electroplating

[misfit]

has anyone had a go at doing their own zinc plating? if so how did you do it? i know about jane kits but im wondering what equipment and chemicals are involved

[DR]

I do my own but I use the Jane kit stuff as he simply posts it to me. I'm lazy and hate running all over. I've heard you can get the electrolyte chemicals at an electroplating business if you ask nicely. Other than the actual ingredients the Jane site explains things pretty well. I use an acid bath (hydrochloric) and normal dishwashing liquid for the cleaning/rinsing so the it's only the electrolyte I purchase from him. Like everything you get out what you put in, I've had some fantastic results but then I've had some very ordinary results also so you need to be a little picky about the parts you replate and spend that little extra time cleaning them  beforehand

[oldfart]

Buy new zinc blocks from "BCF"

[TeeBone]

Buy new zinc blocks from "BCF"

"sacrificial anodes"??

[DR]

yup, if you want anodes on the cheap you can rip out the big anode they use in solar hotwater systems. Preferably a non working system or one that already needs replacing might only be a little of the zinc rod left but the plating anodes don't need to be big

[Freakshow]

Which of there kits do you use doc, was only thinking of this last week as i need some dished bolts done and i dont want them 'lost in trasit.'

[DR]

Freaky, initially I purchased the 4 litre zinc kit. That was a 3 or 4 years back, since then I've replaced the electrolyte twice and topped up on the brightner once. Still on the original anodes with about 50% of the zinc used.