Hobbies And Interests
Tank Plating
Within a tank filled with a chromic acid bath, a metallic object sits submerged. Chromium metal attaches to the surface of the metal object by way of an electrical charge. A wire attaches the negative terminal on a rectifier, or power source, to the metal object. A wire from the positive terminal connects to an inert lead anode. Voltage traveling from the anode to the object results in the deposition of chrome particles onto the object.
Brush Plating
Brush plating is mainly for small parts and a large number of kits are available on the market. A kit typically includes an AC adapter attached to a wand with positive and negative lead wires and a chromium solution. With the adapter plugged into an outlet, attach the negative lead to the item you wish to plate. Dip the wand into the solution and apply it to the item. That is all there is to it.
Electroless Plating
Unlike tank and brush plating, electroless plating does not use an electrical current. Instead, deposition occurs with a chemical reducing, again, within a solution. Heat and vibration is all you need to add for a uniform coating. This method works well for plating copper and nickel onto metal or plastic pieces. It can only provide a chrome-like appearance to objects, but the result is harder than real chrome, albeit less durable and less expensive.
Plating Plastic or Wood
In order to chrome plate plastic and wood items, they have to be conductive for metal to adhere to them. The easiest way to do this is to use a conductive coat electroforming paint. You can apply this paint with a brush or by dipping or spraying. It is silver tin-based and once dry, you can use electroplating or electroless methods to turn the item into a metal part. This method also works on seashells, glass and any organic material, including insects.