Caswell Plating

[Patcon]

   I am getting ready to start using the Copy-Cad system from Caswell. I have been on the Caswell plating forum for help getting the process lined out but their forum seems to be rarely used and many threads have no responses. I have also read through all the threads I found on the forum, I thought this thread could sort of be used to combine the working knowledge of the experienced platers (ajmcforester, motorman7, nix240z and any others) on here and I would add in where I could and my experiences as I go along. I spent a day with Steve (nix240z) with him showing me his process a couple of years ago and I am finally getting around to doing this. I have acquired the power supply and the chemicals came in this week.

 

   Some of my bigger questions are:

How do you clean dirty hardware? Soak in solvents? Parts cleaner? Carb cleaner?

 

How to you strip rust? Bead blaster? Acid? Vibrating polisher?

 

Do you pickle or acid was to neutralize remainder of rust?

 

Are you baking hardware for hydrogen embrittlement?

 

Thanks,

I look forward to some expert direction

Charles

[Patcon]

 

I worked on building a plating station today. Scrap I had around the house. The ply is 1/2" treated, they say not to use OSB or chipboard as it will not hold up. Cut the holes for the buckets 11 1/4" in diameter. Left a space on the left for a crock pot to put SP degreaser in.

C

[grannyknot]

I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this plating kit, I've thinking about getting one for many years but the price of the kit and the power supply together has always made me hesitate.

I've gotten pretty good at spray painting bolt heads but I would love to strip them all and replate properly.

Chris

[Patcon]

Steve (nix240) did tons of hardware and metal on his 240z, basically everything that wasn't painted. It takes some experimenting evidently to get your process down and you have to be careful not to contaminate the different baths. I had some hardware done by Norm (Zeddsavers) and it came out real nice but there is shipping and always the chance something gets lost. This way I can plate things as I come to them. It should pay for itself before I am finished. The biggest limitation is the power source. To do large things like the headlight baskets and window regulators you need a lot more power. (.14 A per Squ. inch). Larger power sources can get expensive but they are easily resold when your done. I may just stick to little stuff and have Norm do the few larger things I want done but don't have enough power to handle. I have 5 amps which should be good to 35 inches (counting both sides)

  I am still trying to figure out prep and whether to acid dip before the Zinc tank. I have a blasting cabinet, vibrating polisher and of course a wire wheel. Just don't know which way to go yet. If I remember right Steve blasted them first then wire wheeled them before plating.

Charles

[wheee!]

Awesome thread idea Patcon. I will be buying the Caswell kit this year too. I already have a 240v 60amp power supply so I should be good there.

Looking forward to seeing and hearing about your progress!

Mark

[nix240z]

I blast the parts first, then wire wheel polish before the plating. I know there is a lot of trial and error until you figure out what works best for you with your bath set up and technique for the plating.

[wheee!]

Do you wire wheel polish the flat metal parts too or just the nuts and bolts?

Sent from my iPizzle ringy dingy device....

[Patcon]

Thanks Steve,

C

[nix240z]

all parts....

 

 

Do you wire wheel polish the flat metal parts too or just the nuts and bolts?


Sent from my iPizzle ringy dingy device....

[motorman7]

Blue did a nice write up once on the entire process.  I am having some dificulty finding that thread.

 

Also, I never use the SP degreaser...I have a couple bags you can have.  I live by the wire wheel and the orange fiber wheel that Caswell provides in the kit.  Also, after the zince plate operation, don't forget to rinse clean and do a quick (30 sec) 'blue' zinc dip before the yellow zinc.  The blue zinc helps the yellow to stick and gives the rainbow effect.

[Patcon]

Thanks, Wheee!

I have done a lot of reading all over and here. I was hoping to kind of consolidate and condense the info I found here in this thread, and to also come up with a process that works that others could crib off of.

 

motorman7

I think I found his thread and there was also some info at Atlantic Z from Blue. I printed all of that kind of stuff I could find. I was hoping to compare the snippets I found to come up with a consensus for what the process should be.

I was wondering about the blue chromate. I don't remember Steve using that when I watched him plate some bolts, but it's been a while and I am lucky if I can remember what day I'm in. I believe I printed a reply from you in another thread that mentioned the blue chromate. I haven't ordered any blue yet; I probably should...

I don't know how many use the blue prior to the yellow chromate dip. What did you do for degreasing? Did you use an acid bath just prior to zinc plating?

 

 

 

There was one thread I found, I believe on the Caswell site, and a guy named Brian was working for Peter Brock building a BRE tribute car. Does anyone know who Brian is or if he is on this site? It sounded like he had done a lot of plating too.

[motorman7]

The degreaser is for greasy or oily bolts.  I usually clean the oily bolts in thinner, let them dry, then do the wire wheel.  You don't want to get your wire wheel oily or dirty.

 

After the wire wheel and orange wheel finish, I acid bath for 15 mins, then plate for 10-15 mins.  I spray rinse with RO water after the zinc plating then blue dip for 30 sec, yellow dip for ~2mins or so.  After the yellow dip, I rinse in bucket of warm water for 15 secs then usually blow dry with high heat (yes, my wife's old hair dryer) till dry.   This process works very well for me.