electric plating vs heated bath plating

[sansone]

I'm going to add in-store nickel plating to the smithy services offered and would like to know what THR members think.

Not much difference in finish quality other than the electric plating deposits nickel faster, and the solution (bath) lasts much longer with electric. You just add nickel material as it diminishes.

The hot bath (not electric) solution goes bad after plating a calculated volume of material (projects) and the whole mix needs disposal.

Research shows BOTH types of plating are used on pistols. Anybody have experience or opinions with either? THANKS

 

[dfariswheel]

Trying to remember plating technology, I think that electroplating is usually used for bright mirror type finishes, and electroless nickel is usually in a satin type finish.

For the bright electro-finish the metal must be perfectly polished to at least a Python quality finish and the metal has to be super clean.
Electroless is usually given an "orange peel" very light bead blasted finish prior to coating.

 

[beag_nut]

When I was in the surgical industry, we spec'd electroless nickel when we wanted the part to "look" like nickel. We spec'd electroplating when we wanted the performance of nickel.
So, you make your choice. Appearance or performance.

 

[brickeyee]

We spec'd electroplating when we wanted the performance of nickel.

Correctly done electroless nickel performs just fine, just like electroplating.

Each has some 'tricks' to get optimum performance based on the application.

Re-tapping threaded holes especially tight tolerance threads) is often required after almost any plating process.

It is possible under some circumstances to use larger thread diameters and plate them 'down' but even plating in blind holes has always been a real challenge (and also in any large length to diameter hole).