire. Put both into the solution, but make sure the clips are not touching. If the clips touch while the wall adapter is plugged in, an electrical short can occur. Plug the adapter into the closest power outlet.
- 5
  Leave the steel and wire submerged until the wire fully assumes the physical appearance of the steel. This can be observed by looking through the beaker or occasionally removing the wire for a visual inspection.

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