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Electroplating.

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Kasper

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Electroplating.

Post26 Oct 2014, 18:13

After so many request, here is how i electroplate my watches.

We need the electroplating solution : gold and palladium. This 2 are expensive to buy..but you don't need to much if you do it like i do it.

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then the victim or the one who need salvation :-D
Polish and/sand it till you see the copper background, you need this layer as a stable background to electroplate on.

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Then we need the equiptment....this one is 30 years old but still perfect for our needs.
I don't use the small bottles anymore...just the pen.

THere is a 9 volt battery in the pen...just clip the red cable to your watch and choose the right tip (silver or gold) and dip it in the solution and you
can start painting it on your watch...it's that simple.
The watch starts to get black but after a full layer you can let it dry and polish it of.
You can do several layers...be gentle with the polishing cause it's a very thin layer.

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result first
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after polishing a bit.
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result
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enjoy it :-D
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azimuth_pl

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Re: Electroplating.

Post09 Jan 2015, 12:54

Nice set, nowadays you can get anything on eBay so it would be good to have some references about all those different chemical solutions being available.
Some years ago I got a set from Germany and the pen like tool took ages to plate a decent layer, as you mentioned this is thin so I wonder how long it would last when worn on a wrist. Good for cosmetics though or those movement components that are not subject to skin chemistry.
The plating set also had proper bathing tools and containers and so the challenge was with setting the voltage and amperage just about right and had to be changed for every different item depending on material, thickness and size.
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SASM

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Re: Electroplating.

Post09 Jan 2015, 22:26

Can you do 80 micron covers? :scratch:
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azimuth_pl

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Re: Electroplating.

Post10 Jan 2015, 01:53

Theoretically possible but I doubt it is doable with a home plating set.
Using the pen for 10 minutes might give you 0.5 microns or less just for the color.
A bath for 30 minutes might give a few microns but the result is never guaranteed if you're not an expert in physics and chemistry. It all depends on the material to be played with of which most are cheap mixes of zinc and brass.
You will have to adjust voltage all the time,turn the item and check what is happening. Otherwise you might end up having a plated case with ugly acid eaten holes where the cheap case had structural factory damage that is not even visible to the human eye but will expand when exposed to chemical for a longer time.
Moreover the home plating sets are cheap which means the solutions are not high grade in terms of content of precious metals.
Good for hobby and small parts but not durable for cases to be worn and last.
"The first and still only LED watch maniac in the East Block" - www.crazywatches.pl
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bruce wegmann

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Re: Electroplating.

Post10 Jan 2015, 04:39

Nobody does 80-micron plating in gold. Not only is the final result very sensitive to original surface imperfections, but adhesion becomes a major issue. Commercial gold plate (typically 24-karat) is virtually never thicker than 5 microns, and 1 or 2 microns is the general rule. These platings are extremely soft and vulnerable to even the slightest abrasion. Goldfill is a far more uniform, harder, and more durable process (which is why Time Computer went with it; TC never made a plated watch).
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azimuth_pl

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Re: Electroplating.

Post10 Jan 2015, 05:21

I find Rolled Gold Plate to be my favorite although it is limited to uniform shapes, especially bracelets and casebacks.
This was the standard back in the 1910's-20's-30's and they last no matter how hard you try.
When gold was cheap in the 1960-70's the standard was 20 microns electroplate.
Soviet watches even had more to the extent that they are now an excellent cheap source for gold scrap metal but you need heavy dangerous acids to start with.
"The first and still only LED watch maniac in the East Block" - www.crazywatches.pl
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Re: Electroplating.

Post10 Jan 2015, 12:26

Bruce, do you that kind of stuff or do you know anybody with the right equipment? I would like to produce a few gf watches but I really donĀ“t know anything about that process.

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