Nickel plating

[Laava]

Looking to start doing this on my current projects, just to save on endlessly sourcing new bolts all the time...
anyone doing their own stuff, tips, and sources for nickel etc? Thanks, Al

[Grumph]

Unless the fasteners you're sourcing are rocking horse poo - eg, Cycle thread - it's not worth it.

I know two people who have set up to do it at home. Used the gear maybe twice and put it aside. Both Vintage nuts.

[jellywrestler]

Unless the fasteners you're sourcing are rocking horse poo - eg, Cycle thread - it's not worth it.

I know two people who have set up to do it at home. Used the gear maybe twice and put it aside. Both Vintage nuts.

it's the prep part that is the limiting factor i find these days, plating might be lovely but spolied by poor prep

[Laava]

Thanks for your input guys, I don't really mind the prep work wrt bolts, nuts etc, but it is all starting to seem a big faff around...as you said!

[malcy25]

You rarely see Nickel plating these days. Most silver bolts are zinc.

I’ve used a place in penrose in Auckland who’d do little chas jobs for me when rebuilding bikes. I’d give them a new bolt and say, “make like this”

I’d wire buff and then wire together ebpverything. Be careful though as most places are set up for bulk and they lose a few in the tub don’t care, but when it’s something special like a axle, or spacer or swing arm pivot etc, it can be a pain….so be very explicit with them on what you give them….so they know if anything big is missing.

Nickel I think is poisonous or something, Zinc is also sacrificial. As in it degrades as part of the protection process. I’m no expert, so if someone has better info, by all means correct me!

There’s also a process I’ve seen called electroless nickel plating I think or something that sounds like that that looks good, but is a little different in finish

[pete376403]

if you were doing a vintage project where everything had to be 100% then nickel would be preferred for brightwork, but chrome has taken over from that. Top quality chroming still uses nickel as the top layer of chrome is porous (= rust)
So triple plating is copper to bond with the steel, nicklel for the next step and chrome last of all, which bumps the price right up.
Info herehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_plating

[Laava]

Yep, I do have some stuff I am going to get rechromed but I just fancied the idea of refinishing some of the original fitment stuff, like chain adjusters etc, myself. I am looking at the electroless as a compromise...

[Laava]

So my project is 2x SL125 Hondas. One will be mint and as near to factory as it is worth me doing and the other will basically be, best of the rest...I did etch primer on both frames today.349518

[Hugo Nougo]

I played with zinc plating a little while back, this guys recipe is a great starting point:

https://yamaha-enduros.com/index.php/forum/how-to-write-ups/187-do-it-yourself-zinc-plating-process

similar to nickel plating?

[F5 Dave]

All the hondas incidental bits will be bright zinc I would have thought .

[actungbaby]

You rarely see Nickel plating these days. Most silver bolts are zinc.

I’ve used a place in penrose in Auckland who’d do little chas jobs for me when rebuilding bikes. I’d give them a new bolt and say, “make like this”

I’d wire buff and then wire together ebpverything. Be careful though as most places are set up for bulk and they lose a few in the tub don’t care, but when it’s something special like a axle, or spacer or swing arm pivot etc, it can be a pain….so be very explicit with them on what you give them….so they know if anything big is missing.

Nickel I think is poisonous or something, Zinc is also sacrificial. As in it degrades as part of the protection process. I’m no expert, so if someone has better info, by all means correct me!

There’s also a process I’ve seen called electroless nickel plating I think or something that sounds like that that looks good, but is a little different in finishNickel is expensive .its in solution i forget i was chrome plater in 80, s

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[actungbaby]

I played with zinc plating a little while back, this guys recipe is a great starting point:

https://yamaha-enduros.com/index.php/forum/how-to-write-ups/187-do-it-yourself-zinc-plating-process

similar to nickel plating?Nope zinc plating i did that lol i forgot yeah it is i was thinking galvanzing .yep uses solution anodes .

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[pritch]

Random thoughts arising from this thread.

My Cheney had a nickle plated frame. Frames shouldn't be chrome plated, that can cause cracking. Stress risers and such.
Every sizeable town used to have a chrome plating business. This town long ago ceased to have one and I wouldn't even know where the nearest one was.

Similarly with engine reconditioners, for many years we had two. The survivor recently closed.

And radiator repairs, one just closed, one remains. For now.

[pete376403]

Engine reconditioners for standard car engines - no call for them, most Japanese engines outlast the bodywork anyway. Performance engines though, still a few around for that market

[Toki]

Nickel plating can be done at home, not so chrome plating which is very toxic and needs much better control just to do the job.
It takes up quite some space. Preparation is a big part of any plating, so need to know how to clean, de-rust and polish to scrupulous degree.
I found it difficult to know just how thick a coating is being applied, which is time dependant.
Annoying to see a nice, shiny newly-plated part quickly rust because the plating was too thin.
But if you're determined, nickel plating can be mastered at home, I think!