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Room temperature nickel plating on non conductive mediums

Hello,

I just bought a rectifier and am trying to get into nickel plating my casted urethane pieces. So far I have received mixed feedback from various distributors about the process, product, and adhesion. I would appreciate any feedback or advice.

Speaking with a gentleman at one supplier he recommended I use a conductive paint and their 1.5 lb bag of powered Nickel Crystals w/brightener. This solution needs to be heated up. The folks at another place suggested I use their Nickel plating solution because it doesn't need heat...is this true? Other people have suggested I use a copper base then nickel?

With regards to adhesion the pieces to be plated will be clear coated with urethane clear, airbrushed, and then epoxied for protection from exterior elements so I don't need a high build of nickel...just shiny base coat to paint over. The kicker is I need good adhesion and am unsure where the breakdown will happen. Would you all recommend brushing my molds with a conductive copper powder and touching up the casted pieces with a copper infused lacquer coat or should I cast the parts, spray them with an epoxy primer, and then spray with the copper infused lacquer?

Appreciate any insight you all can offer!

John Herald
student - Reno, Nevada
September 22, 2010

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Hi, John. Almost anything at all can be plated, but the usual issue in plating unusual substrates is getting good adhesion. If you are only looking for a reflective metallic look, and not the engineering properties of nickel (you say you need "just shiny base coat to paint over"), I think it would be easier, cheaper, and sounder to use a "chrome-look paint" system. Good luck.

If you think you must do nickel plating, please tell us why. Thanks!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 2, 2011