i'm planing on cleaning and restore all the bolts(metal) i have. what is the easiest and most effective way to clean them?

i was reading this thread:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16506&highlight=electrolysis

but it more related to removing rust. I don't have any rust. I just want to refresh the metal and make it look new again. any suggestions?

I've been running mine under the wire wheel on a bench grinder. Gets them back to a steel look. Not sure if some of the bolts were originally annodized in the gold color...

If they are not rusty and you want them to look new bag them up and send them to a plater who does Yellow Zinc plating (Gold irridate) Clear Zinc is for the silver finished ones .Its not very expensive (Compared to Chrome or Real Silver or Gold plating ). I have used Steve Gregori in California he has a website his work is on many of the restored Muscle cars in magazines but its the same process for Japanese car parts .Just to be sure they are degreased and do not have paint over spray on them .Eastwood also makes a do it your self kit to plate your own .as does Caswell .Hope this helps

This thread has a lot of good info. I do my own plating in my garage. The bolts and other pieces look great when they are done.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36505&highlight=zinc+plating

i'm planing on cleaning and restore all the bolts(metal) i have. what is the easiest and most effective way to clean them?

i was reading this thread:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16506&highlight=electrolysis

but it more related to removing rust. I don't have any rust. I just want to refresh the metal and make it look new again. any suggestions?

What detail are you looking for 100% stock, just not grimy looking, shiny . . . ?

I'm going to use brake cleaner on the greasy ones and then put the hardware in a rock tumbler I just bought.

I like paint thinner and a bristle brush to clean oil, grease and grime. A wire wheel to remove rust if it is there. Once you wire wheel or sandblast, you have to plate or paint to prevent the bolt from rusting again. If you don't, it will rust in less than a month.

So, since I have never done this: :stupid:

Am I to assume that the replating doesn't add so many 1000ths of

an inch (or the metric equivalent) to the thread pattern of the nut

or bolt that its basic specification is altered?

For an exaggerated example, if I were to plate a 12mm bolt, would

the plating make it a 12.25mm bolt?

Is this compounded when plating both a nut AND a bolt to be used

in conjunction with one another since the (lack of) tolerance would

be essentially DOUBLED? (Increased external diameter of bolt plus

decreased internal diameter of nut).

Just curious......................~Rick~

It does have an effect, but it is very small. If you wire wheel down to the steel, then plate, you are bringing it back to what it originally was. The process actually involves an acid etch which removes a small amount of steel, then you electroplate and add the zinc. It is a great corrosion preventative and also helps to prevent/reduce galling. And it makes them look pretty.

Rich

Stevej Tumbling works great i have used it but it removes any plating from the surface and they rust FAST! after that .clear spray paint helps if you dont want to have them plated but nothing looks as good as nicely replated hardware

Stevej Tumbling works great i have used it but it removes any plating from the surface and they rust FAST! after that .clear spray paint helps if you dont want to have them plated but nothing looks as good as nicely replated hardware

Thanks, I'll pick some up.

Steve

Here is a before, wire brushed and after plating picture of some of the bolts, nets, washers I have been working on for the last couple of months (I am slow because I work on it 4 hours a week). I finished my last few nuts and bolts last Sunday and will start to reassemble the rear suspension next weekend.

I plated mine with a kit from Caswell and I did buy the rectifier for the electrical supply as well.

The whole process was enjoyable, I used a wire wheel on a drill and a vice to hold each item. Once you get in the flow of the different dips (chemicals and baths) it will go fast.

Rick, the amount of zinc added seems to be very small, and the amount of material removed by the wire brushing and the acid dip seems to equal the zinc added.