How do you gold plate phonograph hardware?

[marcapra]

Is there a way to put more gold finish on tone arms, reproducers, needle cups, cranks, etc. without taking them to a plater? I've seen gold plated hardware from a plater and it doesn't look original. It looks over done. What's a good way?

[gramophone-georg]

I've been wondering this myself. Gold anodizing looks closer to me but that's only for aluminum.

[soundgen]

try Gold leaf it's really inexpensive a sheet and easy to apply and polish up

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24k-Gold-Lea ... SwopRYdhoV

[Swing Band Heaven]

try Gold leaf it's really inexpensive a sheet and easy to apply and polish up

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24k-Gold-Lea ... SwopRYdhoV

I wonder if a thin layer of laccer would be required over the top to protect it on frequently handled items such as a tone arm?

S-B-H

[estott]

try Gold leaf it's really inexpensive a sheet and easy to apply and polish up

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24k-Gold-Lea ... SwopRYdhoV

I wonder if a thin layer of laccer would be required over the top to protect it on frequently handled items such as a tone arm?

S-B-H

That was done, and the lacquer was also a gold tone.

[soundgen]

try Gold leaf it's really inexpensive a sheet and easy to apply and polish up

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24k-Gold-Lea ... SwopRYdhoV

I wonder if a thin layer of laccer would be required over the top to protect it on frequently handled items such as a tone arm?

S-B-H

That was done, and the lacquer was also a gold tone.

do you have any pictures of the result ?

[Curt A]

Whatever gold you use - leaf, Rub-N-Buff, etc. should be topcoated with Amber Lacquer Toner or Amber shellac, not just for protection, but to produce the correct gold tone. In fact, polished or nickel plated parts can be sprayed directly with Amber Lacquer Toner and no gold, with good results.

[soundgen]

Whatever gold you use - leaf, Rub-N-Buff, etc. should be topcoated with Amber Lacquer Toner or Amber shellac, not just for protection, but to produce the correct gold tone. In fact, polished or nickel plated parts can be sprayed directly with Amber Lacquer Toner and no gold, with good results.

Where do you buy these products ?

[need4art]

Just remember that with gold leafing you will have slight lap marks where the gold leaf joins. Gold leaf products in Ca. is a good place to start and just do a search to find some place that is close to your location. Gold leaf comes in various gold colors as well as composition gold leaf which is much less expensive. You will need sizing which is the "glue" that holds the leaf in place. Water based is the easiest to work with but oil based gives the smoothest finish. You can also get glazes that are made for gold leaf that will allow you to tone it. By the way if you do one part, unless it is very small you will need to do all of them to get the color to match. And just like regular plating the part needs to be super smooth and very clean. And yes it should be coated with laquer.

Abe

[marcapra]

Moooperator had a post last year addressing this subject and his photo of a tonearm with Grecian Gold Rub N Buff looks good to me. So I ordered a tube on Ebay.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ng#p197565