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Here we have a high level of toxic waste regulation. I suppose in another state with less regulation plating would be cheaper, maybe ten times cheaper than the postage to send a couple of knobs. And someone might like the business.The other consideration with respect to pricing are the EPA regulations that platers must adhere to. Also, not inconsequential when it comes to cost.
Victor Gold Plating
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Covah
- Victor II
- Posts: 299
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:31 am
Re: Victor Gold Plating
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DrGregC
- Victor I
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:47 pm
- Location: North Wales, PA
Re: Victor Gold Plating
The best craftsperson in our hobby for restoration of metal work is Steve Farmer. Steve is capable of highly artistic work. You will have to contact him about his experience with gold plating.
[email protected]
[email protected]
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need4art
- Victor II
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:46 pm
- Personal Text: A man is not a man who does not make the world a better place
- Location: Arizona
Re: Victor Gold Plating
From what I have read on this forum Mr. Farmer is no longer doing plating unless he is doing a total restoration. Has that changed?
Thx Abe
Thx Abe
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jukejunkie
- Victor I
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:27 pm
Re: Victor Gold Plating
As a jeweler and goldsmith I do my own plating and have to admit I could never do a job for the public and make a profit. The prices of metals have nothing to do with it. A quart of gold plating solution is around $75 and as long as it does not get contaminated by grease or other chemicals, I could plate hundreds of items.
Other posters are correct in prep work being the real cost. If it is not surgically clean, and the finishes before plating as shiny as you want the final product to be you will not have a successful product.
Also metal composition can require extra steps. Brass is fairly easy but many metals, especially pot metal, requires a copper plating coat before nickel or gold can be successfully put on it. Again meticulous polishing has to be done before each additional plating coat is done.
Time involved in the plating step is another cost because you just can't throw your item in the plating solution and walk away. Depending on the size, sometimes the solution has to be agitated to get the metal to stick evenly. Also both Gold and Copper have to be heated to around 180 degrees to work.
As a jeweler, EPA regulations have little effect other than raising the cost to ship the solutions. They are either acid or cyanide based and are shipped dry but you pay for special handling.
Other posters are correct in prep work being the real cost. If it is not surgically clean, and the finishes before plating as shiny as you want the final product to be you will not have a successful product.
Also metal composition can require extra steps. Brass is fairly easy but many metals, especially pot metal, requires a copper plating coat before nickel or gold can be successfully put on it. Again meticulous polishing has to be done before each additional plating coat is done.
Time involved in the plating step is another cost because you just can't throw your item in the plating solution and walk away. Depending on the size, sometimes the solution has to be agitated to get the metal to stick evenly. Also both Gold and Copper have to be heated to around 180 degrees to work.
As a jeweler, EPA regulations have little effect other than raising the cost to ship the solutions. They are either acid or cyanide based and are shipped dry but you pay for special handling.
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need4art
- Victor II
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:46 pm
- Personal Text: A man is not a man who does not make the world a better place
- Location: Arizona
Re: Victor Gold Plating
Hi All,
In this quest I had always be given the thought process that the plating comes from a solid rod or item called an anode that supplies the plating material through a solution that is charged with current. This anode is dissolved during the plating process and the thickness of the plating depends on the level of current and the time that it spends in the solution. The quality of the finish depends on the prep work. The cost of the gold material would be based on its caret factor-ie 10 vs 14 vs 18 and the amount of gold to achieve a durable thickness factor. Would a plating solution have the wear factor that we need for our phono parts?
Abe
In this quest I had always be given the thought process that the plating comes from a solid rod or item called an anode that supplies the plating material through a solution that is charged with current. This anode is dissolved during the plating process and the thickness of the plating depends on the level of current and the time that it spends in the solution. The quality of the finish depends on the prep work. The cost of the gold material would be based on its caret factor-ie 10 vs 14 vs 18 and the amount of gold to achieve a durable thickness factor. Would a plating solution have the wear factor that we need for our phono parts?
Abe