Nickel Plating Restoration

[jmreynol]

I am currently restoring a Victrola VV-IX. The cabinet is done and I am cleaning up the hardware but I am finding that the nickel plating has chipped, peeled and worn to the copper in some places. The machine sat in a basement for years before I got it and it was in pretty rough shape. I really think that the hardware will need to be re-plated but I am reading that the new plating processes are too shiny and won't match the era. Does anyone know where I can get the parts re-plated to match the old nickel plating? Or, do you know what type of finish I should ask for at the platers?

Thanks,
Jim Reynolds

[Steve]

New nickel plating will be incredibly shiny, true, but so was the machine when it was new. If you're going that far with restoring it you might as well make it like new. There is nothing wrong with bright shiny plating.

However if you want something that is NOT historically "correct" but looks more acceptable in terms of having a slightly dull, aged look, you can get "dull nickel" plating. One word of caution here: dull plating has a slight frosted appearance, even when hand polished to a more mirror-like shine. If you look at vintage plating you can see that it was perfectly smooth to start with. I've been told that dull nickel plating is generally thicker and covers more worn surfaces better than high gloss plating. I don't know if this is true?

About 20 years ago I had a machine re-plated with dull nickel and the parts came back almost white! All it then required was some elbow grease, a couple of soft cloths and some metal polish to make the metalwork look authentically aged and dull but still with a fair mirror finish.

[ambrola]

I am currently restoring a Victrola VV-IX. The cabinet is done and I am cleaning up the hardware but I am finding that the nickel plating has chipped, peeled and worn to the copper in some places. The machine sat in a basement for years before I got it and it was in pretty rough shape. I really think that the hardware will need to be re-plated but I am reading that the new plating processes are too shiny and won't match the era. Does anyone know where I can get the parts re-plated to match the old nickel plating? Or, do you know what type of finish I should ask for at the platers?

Thanks,
Jim Reynolds

Jim,
Call these guys and they can help you. Rod has been in the Phonograph world a long time and knows what hes doing.
http://www.victrolarepairservice.com/nickelplating.html

[gramophone78]

In truth, you can not replicate the nickel plating of the past. This is due to the addition of chromium into the plating mix. This addition (or improvement) was done around the late 30's-40's. The reason was the provide a shiny "out of the tank" finish without a lot of work and time.

Although, this method saves a lot of time to produce a finished product; it leaves the item not only very shiny but, with a blue (or cold) hue.
Whereas, with the original method, the item would leave the tank very dull and grey and would require buffing on a wheel (man hours). This left the finished item with a very shiny finish with a yellow (or warm) hue.

There are no platters (that I know of) that use the traditional method. There are also environmental issues with the old method.
The same can be said about gold plating. It is simply not done in the same manner as original (with mercury). Therefore, it can not be duplicated "exactly" as it was.

If you use our "search" section on this forum regarding "plating", you will find many valuable threads.

There is one plating company that has been brought up many times I believe is called "Nashville Plating".
You will see them mentioned on these threads.

Hope this helps.

[Henry]

It's true, as Steve said, that new machines had very shiny nickel plating. I have such a machine (VV-XIG, 1917) and its plating (all original) is bright and shiny. I can't comment about today's nickel plating methods or results, though.

[mattrx]

I have not used them yet, but I am sending parts to Nashville Plating this month for a project machine. They cater the the music crowd around Nashville and have a reputation for excellent work and for being able to replicate vintage finishes for vintage instruments. They were recommended to me by a forum member, and after having a conversation with them on the phone, I am ready to take the plunge. Good luck with yours!

[winsleydale]

Shiny is very proper. The nickel on the C-150 I bought at Union almost looks like modern chrome (but yellower, as mentioned). Here is a pic I ripped from Ebay to illustrate:

[startgroove]

Steve is right. I've several unrestored Victrola's that have a highly polished look to the original nickel finish. I've had many machines re-plated also, and they are so close to the look of those original shiny nickel ones that I will re-plate others when necessary. A Victrola VI, which I restored 32 years ago, has taken on a patina to both the wood finish and the nickel finish that makes it look like an original machine that is in very good condition. I might point out that (normal wear and tear excluded) it is probable that finishes (whether they are wood or nickel plate) that did not retain their factory luster, are likely that way due to not being very well cared for by their owners (with regular applications of wax or other polishes), or were stored in locations which increased the rate of patina, or degradation to the finishes. To me, newly plated nickel parts have a yellowish, or champagne color to them, while chrome plated ones have a brighter, whiter look to them.

[Uncle Vanya]

In truth, you can not replicate the nickel plating of the past. This is due to the addition of chromium into the plating mix. This addition (or improvement) was done around the late 30's-40's. The reason was the provide a shiny "out of the tank" finish without a lot of work and time.

Although, this method saves a lot of time to produce a finished product; it leaves the item not only very shiny but, with a blue (or cold) hue.
Whereas, with the original method, the item would leave the tank very dull and grey and would require buffing on a wheel (man hours). This left the finished item with a very shiny finish with a yellow (or warm) hue.

There are no platters (that I know of) that use the traditional method. There are also environmental issues with the old method.
The same can be said about gold plating. It is simply not done in the same manner as original (with mercury). Therefore, it can not be duplicated "exactly" as it was.

If you use our "search" section on this forum regarding "plating", you will find many valuable threads.

There is one plating company that has been brought up many times I believe is called "Nashville Plating".
You will see them mentioned on these threads.

Hope this helps.

Modern "Bright Nickle" does not look exactly like old plating, it is true, but this is due to a different chemistry, not to plating with chromium, which changes the color of the plating, replacing the yellowish cast of pure nickle with a bluish cast.

Old fashion nickle plating is available, and for small parts such as tone arms plating kits and solutions may be purchased. Texas Plater's Supply offers a brush plating kit which is very easy to use and leaves a good deposit which looks just like old-the niclkle after it has been buffed. I often use McGean-Rhoco EN Electroless Nickle for many applications. It too goes on a bit shiny, but it polishes out perfectly, and is very easy to use.

As for your Victrola IX, though, why bother with replating? These parts are quite common and you can probably buy nice originals for a fraction of the cost of re-plating. The IX had a rather long production history and several different arms were used, but I would bet that if one posted a "Wanted" ad wi photos of your damaged parts the Trader section the needed bits would be offerred to you.

[GrafonolaG50]

Heck, my VV-IV has no plating left whatsoever, the tonearm looks like it came off of Titanic. Here is a video of the machine, you can get a good look at the arm at the start of the video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z0OQbrebaM[/youtube]