Reel Replating???

[Chris Halliday]

This topic may have come up before, but does any one know how to replate a reel? I have seen several reels for sale on Ebay that were described as being replated. Is it difficult, or expensive?

[john elder]

Chris: We've covered it in bits and pieces. I believe the summary from a recent Q I put forth was:
1. It's too expensive
2. If you did it, you would not create any collector value.
3. If it has any collector value, replating will kill it.
My guess is that the ones you see out there are ones that were done by people in the biz, on the side as extra pieces...no cost.. just playing around.

Having said that, I'm in the process of rescuing an couple sick puppies that are made from anodized aluminum and and finish is shot. I've decided to give home anodizing a try, since it looks like even a Ph.D. can do it and it requires little equipment and materials and might actually be fun. I'm sure that the result will not fool anyone into thinking it's an original finish and I've no intention of trying...these are going back to work, if it workds. If you google "home anodizing", you'll get a couple good articles on the subject, one from an auto buff and another from a paintballer who has done his paintball guns. If it works, I'll report in.

[Dale Noll]

Chris: I have wondered about this also. Just saw an eBay item that may be your ticket. Item no 694590313. You need a fish tank and a battery charger. You can buy this book for $12.95. This seller is from Ohio, so I guess he must be Ok.

Another option: On the brighter side, there are several plating items I have seen on eBay by the Micro-Mark company. In their latest catalog, you can buy brush plating Kit for nickel for $39.95. Did not see any info on anodizing.

Several months ago I met a person who retired from DuPont who spent his life working on plating. He said it was complex and required a great deal of chemicals especially for cleaning before you could process high quality plated parts. He said he did not expect the brush system was worth wasting time. Expect to meet with him after the winter and get more info.

[Ron Mc]

cleaning is always the key to success and, in fact, for most plating operations, pickling is done first, which dissolves a layer from the surface of the part.

[Dale Noll]

My Grandmother used to pickle all kinds of stuff including pigs feet and pickles. Always was a mystery to me so I looked it up in the dictionary. Pickles are pickled cucumbers and are made in a solution of brine and vinegar.

Another definition: An acid or other chemical solution to remove scale or oxides from metal surfaces before plating. So, I guess that if a reel is pickled it should be plateable. Sounds good! Eatable? Need a jug of vinegar and a bag of salt? My father in law made wine that became vinegarish many times, so would sour wine work?

Ive heard somewhere here that some ORCA members used a vinegar soak as part of the cleaning process. Does this include salt? I hope not. Really, does anybody do this, and how much is used?

[SWIM JIG]

, Ok as dale stated what he read was use a batery charger( the true way to get true dc non alternating current is use bateries, ie wet cells yes your car batery, you can regelate the amount of maps and volts and it can be extremly complicated to do a good job. As for the PICKLING OXOLIC acid will work, its a very caustic solution. also it must be pure water best to use destilled as trace elemnts and chemecals in the water and plating chemecals can cause a problem, I am not going to list any way to mix or other as you may become seriously harmed < one By braething fumes, ie some solutions call for CYANIDE, others for other metals loke silver salts. How its done on a gernearlity, you mix up the liquid, then you use a anode of material on the positive side the part you want to plate if i remeber corectly is the neg side, or it may be the reverse of this , the idea is to take metal off the anode at deposite it to the item to be plated, its called a sacrifical anode. If you plan on doing a reel for your use and looks ok of for inhancement for deception to sell thats a no no! I only need a micrometer to take a thickness of the part to know if its been done! My advise? unless you are a chemist or are willing to danmage your lungs etc for live , take it to a plating shop that does this work. Its very dangerous and in todays society you may need a prescription or have to sign for the chemicals. By reading Rons ideas I belive he is well adapted to do it, Must be in his line of work? Col. Milton lorens aka SWIM JIG, your OHIO conection