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  Click/tap ⇩ to a category or just scroll on down ...

 0. Choosing a Finish (corrosion, compatibility)
  1. Preparing the part (mech. prepchem. pretreatmasking & racking)
    2. Metallic Finishing (stainless & titaniumanodizing & light metalselectroplatingelectroless platingPVD & vacuum processesgalvanizingbluing/black oxideother inorganic processes)
      3. Organic Finishing (CED, electrocoatpowder coatinglacquers, clearcoatspainting, printing, adhesives)
        4. Post-treatments (chemical post-treatsbaking, soldering, dryingstripping & reworks)
          5. Supporting Issues (analysis, lab, QA/QCwater & wastesafety, emissionsplant/process engrg.specs, books, statslingometallurgyprecious metal recovery)
            6. NON-industrial (hobbyists, around homeresearch, thesisK-12 scienceArtists' Corner)
              7. Off topic but interesting

   Post a Question or RFQ


0. Choosing a finish, corrosion

15/27. Tin ceiling restoration 2000 square feet RFQ open to all: Chicago - 3/8/25

238/24. Mixing bright metal & bluing. Turning blued gun silver? - 3/7/25

617/67. 61767-1i Looking for the hardest, unscratchable finish for jewelry RFQ open to all: Idaho - 2/2/25

172/59. Gold Plating a Kalash - 1/7/25

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1. Preparation

1a. MECH PREP topics: "Grinding, polishing, vibratory finishing, buffing, honing"

618/01. 61801-1i Flattening aluminum panels warped by laser cutting - 2/6/25

  82/54. Blasting in lieu of cleaning & pickling - 1/29/25

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1b. CHEM PREP topics: "Cleaning, pickling, etching, phosphatizing, activation"

517/72. TA/FA for Tri-cationic Zinc Phosphating? - 3/10/25

  53/44. Electropolishing Cost - 2/22/25

  09/60. Best way to blacken zinc phosphate - 12/30/24

340/52. Manganese phosphate coating: issues and answers - 12/29/24

617/76. Mixed metal pretreatment configuration - 12/9/24

  14/04. Electropolishing of silver - 12/3/24

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1c. Capping, plugging, masking, taping


adv. maskcoat banner 

611/91. 61191-3i Masking for Selective Silver Plating - 3/8/25

618/07. 61807-1i Dual tone nickel + gold electroplating - 2/19/25

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2. Metallic & inorganic finishes

2a. STAINLESS, TITANIUM, CORROSION-RESISTANT METALS PROCESSING

260/36. Passivate per MIL F 14072 E300 - 3/7/25

617/00. 61700-1i Titanium anodizing for multi-color sheets for kitchen cabinets - 2/8/25

617/21. Can Titanium be Anodized in an Aluminum Anodizing Line? vipInquirer often helps others, so especially deserves our help - 1/29/25

  90/61. Passivating Laser Cut Stainless Steel Problem - 1/22/25

  12/53. Electrical Properties of Passivated Stainless Steel - 1/6/25

460/41. Electropolishing 4xx / 400 series stainless steel - 12/31/24

309/65. Can't remove old plastic protection film from stainless steel - 12/27/24

  85/05. How to smoothly etch stainless steel materials - 12/26/24

214/37. "Rainbowing" and "Bluing" method for Stainless Steel - 12/14/24

315/41. Electropolishing stainless steel to a 'satin' finish - 12/6/24

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2b. ANODIZING AND LIGHT METAL TREATMENTS (Aluminum, Magnesium)

Global Metal Finishing

405/35. Gold Spots when Hard Anodizing 7075 Aluminum Gold Spots when Hard Anodizing 7075 Aluminum - 3/7/25

618/17. Carbon Anodizing Cathodes - 3/6/25

  23/07. Color anodizing of die-cast aluminum - 3/6/25

618/15. Chem Film on Aluminum is Cloudy - 3/5/25

339/33. Masking/stripping when chromate conversion and anodizing on same part - 3/5/25

565/81. 56581-2i Rainbow effect / defect on anodized aluminum? - 3/1/25

618/11. 61811-1i Black spots on one side of thread after Anodize and Dichromate Seal - 2/26/25

612/99. 61299-2i White dots on an anodised finish - 2/19/25

274/62. Ultrasonic rinsing after anodizing - 2/17/25

569/17. Alodine not sticking / rubbing off, but only at holes - 2/13/25

222/58. 22258-5i Chromic acid anodized test panels fail only if near bottom of rack - 2/12/25

612/99. White dots on an anodised finish - 2/6/25

617/75. 61775-1i Aluminum in the 1930's: "Deplated Finish" - 1/30/25

173/11. How to do copper plating on aluminum roller? - 1/30/25

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2c. ELECTROPLATING and ELECTROFORMING

388/77. Surface Roughness in Alkaline Zinc Electroplating - 3/10/25

617/52. Cyanide copper plating on zinc diecast - 3/5/25

618/16. Detecting & Repairing Scratches in Ni Plated Al6061 - 3/5/25

  10/06. Non-cyanide Copper Plating - 3/5/25

325/78. Need a tiny amount of Fumetrol 140 for research RFQ - 3/5/25

618/14. Black Chrome Plater with Large Tanks Needed RFQ open to all: Wisconsin - 3/4/25

327/83. Replating chrome onto existing chrome - 2/26/25

453/31. Chrome plating: microcracking & pits - 2/26/25

321/77. Blisters of sulphamate nickel plating after sintering - 2/26/25

618/09. Need Cad 1 finishing for Restorations RFQ: West Coast - 2/19/25

445/17. HRc hardness of hard chrome plating - 2/16/25

587/01. In electroplating, What is a 'Strike Solution'? - 2/13/25

61804. Need Gold electroplating of item for memorial plaque RFQ open to all: Mesa, AZ - 2/11/25

296/29. Silver plating Trumpets & Musical instruments - 2/11/25

402/43. Plating both outside AND inside of a tube - 2/9/25

618/02. 61802-1i Acid zinc plating: Non coverage problem - 2/7/25

73/94. Surface Preparation of Molybdenum for Ni Plating - 2/7/25

448/04. Reddish discoloration in continuous brush gold plating of wire - 2/6/25

301/01. Sulfur embrittlement of Ni sulfamate platings: azodisulfonate, AUP, "magic stress reducer" - 2/1/25

617/34. 61734-1 Cleaning Porous Pot Cathodes - There's gotta be a better way! vipInquirer often helps others, so especially deserves our help - 1/26/25

  53/01. Alkaline zinc plating rundown streaking - 1/24/25

144/61. Hard Chrome Plating on Inconel 625 - 1/21/25

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2d. ELECTROLESS PLATING, PLATING ON PLASTICS, IMMERSION PLATING, CHROME-LOOK SPRAYS, LIQUID METAL COATINGS

330/81. How to blacken electroless nickel - 3/4/25

617/24. Silver mirroring puddles on glass, oxidizes at the edges - 3/2/25

618/10. SLA plastics activation for electroless coating - 3/1/25

159/14. Skip plating on ABS-PC when ABS is fine - 2/4/25

168/97. Electroless nickel plating onto stainless steel - 12/12/24

584/27. "Water spots" on electroless nickel plated parts - 11/25/24

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2e. PVD, CVD, ION IMPLANTATION, VACUUM PROCESSES

617/90. Need to TiN coat a circular blade, 90 mm dia x 2 mm thick - 200 pcs RFQ open to all: Murfreesboro, TN - 12/23/24

607/71. High Temperature PVD Coatings - 12/14/24

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2f. GALVANIZING, ALUMINIZING, HOT TIN DIPPING

618/18. Trapped acid bleeds out from galvanizing - 3/7/25

185/61. Need Consultant for Galvanizing Plant RFQ: Australia - 2/2/25

492/71. Galvanizing flux: Ammonium chloride requirements and analysis - 1/22/25

617/98. 61798-1i Galvanizing: Product Quality Issue with Shipped Containers - 1/22/25

449/78. Galvanizing kettle furnace and burner design - 1/22/25

616/98. Planning a small HDG plant - 1/6/25

568/67. 56867-14i Spotting, Staining, Blackening of Hot Dip Galvanized Finish - 12/31/24

613/16. Hot-Dip Tinning Problems & Solutions: hard tin crystals - 12/6/24

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2g. BLACK OXIDE, BLUING, COLORING, PATINAS

501/21. Patinas for pewter - 3/6/25

  00/19. Prepping Stainless Steel for Blackening - 2/6/25

191/90. Need Wax for Ebonol C Blackening - 2/1/25

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2h. OTHER INORGANIC FINISHING: Mechanical Plating, Nitriding & QPQ, Metal Spray, Zinc-rich Dip-Spin Coatings, Sherardizing, Rust Preventatives, etc.

286/21. Geomet 750 Hp galvanizing - August 6

553/66. Ferritic Nitrocarburizing has red color to it? - June 15



3. ORGANIC FINISHING [PAINT, POWDER COATING] . . .

3a. ELECTROPAINT PRIMING, AUTOPHORETIC COATINGS

456/18. E-coating over Zinc or Zinc Alloy Plating - 1/10/25

617/82. 61782-1i E-coat throwing power, coverage inside tubes - 12/11/24

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3b. POWDER COATING

618/08. Emissivity of powder coated steel - 2/19/25

524/55. Actual costing of powder coating in India - October 6

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3c. LACQUERS, CLEAR COATS, ELECTROPHORETIC TINTING, ANTI-TARNISH

226/74. Want anti-pit solvent for Electrophoretic Lacquer - 12/4/24

  54/18. Clear Coating Black Oxided Stainless Steel? - November 18

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3d. PAINTING, PRINTING, ADHESIVES AND OTHER ORGANIC COATINGS

  18/62. White finish for Stainless Steel Dental Crowns - 3/6/25

617/94. 61794-1i Putting plastisol on zinc plated parts - 12/29/24

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4. POST-TREATMENTS

4a. CHEMICAL POST-TREATMENTS [CHROMATE CONVERSION COATINGS, RUST PREVENTATIVES, PATINAS, COLORIZING]

618/03. Sealing over cured Zinc Plating + Chromate - 2/11/25

372/55. 37255-2i Restoring the yellow dichromate finish on automobile carburetors - 1/19/25

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4b. BAKING AND NON-CHEMICAL POST-TREATMENTS [HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT AND DE-EMBRITTLEMENT, ANNEALING, WHISKERS, SOLDERING, REFLOWING]

  07/96. Hydrogen embrittlement baking was interrupted - 2/6/25

  13/97. Solder is de-wetting in hot oil bath - 2/3/25

415/78. Hydrogen Embrittlement Failure. Need Details for Chromium Plating Baking - 1/30/25

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4c. STRIPPING, REWORKS, ETC.

adv. metalx

297/78. Stripping chrome plating Q&A, Problems & Solutions - 12/23/24

617/54. Zinc Phosphate stripping for coating weight - 11/25/24

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5. SUPPORTING ISSUES

5a. ANALYSIS, LAB TECHNIQUE, Q.A., SALT SPRAY TESTING

  8904. Salt Spray Hours vs. real life exposure - 3/11/25

617/97. Need Lab Help with Stainless Product Development - 1/7/25

442/93. On line analysis of chrome concentration? vipInquirer often helps others, so especially deserves our help - 12/21/24

547/76. Caustic Etch Analysis -- aluminium anodizing - 12/18/24

328/38. Analyze Chrome Plating Bath; Determine sulphates - 12/9/24

45510. Analysis of potassium carbonate in cyanide plating bath - 12/3/24

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5b. WASTE & WASTEWATER TREATMENT, POLLUTION CONTROL

617/85. 61785-1i Spot test for cyanide in waste water - 1/26/25

617/46. Determining if WWT sludge is hazardous? - October 9

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5c. SAFETY ISSUES, EMISSIONS, TOXICITY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

208/58. Toxicity of stainless flatware - 2/26/25

110/17. Safety of Drinking D.I. Water - 12/18/24

617/83. Safety of "Chrome" Vinyl Wrap - 12/15/24

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5d. PLANT & PROCESS ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION

  51/49. Feed & Bleed System for HCl Tanks - 3/10/25

618/06. Bus Bar vs. Cable for 2-Step Electrolytic Coloring - 2/17/25

493/68. Making Dummy Cathodes for a Plating Bath - 2/17/25

219/57. Can we have a clean silver plating plant without acid? - 2/6/25

617/93. Learn more about automatic electroplating production lines - 12/28/24

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5e. QUESTIONS ABOUT SOFTWARE, SPECS, BOOKS, EDUCATION, INDUSTRY STATS, HISTORY, ETC.

476/74. Does MIL-STD-186F require litmus test of trivalent chromated surfaces? - 2/27/25

461/40. Boeing Chloride Limits for Nickel Sulfamate Plating Bath? - 2/5/25

240/21. Nitric acid: Are the volume ratios in passivation specs based on 100% Nitric Acid? - 1/24/25

618/00. Meaning of "Zinc electrolyte plating + leaching"? - 1/16/25

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5f. W...W...W...WORD OF THE WEEK

617/66. What is Black Luster® Finish for Fasteners - 12/12/24

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5g. MOSTLY METALLURGY; Heat Treatment

617/77. 3d printed Inconel 718 part turns blue in vacuum heat treatment - November 16

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5h. METAL RECOVERY

418/91. Recover gold from gold plated stainless steel wire - 1/14/25

  50/48. Extracting Gold from Computer Circuit Boards? - 1/5/25

319/63. Remove tin plating from copper pots, trays, cookware, etc. - 12/15/24

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6. NON-INDUSTRIAL ISSUES

Hobbyists, DIY, Around Home

402/28. Electroplating onto glass like iPhone screens - 3/10/25

  70/22. 7022i How to strip plated silver off of copper collectibles - 3/7/25

336/17. Is headboard "brass" or what; how to clean and refinish? - 3/5/25

  49/13. Do It Yourself Nickel and Copper Plating - 3/5/25

410/16. Electroless gold plating solution - 3/5/25

  07/57. National Cash Registers: How to Restore & Refinish - 3/4/25

103/66. Dirigold/Dirilyte: How to Polish Bronze Flatware - 3/1/25

559/51. Home nickel plating with vinegar & salt - 2/16/25

497/79. Silver plated trays and silverware: What is the base metal? - 2/9/25

  02/83. 0283-3i Finishing of Kenrick 19th century cast iron - 1/24/25

565/54. Acid Zinc Plating Brightener Q&A - 1/18/25

268/45. Chip on Gloss Black Gas Stovetop - 1/15/25

611/46. 61146-1i Dumbbells have white corrosion on them - 1/14/25

617/99. Hobbyist Copper Plating on 3D Plastics: Help Fine-Tuning It - 1/8/25

617/96. Electroplating bath plates Nickel or Copper depending on voltage - 12/30/24

617/95. Need food-safe pliers - 12/30/24

  12/15. Lead-free Antiquing Wears Right Off - 12/28/24

209/88. Restore silver damaged by peroxide - 12/28/24

309/65. Can't remove old plastic protection film from stainless steel - 12/27/24

344/65. Pre-coating for sublimation transfers onto ceramic - 12/27/24

611/11. 61111-1i Brass Threshold Turned Silver from Polishing - 12/12/24

236/53. Model railroading: Effect of oxidation of nickel silver on its conductivity - 12/6/24

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6b. RESEARCH, THESIS TOPICS, UNIVERSITY & POST-GRAD STUDENTS

618/05. gold plated magnetic powder Need 20µ gold or silver coating on 50µ dia. spherical magnets RFQ open to all: Southampton, UK - 2/17/25

  00/98. Electroplating (Electrodeposition) of Niobium - 12/26/24

617/86. Adding Fe/Cu to Hard Chrome Plating Bath as DOE? - 12/15/24

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6c. K-12 Science Projects, Grammar & High School Student Questions



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6d. The Artists' Corner

  65/07. benzotriazole Benzotriazole and substitutes for brass corrosion control - November 16

617/50. 61750-1 Forcing a white patina on zinc for watch dials - October 11

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7. DRIFTED OFF FINISHING, BUT INTERESTING :-)

238/97. How to identify old cast iron floor lamp? - 3/3/25

439/83. Is this ore/rock Platinum, Palladium & Rhodium? A meteorite? - 2/22/25

557/67. McClary Easy Polisher Scrubber Buffer Pads - 2/18/25

358/58. Extracting elemental titanium from Titanium Dioxide - 2/17/25

161/89. Restoring Comstock Castle cast iron stove - 2/9/25

548/90. 54890-8i Theda Sterling Silver Medals, Crosses, Jewelry Q&A - 2/5/25

293/70. 29370-45i Identify "STN" Hallmark on Necklace - 1/29/25

128/73a. Removing Silica Water Stains - 1/24/25

243/59. Barber Chair Restoration Q&A's and Successes - 1/24/25

190/39. 19039i Need Legs for Martin Wood Stove - 1/15/25

258/52. Fixing scratched glass - 12/18/24

324/13. Need sweet spirits of nitre (the traditional folk medicine) - 12/4/24

190/39. Need Door for Kalamazoo Stove RFQ open to all: New Jersey, USA - 12/3/24

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