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THIS IS ONE OF OUR CUSTOMER'S PLATING LINE WHICH CONSIST OF 18"X 12"X 24" TANKS.  IT IS A BRIGHT COPPER, BRIGHT NICKEL, TC-CHROME LINE THAT HE USES FOR PLATING SMALL TO MEDIUM CAR AND BIKE PARTS.   HE STATES "THIS PLATING LINE IS LOCATED IN MY TWO CAR GARAGE.  THE WIFE WAS NOT THRILLED WITH MY DECISION TO TAKE OVER THE ENTIRE GARAGE BUT NOW THAT I AM MAKING SOME MONEY OFF 'THIS SILLY HOBBY', AS SHE CALLED IT, SHE IS STARTING TO COME AROUND AND IS GETTING INVOLVED TOO. I STARTED WITH BRUSH PLATING FOR ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE GOING TO TANK PLATING.  THE TANK PLATING BEGAN WITH YOUR 2 GALLON CHROME KIT, THEN WENT TO 4 GALLONS, THEN NOW TO THIS.  IT TOOK ME ALMOST 2 WEEKS (ABOUT 30 TOTAL HOURS) TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER ONCE YOUR STUFF ARRIVED, BEFORE I COULD BEGIN PLATING.  THIS SYSTEM HAS NOW BEEN IN PLACE FOR 16 WEEKS AND EVERYTHING IS NOW COMING TOGETHER BETTER THAT EXPECTED.  I HAVE PEOPLE CALLING ME ALL THE TIME WANTING STUFF PLATED.  MY BACK LOG OF WORK HAS REACHED 6 WEEKS BECAUSE I DO HAVE A NORMAL DAY JOB.  NOW ENOUGH 'BOUT ME AND MORE 'BOUT THE LINE.  I CHOSE TO INCORPORATE AN ULTRASONIC CLEANER INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD ELECTROCLEANER BECAUSE I WANTED THE BEST CLEANING METHOD THAT IS AVAILABLE.  MY LINE CONSISTS OF A STORE BOUGHT WATER-BASED DEGREASER, AN ULTRASONIC CLEANER, METAL ACTIVATOR, BRIGHT COPPER, BRIGHT NICKEL, AND TC-CHROME (TRI CHROME).  I ALSO HAVE TEN GALLON BUCKETS OF ZINCATE, DESMUT-2, ALUM-STRIP, AND PLATING STRIPPER WHICH ARE NOT SHOWN.  I WANTED TWO 100 AMP RECTIFIER INSTEAD OF ONE LARGE UNIT, SO I CAN PLATE PARTS IN 2 DIFFERENT TANKS AT THE SAME TIME. I USE BOTH UNITS TOGETHER FOR LARGER PARTS ONCE IN A WHILE BUT SINCE THE TC-CHROME DRAWS VERY LOW CURRENT, I CAN PLATE MOST LARGER PARTS WITH ONE RECTIFIER.  MY LITTLE SHOP USES A SMALL D.I. UNIT, WHICH IS RIGHT BELOW THE BIG CUP OF COKE, TO PRODUCE MY OWN DISTILLED WATER, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO BUY WATER ALL THE TIME.  ABOVE THE D.I. WATER SYSTEM IS A SMALL AIR BLOWER FOR AGITATING MY COPPER TANK AND  CHROME.   THE NICKEL IS AGITATED BY A FILTER SYSTEM."

" I OPTED TO USE  DIGITAL TEMPERATURE CONTROLS INSTEAD OF ANALOG ONES BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT TEMPERATURE THE TANKS WERE RUNNING FROM ACROSS THE GARAGE AND THEIR ACCURACY IS +/- 1 DEGREE.  NEXT TO THE AIR AGITATOR IS A SMALL 2 GALLON GOLD TANK THAT I USE TO PLATE SOME SMALL GOLD PARTS.  I HAVE MADE A BIT OF MONEY OFF THAT LITTLE SUCKER."

"NICE WORK, IF I CAN SAY SO MYSELF!  THIS IS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT JUST CAME OUT OF THE TC-CHROME PLATING PROCESS.  I USED 40 MINUTES OF NICKEL AND 5 MINUTES OF CHROME ON THIS PIECE.  I DO NOT USE COPPER ON ALUMINUM UNLESS THE CASTING IS ROUGH ON THE ALUMINUM.  I USE COPPER MAINLY ON STEEL, POORLY CASTED ALUMINUM, OR PITTED WHITE METAL, SO I DO NOT HAVE BUFF TOO MUCH AND IT HELPS FILL IN THE PITS ON THE WHITE METAL AND ROUGHNESS IN POOR ALUMINUM CASTINGS."

"PLATING THIS PIECE WAS EASY AND ONLY TOOK 50 MINUTES FROM START TO FINISH, BUT IT WAS A PAIN IN THE A*S TO POLISH INSIDE ALL THOSE LITTLE GROOVES" HE CONTINUES, "I HAVE A PAIR OF 64 CHEVY VALVE COVERS IN THE COPPER TANK AS THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN.  I WILL POLISH THE PARTS A FEW NIGHTS A WEEK AND PART OF EACH SATURDAY.   THE SECOND PART OF EACH SATURDAY IS SPENT IN THE PLATING ROOM.  THE LITTLE LADY REQUIRES ME TO DEDICATE SUNDAYS TO HER.  I WILL USUALLY PLATE AS MANY PARTS AS I CAN ALL TOGETHER.  SOMETIMES I WILL JUST POLISH AND PLATE A FEW PARTS ALL ON THE SAME DAY IF A CUSTOMER PUTS A RUSH ON A PART AND WANTS IT BACK THE NEXT DAY. THAT WILL COST THE CUSTOMER $$$$ THOUGH."

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LINE

NEXT TO THE LITTLE GOLD TANK IS SOME OF OUR MID-LINE PALLADIUM SILVER CONDUCTIVE PAINT.   "I LOVE THE STUFF.  IT IS PRICED A HECK CHEAPER THAN THE SILVER COLLOID THAT I WAS USING FROM 3M AND WORKS JUST AS WELL.  I USE IT TO PLATE PLASTIC CAR TRIM PIECES WITH NICKEL AND CHROME AND CHARGE MY CLIENTS DOUBLE 'CAUSE IT IS PLASTIC.  I EVEN GOLD-PLATED A ROSE FOR MY WIFE'S ANNIVERSARY A FEW WEEKS AGO.  FOR ME, I NEVER LIKED USING COPPER WHEN PLATING OVER THE CONDUCTIVE PAINT.  I AM GOING TO TRY KOOL ELECTROLESS NICKEL FOR ELECTROFORMING NEXT!"

"I USE BATTERY CABLES TO MAKE THE CONNECTION FROM MY RECTIFIER TO THE BUS THINGIES.  THE TWO OUTSIDE ANODE BUSES ON ALL THE PLATE TANKS ARE CONNECTED FROM THE BACK WITH SOME SMALL WELDING CABLES.   I USE FOUR 4" ANODES IN EACH TANK THAT HANG FROM THOSE RUBBER COATED HOOKS.  THESE TANKS ARE COVERED WHEN I AM NOT USING THEM AND I REALLY TAKE GREAT CARE WITH ALL MY CHEMICALS.  I WANT THEM AROUND FOR AS LONG AS I CAN.  I JUST STARTED MAKING SOME MONEY WITH THESE BABIES AND WANT TO KEEP GOING. " 

"HERE IS MY CUSTOMER'S 64 CHEVY VALVE COVERS.  IF YOU LOOK ON TOP OF EACH POWER SUPPLY, I USE REGULAR OVEN 60 MINUTE TIMERS TO TIME ALL OF MY PLATING.  IT IS CHEAP AND IT WORKS.  TO THE LEFT OF THE WHITE TIMER IS THE DIGITAL TIMER THAT CONTROLS THE ULTRASONIC CLEANER.  IT SHUTS THE CLEANER DOWN AS SOON AS THE TIME GOES OFF.  THIS PROTECTS MY FRAGILE PARTS FROM TOO MUCH EXPOSURE TO THE ULTRASONIC SOUND WAVES".

"I DO ALL OF MY BUFFING A  ROOM IN MY BASEMENT WHERE I CAN KEEP THE BUFFING TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THE PLATING SO NOT TO DIRTY UP THE PLATING TANKS WITH UNWANTED BUFFING DUST.  I HAVE ONE BALDOR 3/4 HORSE BUFFER AND ONE BALDOR 1.5 HORSE BUFFER.   THERE IS A SMALL 5 HORSE COMPRESSOR THAT I USE TO RUN MY AIR TOOLS AND MY BABY BEAD BLAST CABINET.  THE ONLY POLISHING COMPOUNDS I USE ARE GRAY STAINLESS AND GREEN COMPOUND.   I ALSO USE IMPREGNATED BUFFS TO MY SANDING.  THAT IS ABOUT ALL.  HOPE YOU LIKE MY LITTLE SHOP.  BY THE WAY, HOW MUCH OF A DISCOUNT AM I GOING TO GET ON THE NEXT ORDER FOR SENDIN' YOU THIS?"