Electroplating

[nveeate 78]

I see a lot of threads with people that send off various parts to the electroplaters. Does anybody use the DIY kits that are available? If so, which ones and are they any good?

 

Not for me - for a christmas present - but with the obvious ulterior motive that I want to do some Pug bits!

[Dizzee stuff 33 1 Cars]

Its so cheap to get done its not really worth the hassle of trying to do it yourself.

[Ryan 99]

A mate of mine tried it once and the results were pretty crap to be honest. The parts have to be spotless or the plating won't transfer, and even were it did the finish was really uneven and didn't last very long.

[aldworth33 45 1 Cars]

The best presents are ones that benefit yourself 2 birds and all that

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

My advice would be to avoid these kits like the plague. I bought the top kit (£100 I think) plated very few items, then the kit stopped working, rang the suppliers and they said the mix had gone off and I needed to renew some chemicals (another £50) and again only managed to plate a few items and it stopped working again.

 

Now to be balanced it may be that I totally f***ed it up, but my point is that, I followed the instruction to the letter and if it was me, it was ever so easy to get to a position that you needed to spend more money.

 

On the other hand Electroplate UK Ltd did a fantastic job and what they plated for £30 was amazing. I actually spent more on the plating kit than I did getting all my parts professionally plated.

 

If anyone wants a kit they can have mine free of charge as it's crap and the set up is a real ball ache.

 

this lot was £30 (this seemed a standard rate, even when the quantity differed)

 

 

 

 

[nveeate 78]

Ok, cheers for the feedback. Does electroplate uk do a mail order service?

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I agree totally with Paul. For the relatively small amount you would do even to do an entire car, it's much better value for money to get a company to do it got you.

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Ok, cheers for the feedback. Does electroplate uk do a mail order service?

Yep, I think the guys name is Mike iirc. I arranged the delivery and collection, he just let me know when it was ready. Good service all in all.

[timoth123 37 1 Cars]

I'll second Paul's recomendation about electroplate! They did most of the bits I needed doing quickly and to a very good standard.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Gents a question about this Electroplate place, do you have to send all the bolts already cleaned/blasted or do they do it for you?

 

I use Redditch Electroplating but I have to send everything clean.

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

When I started out doing restorations over 10 years ago, I used to send the stuff up, not clean and they used to do it and tbh, they didn't spend the same time making sure it was as clean as I would. It meant the results weren't as good and also it took a longer turnaround time. Although the company I use is in Northern Ireland, I'd say the same applies. If there is any paint on parts they won't clean it off, as the acid they use for cleaning is hydrochloride acid and it doesn't lift paint. I have this acid in the same concentrate as they do (37.5%) and when you do it yourself you get all the paint/underseal or thread lock off the nuts and bolts. After you wash them in water and dry off, a little surface rust is common and no issue to them, as they clean them again before plating.

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

sent everything really manky, looked for some before and after pics but not much except the sunroof fixings

 

before

 

 

after

 

 

 

Some other parts I sent

 

 

 

As redtop suggested I do remember a couple of painted brackets that did't plate well.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

another like for electroplate done most of my car for £35 and on the plus side local to me.

[Leslie green 109]

Is electroplate uk still the place to go for electroplating ,anybody used them recently , there is a guy over here in Norn Iron but he wanted stuff already blasted which isn't very practical for most of us and has I believe a 75 quid minimum charge