Eastwood tin-zinc electroplating system....anyone use it?

[beaverclever02]

I don't know. I think I would stick with some small stuff now, get some ride time on them to see if it lasts or is durable. But I guess if all else fails you can paint.

[kfxguy]

Originally Posted by beaverclever02

I don't know. I think I would stick with some small stuff now, get some ride time on them to see if it lasts or is durable. But I guess if all else fails you can paint.

Your probably right. I have plated a large bolt. Then hit it with the coarse wire wheel on my bench grinder and it's just as tough to remove as base coat-clear coat automotive paint. It doesn't scratch as easy tho. If if fails (which I don't thing it will...it's tin and zinc) then I'll chrome and powder coat.

[kfxguy]

When I get home this evening I'm gonna spray some water on it to see if it'll rust also. I forgot to test that.

[kfxguy]

******update******

So I had to re plate a few things. I had to change my polishing method too. If I sprayed a mist of water, light surface rust would form. So basically with the machine buffer, I was buffing some of the plating right back off. Also I was only letting the bolts sit in there for 1.5 minutes. I more than doubled that now. I guess I need to be more patient lol. Next, I stopped using the dremel and the grinder to buff with. I actually came up with a faster, easier and safer method. Chuck the bolt up in a cordless drill, put a little metal polish on a micro fiber rag. Insert screw into rag while spinning and polish it for a couple seconds. Then get a fresh rag and spin the bolt into it. Done. If its flat pieces or not bolts and nuts basically...I rub them out by hand. I retested and no rust.

On a side note: as mentioned I'm using a 50/50 mix of muratic acid and water to clean the parts in. I figured out real quick that you better keep the lid on that crap. Everything steel within a 5 foot radius has a coat of rust on it. Including some of the stuff that I plated. Yes, that junk is very corrosive. So get a big Tupperware container to put your parts in and drop them in (easily....acid will splash on you....don't ask how I know) and seal the top back. Wear old clothes. And most importantly....have fun. This gets addictive.

[kfxguy]

Update....

Don't plate bolts if you want to polish them. The plating comes off on the sharp edges and exposes bare steel and rusts. If you lightly polish by hand it'll be fine but won't look as good. Brackets and stuff are fine tho.