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MG MGB Technical - zinc plating

I'd like to do some zinc plating at home on some small items for my 67 B, such as clips, clamps, nuts and bolts, etc. I have a supply of zinc items. What soultion do I need for the process. I assume that the zinc metal is the anode and steel clip is the cathode, and I'll use a battery charger for the curretnt.

Thanks Andy
Andy Preston

Andy

Both www.caswellplating.com/kits and www.eastwoodco.com sell the solution. You can probably even find the formula on the internet.

Does not take much current for zinc. The eastwood kit uses two D cell batteries.

Biggest issue is to make sure the parts are really clean. I use warm Mr. clean after bead blasting or wire brushing, then rinse in clean water. Plating of nuts, bolts and clips only takes a few minutes in the solution. I have done almost all mine on my 67 GT restoration I am doing.

Eastwood also has a "plating brush" that works well for parts that only need a touch up.
Bruce Cunha

Hello,from Oz,
I would like to hear from someone who has purchased a zinc plating kit from say, Caswell's etc, and relate how they found the process. The kits are not cheap, but if experiences here are satisfactory then I would like to buy one. Also has any one reconditioned SU carbies, by glass bead blasting and coating with a sealer? or is that not the way to go? Any trivial bit of info will be appreciated,
Cheers
maurie prior

Don't glass bead the carb bodies - it will ruin them. I tried it on a spare float chamber and it looked awful. Use walnut or plastic media. Leave the bodies bare and just put a coat of oil on the aluminum to keep them looking pretty.
Mike MaGee

I rebuilt my SUs last summer and I purchased a can of carb cleaner at the local parts store. In the US it comes in a one gallon can with a basket inside, so it is an easy job to just dismantle the carbs, place the parts into the basket and lower it into the cleaner. 15-30 minutes later and you lift the basket by its wire handle and let the cleaner drip off, and they will look virtually new. If you really have crud built up, you might want to scrape it off before you dip them. Or you may want to mechanically remove any crud that lasts through the dip and redip them. Worked very well and cost only around $15.00 and can be used for quite a number of carbs.
David Burke

I have a Caswell plating kit, and have used it quite a bit on several cad/zinc items. It comes self contained with most items needed. You will need to get disteilled water, copper or brass wire and some other small items. All is well explained in the included manual. I have been very pleased with the results. You can get from a duller grey finish to almost a chrome like shine. The key is to REALLY get the parts clean and polished before plating. Several items used on an old Triumph motorcycle have held up well and look as good as a new item.

HTH

Ron
Ron Smith

Thanks to everyone who replied. It looks like the way to go is to buy a small kit from caswell or eastwoodco, which contains all the stuff you need, which what I plan on doing.

Thsnks Andy
Andy Preston

Caswell!!
D Sjostrom

This thread was discussed between 24/06/2005 and 30/06/2005

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.