The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
  

  -----

Chroming: lamellar nickel and the columnar nickel

I was wondering where you could buy the lamellar nickel and the columnar nickel?

Kevin W.
Student - Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
2004

---

Hi, Kevin. I am going to take a guess that you were reading a website where the plater claimed they applied nickel plating in two layers before chrome plating, or something like that. Your question doesn't actually come out making too much sense, and I think you need to re-ask it with some context. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

---

Lamellar and columnar nickel are the types of structures you get when you electrodeposit nickel. You cannot buy these materials over the counter but have to do it yourself or get someone skilled in the technique to deposit the nickel for you. Why do you want to get some?

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2004

I need to know how to chrome because I am doing a project over Chroming and my teacher thought that it would be good if we chromed something.

Kevin W.
- Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
2004

---

I don't think it a good idea you start trying to chromium plate things at school. The chemicals you will use are very harmful and the process is not all that easy. Chromium plating is a specialised technology. I would suggest your teacher should suggest you try plating with copper, zinc or even nickel, before you try to tackle the more difficult ones.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2004

Teachers are supposed to know something about what they are talking about before making "stupid" recommendations. Your teacher may appreciate this- You want to do a paper on brain surgery and feel that it would be appropriate for you to demonstrate it in class -on the teacher. Sounds absolutely stupid doesn't it. Chrome plating in class is just as stupid and if the teacher had done any homework on the subject beforehand, (s)he would know it.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2004

---

Oh I don't know, James, I think that might be a little harsh. Kevin's teacher may not have actually suggested chrome plating, but rather said something like "if you're so fascinated by chrome plating, maybe you could do it for the science fair" without fully investigating it yet. I wouldn't expect a teacher to know every poisonous plant, insect, and sea creature so they are prepared to put the kabosh on proposed biology projects on a moment's notice, and it's not shocking to me that a teacher could be unaware that chrome plating is inappropriate for school.

Kevin, you might want to start with our "Introduction to Chrome Plating" FAQ. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

Ted, you are correct on one point-We do not know exactly what the teacher said to the student. It could be a first year science teacher or one that is teaching "out of field". I would hope that this teacher and a few others would take a few minutes to look at the chrome plating process before suggesting that an impressionable student should do it for a science fair. Based on the students version, the teacher's comment was stupid. (OK, uneducated)

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2004