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Nickel plating stainless steel tube

Hi,

I have 12ft-long stainless steel tube with size of OD1/4"x 0.035" thickness. For a final copper coating, I would like stainless steel tube to be nickel plated inside of the tube. Copper coating thickness is 10 micrometer. Finally, copper coated surface will be electropolished to get the Ra 4 microinch of surface roughness. Please give some help.

Thanks,

Soon-Hong LEE
- Darien, Illinois, USA
2002

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I think this project will need more help than we can easily give you. While it is probably possible to plate electroless nickel inside a 12 foot long 1/4" dia. tube, it's problematic. And activating the stainless steel to accept plating is a second problem. And testing to make sure you have any deposit, let along an adherent deposit of unifrom thickness is still a third problem.

Maybe you could electroform a nickel tube around a 1/4" dia. wax mandrel, and copper plate the outside, forgetting about the stainless steel entirely?
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002