Bridgeport Restore: Handles are Plated!

[@stevesoltys1378]

About 7 years ago I bought a nickel plating kit from Caswell it wasn't cheap maybe $250 but it works very well I have plted many steel and cast iron parts without any problems. The instructions are very good explaining amperage based on part surface are. They give you everything you need heaters circulating pump chemicals and 2 large nickel anodes. Well worth the money.

[@robbaker6909]

You do not bore me sir. I look forward to your videos!

[@fredericorusso]

Back when we did in-shop amateur plating of iron and mild steel, even tin, we always bead-blasted the surfaces to give it a “tooth” for the coatings to “grab” onto. Even when we paid for full-on professional electroplating, they charged us less and we got superior results by blasting first, and packaging it so it was protected from skin oils and moisture in transit. If you don’t have a glass bead cabinet, you can just use a cheap blasting nozzle outdoors. Thanks for the entertainment! Cheers

[@paulrayner4514]

Get Don to give them a wipe over with an oily rag when you go fishing. Sorted👍

[@lloyd4768]

You should check out Jere Kirkpatrick he has a 4 part series on plating he also uses a small pump to keep the solution flowing.

[@johnrussell6620]

I admit that "I know Nothing" (as says Sergeant Schultz) ... about metal plating, I do know something about growing crystals... at 15:45, all of that metallic frass copper at the bottom of your plating vessel may be drawing your copper 'AWAY' from your intended target ... the handles. If I was growing sugar crystals, that much sugar at the bottom would draw all of the rest of the sugar out of solution (seeding), down to their location, leaving a mess on the bottom, instead of a large single crystal on the line in the center. Maybe I'm wrong ... just a thought. Glad to see you got rid of it for the subsequent try. At 30:25, your skin is constantly sweating salty water and skin oil, please use gloves to prevent transfers from either direction, chemicals into your body or salt and skin oil out of your body.

[@ianmoone2359]

Back in my day hotting up car engines, we would take parts that we wanted chrome plated around to a guys house, who worked the night shift at a chrome plating plumbing taps factory, & he would hang them in the copper plating - then the chrome plating bath at the factory over night when the owner / boss man was home asleep - in exchange for a carton of beer or two. 😜😂😂 He explained that copper plating first helped the chrome adhere so that when engine parts heated up wouldn’t let the chrome plating peel off. We chrome plated anything that could be removed off a small block 351ci-inch Ford Cleveland V8, like sump, rocker covers, extractors etc etc. Worked real well for what it’s worth. If I were you I’d just pay the man at the Chrome Plating factory what he wants to do all the parts & cop the cost on the chin, so that your Bridgeport comes out looking better than new.

[@jackpledger8118]

Looks like a good result in the end. Perseverance comes through once again.

[@walterplummer3808]

Thanks Steve. Hope the wax does the job because they look great now.

[@user-oi8tg3dq7t]

Greetings from Nacogdoches. I’m enjoying morning coffee and watching your latest video.

[@Randysshop]

Very interesting video on your trials of plating Steve. There is a product called Shark hide That a friend of mine uses on the his Hotrod to protect uncoated parts of aluminum and steel from corrosion that works very good. Thanks

[@pipereed1]

They're safety handles, just in case you or anyone gets caught up in it while power feeding. How you operate it, before you engage the table power feed you're supposed to twist the handle and unlock it so the handle free spins.

[@Unrivaledanime]

according to the manual its called a quick release safety handle to stop it from spinning page 2-17 in my manual

[@joekanicki5306]

They look great Steve! I’m pretty sure a bit of wax will help beat off the rust. It’s what I use on my cast iron tools and I’m just up the road from you.

[@edmunoz968]

Try boeshield it works great on Cast iron. It might do the same for plated metals.

[@steamfan7147]

Safety handles, they free wheel when the power feed is running. But to use them, you have to curl the handle in your fingers and move the hand wheel until the pin drops in one of the slots, then you can crank the table. I had them on my Bridgeport when I first got it. They were a monumental PITA, nothing but aggravation. I ended up buying new ones from H&W and tossing the others in the scrap. That is to say I bought solid handles as replacements.

[@johnlee8231]

Looking forward to the 1 year update on these.

[@waynep343]

You have to polish the copper coating to get a perfectly smooth copper coating so the much thinner nickel then chrome coatings can stick

[@oleran4569]

Looking pretty good! Guess you've found your method.

[@spaceghostone]

When I worked in a plating area we never touched the parts till all the plating was done. we used deionized water for a rinse then put it in the next plating.

[@mikehaworth8328]

Don is correct. It is meant to be a safety feature, but like many, the solution is worse than the problem. I have one on my Bridgeport. The idea is that the handle does not engage when left free, so when the powerfeed runs it does not bash your knuckles. When you want to hand turn, the first movement of the handle is a twist motion that engages the hub. Its a right pain as you have to keep the twist motion engaged. Am thinking of getting rid of it.

[@ericsandberg3167]

I have a handle on my mill's X axis and you have to push it in to engage it to the lead screw, its on the side with the power feed, it has saved my digits on several occasions from getting pinched between the power feed body and the minimal clearance to the handle body.

[@michaeldarby3503]

Hi Steve, what I would recommend is a parker phosphate coating, a fellow Aussie Mark Pressling has a good vid on parkerising.

[@problem_solved]

I agree, Mark Presling is the guy to go to!!

[@tonyray91]

Don’s right, the handles can be released so they freewheel, so they don’t get you when power feeding.

[@markfoster6110]

Yes i hate those free wheeling handles just hard to use

[@markfoster6110]

What about bright zink . It's easy but will wear off .

[@paulshouse524]

I don't know much about plating, but I do know you have to get time, temperature, physical connection of wire to the work piece, chemistry, voltage and amperage all just right or else you'll live in disappointment. I salute you for trying.

[@stevenslater2669]

My brother ran an anodizing plant. Anodizing is the plating process for aluminum, but I’m pretty sure plating steel is basically the same process. He said the dirty little secret in the industry is that little jobs like yours are needed to even out the current density thruout the plating tank. When the plant is treating a large workpieces like a batch of 30’ long parking lot light poles, they put scrap metal in the corners of the tank. My brother said the price they charged boat builders to anodize cleats and other deck hardware was incredible, but he was stuck charging the industry standard price schedule. I’d bet the ferrous plating shops have the same situation. There are an ever-decreasing number of anodizing and ferrous plating shops in the country. So if the scarcity of plating shops don’t get ya, shipping charges will!

[@tonyray91]

Anodising is not a plating process, it is a surface treatment.

[@GeorgeWMays]

The power supply has a finite limit on the power that it can deliver. Power (Watts) is the product of Volts X Amps. Imagine that the PS can deliver a maximum of 16 Watts. You could set Volts to 16 and Amps to 1. No problem. But if you try to set Amps to 2 then the Volts will have to adjust down to 8, 2x8=16. If you set the Volts to 32 then the Amps will have to adjust down to 0.5, 32x0.5=16. You can set values lower. For example, you could set Volts to 12 and Amps to 1; the product is 12x1=12 which is less than the max of 16. Get the idea?

[@gorak9000]

Your power supply has 2 limits, a voltage limit, and a current limit. When your load is drawing less current than the current limit, the power supply will operate in constant voltage mode, and do exactly what it sounds like - supply your specified voltage to the load. When your load tries to draw more current than the current limit, the power supply switches to constant current mode, and reduces the voltage to limit the current to the value you set.

[@gorak9000]

So say you set it to 12V with a current limit of 1A. You attach your load (the plating cell in this case), and it's drawing 0.5A - the power supply will be in CV mode and supplying 12V at 0.5A. Now if you crank up the voltage to 20V, and the plating cell is drawing 0.99A, the power supply will still be in CV mode. Then you increase the voltage to 21V, the cell might try to draw 1.2A, but as soon as it tries to draw more than 1A, the power supply switches to constant current CC mode, and reduces the output voltage below what you have it set to to keep the current at a maximum of 1A. The power supply controls the voltage, and limits the current. The load and the voltage applied determines how much current will flow (up to the limit set in the power supply).

[@willemvantsant5105]

To set my power supply to constant current, set voltage less than 5V, short leads and adjust current potentiometer to desired max current output. Think Steve's is similar to mine mine.

[@gorak9000]

@@willemvantsant5105 His looks like when you turn the current knobs, the display switches to showing you the current limit, then it will go back to showing the real-time current draw after you don't touch the knobs for a while - no need to short the leads on that one to set the limit, but yes, that's how you do it on most older bench power supplies

[@ronaldbollinger440]

I have also been watching "Mark Pershing" from Australia or New Z-land where he is always plating/coating things he makes as things must rust a lot there. Give him a look and maybe it will help. He seams to have a clue and dose very nice work. If nothing else you can blame him and give Don a small break.

[@huibhoogendoorn503]

The handles have to insert when you turn the feed by hand, a litle turnof the handcranck puts in the nob to the feedtread so it turns, when you loos the handcrack the power feed can take over the fors without turning the hanlde so it whont hurt you. So if the BP is with powerfeed you had to put the originals on Steve. Airbubbles will gives an even layer on the item, mostly using an fishtank airpump. It keeps the solution on the move.

[@samrodian919]

I agree with Don for a change Steve! The reason your part looked dull and spotty in parts was that you were plating at too high a voltage Steve. Twelve volts is just too high. No more than four is needed and if then you can keep the amps down as well it will nickel plate perfectly. The stuff I did a year ago is still looking good and no sign of any fusing at all. I've just made a rotary broach and plated it and it looks a little dull as I really need to filter the crap out of the nickel solution. Also when you use too much voltage it makes the crap appear very quickly as it did in your test. Try getting more nickel into solution by filtering the crap out of what you made and start the process off again. The more you plate the stronger the solution gets and the better the results are with less voltage. Just give it a try but I'd do the copper plating first as you have it set up. The thicker the copper plating the more rust resistant the final nickel results will be. Happy plating sir! 30 minutes in you said you didn't have any grease on your hands. Even if you have wiped your hands with acetone within 30 seconds you have your natural skin oils back to the surface. Steve, clean the part and put gloves on before you do it and keep them on until the plating process is finished, both the nickel and copper solutions are poisonous and can be absorbed via the skin. So keep your hands covered at all times while doing the plating.

[@hanabihanabi4728]

The fuzzy look is likely because you are growing whiskers. IIRC whiskers grow around active sites on the surface and you need to add a surfactant . I have been told in the early days they found tobacco juice was good for chrome, so they hired kids to stand around the plating bath, chew and spit into the bath. well true or not, times have changed and you can buy surfactants. Commercial platers buy it all premixed and which surfactant is probably proprietary. I bet some gargling might find some suggestions, heck a little dish soap might help, i dont know, but that is a surfactant. the second variable is current density, amps/sqcm of item to be plated. Voltage IIRC is kept within a range to keep from driving the wrong reactions. Bath conductivity is controlled by the amount of salts added to the bath.

[@ReidMattingly]

clean them with brush and acetone the way you like them to look and spray them with clear coat paint. I have done this with chrome wheels and it has lasted a few years

[@johnb5519]

How about a ceramic coating like they do on exhaust headers for cars. It might not look as shiny, but it wont rust.

[@ericmiller5559]

Cerakote would be a good fit.

[@gorak9000]

you mean cera-snake-oil??

[@gorak9000]

and if you don't believe me, go watch the video on ceramic coatings by 'breaking taps" - he looked at it in an electron microscope - the amount of "ceramics" in those ceramic coatings is laughable. To believe they do anything, you'd also need to believe in homeopathy, where the lower the concentration, the better the 'medicine' works

[@johnkey1682]

Electrodeposition is a function of current not voltage. The variation in voltage is a function of the conductivity of the solution and the number of bubbles on the surface.

[@randallgintner3501]

Steve,check into parkerizing,it's cheap,holds up well to rust,and easy enough to do,the only downfall is the matte finish...

[@jamesratliff5164]

My understanding of plating is that Nickel while it looks pretty good it will not hold up on its own. I think I remember nickel plating came before chrome plating. Chrome lasts a bit longer, but look at old cars and you can see broken pitted Chrome. What if you heated the parts till they blue and put several light coats of clear epoxy? Slight correction. It seems to me that I heard Jay Lenno say that when you Chrome an object when you rinse it off you need to put it in an oven and bake it. I can't remember what temp or how long but Jay said the chrome will not last if you don't bake it after chroming it.

[@bernardwill7196]

Mr. Watkins put first Copper on the handle than nickel.

[@10swatkins]

did not work.... wipes right off....

[@bernardwill7196]

@@10swatkins That is not so good

[@jamesreed6121]

You won't like it, but maybe powder coating the handles might work. KOKO!

[@tacticalrabbit308]

Add boron to your nickle solution

[@peterhadfield873]

As youve discovered, plating is harder than it looks. I'm not an expert but i've done a bit and a few things stand out. Nickel is one of the easier metals to plate. Getting nickel to plate is fairly easy, getting a well stuck non porous layer is harder. Cleanliness is essential (looks like you've got that sorted). If it looks clean and water doesn't bead on the metal surface its probably clean enough. The brown / black colouring on the plated surface (known as burn) is an indication of too high a current. Determining the correct voltage / current for any job is a matter of experience. my guess is 5v @ 1 amp for that size of job but its fairly critical. Plate too fast and you get unevenness, porosity and burn. plate too slow and it doesn't stick (and takes forever). The amount of salt in the vinegar is not critical - once youve got enough to aid conduction youve got enough.. Even strong vinigar is only about 30%, adding a bit more water won't matter but won't do any good either. anyway, good luck.

[@charleshoward35]

Did you use a carbon steel brush when you cleaned them up?

[@jwbrit]

If you consider ohms law, v=ir, and you have a constant i, then the v has to change to since you have a floating r value. You have a floating resistance because of the liquid, bubbles, etc. If you set a constant voltage, the amps will float

[@michaelgivens8513]

Steve, can you tell what the model of the power supply is?

[@kennyrmurray]

Hey Steve. I have never done any of this before but it’s on my list to anodize aluminum. Just for giggles and shits I wonder if you boiled the water first and tried it when it cools down to say about 140-150 deg or so. I don’t know it was a thought in my head I figured I’d share. I love experimenting

[@kennyrmurray]

Or maybe sand them with a 400 grit. Trust me I know all about rust. I live on Long Island NY and have the creek right in my backyard. Storm surges are no fun here

[@10swatkins]

There is no water to boil.... The fluid is just white vinegar for the acid and salt... It's working just fine once I figured out all the little things... Next video shows them better...

[@kennyrmurray]

@@10swatkins I said water. I knew that lol. Ok I must of missed that one

[@masteruniverse3506]

This is why platers charge so much.

[@konradweniger3141]

Vinager comes in different strengths is your strong enough?. You want it bright finished I assume so blueing or parkering like in gun barrels might be out,but tool coating like taps and bits might be something to look into.find a company that has a chemical engineer to talk to for a lead.I seen a KZbin video of spray chrome finish of motorcycles and car parts that done in a spray booth not a tank.

[@johnlottes7440]

Polish to a mirror finish, heavy copper coat, lightly repolish, then heavy chrome. Ohm's Law E=I×R or Voltage = Current × Resistance I'd bet that the other numbers are Wattage P = I × R or Power = Current ×Resistance.

[@wilsonlaidlaw]

I would have thought a water solution of copper sulphate might be better than vinegar and common salt for the copper plating. Similarly I would have used a solution of nickel sulphate for the nickel plating.

[@spaceghostone]

Also you do the plating all at once, not in layers.

[@ericarachel55]

clear coat laquer

[@bcbloc02]

Could always just dip your hands in oil when you run your machines so it all stays well coated. That what I do. LOL

[@10swatkins]

I'm going to have to send you a box of gloves :)

[@W4BIN]

Leaving insulation BECAUSE you will be wasting less nickle on the wire. Electrical wire can be crushed in the center and removed. It's the current that electroplates, not the voltage, 6 Volts is nominal. Slower electroplating is better with a LESS sponge like surface. Ron W4BIN

[@pebrede]

It really doesn’t matter, you have to degrease, how you do it is your problem to find what works. Usually it is copper, nickel then chrome, if you copper over nickel it sometimes doesn’t work due to impurities in the metals and anodes. The quality of the vinegar base is important, some use non distilled water to dilute and that is a problem with some solutions you make. Distilled vinegar is best at 10%, 30% is a waste except as a cleaner. Same with salts try and get as pure as you can. Polish and degrease and rinse between solution changes. Your anodes need to connect out of solution if you have any copper on the nickel anode in the solution you plate copper and nickel. The voltage variations is due partially to connections to the power supply, solution contamination and the will of the gods. Turtle wax is your friend. Then science the hell out of it. Good luck.

[@kimber1958]

@TheMiniMachineShop Dave M😊