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Gold Plating Tools (a masonry trowel)

This may seem like an unusual and possibly expensive request, but I am looking to have a masonry trowel gold plated. My wife and I are currently building a home and fortunately we have an uncle who is a mason that has helped us out immensely. He will not except any money for his work and has just about everything he needs so we are looking to buy him a special gift to say thank you. If anyone has any information as to where I might have a trowel gold or silver plated (gold preferred) please contact me. Thank you

Michael Pasquarella
- Schenectady, New York USA
1999

Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)

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It's not that unusual, Mr. Pasquarella, in fact I gave my father-in-law a gold plated trowel. However, a decision you'll need to make before sending it out to the plating shop is whether you want it polished first. If it's not polished, it will acquire a gold color, but the countless small scratches will preclude the bright shiny gold look that you are probably thinking of--it will be rather dull. On the other hand, if it is polished, it can be made very shiny, but it will not look very much like a real working trowel anymore. I opted for the unpolished look.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
1999