Cadmium Plating

I posted some pics in my other thread of some plating I have been doing on my MK3 restoration. I had a couple of inquiries about the process so I put together a little slide show giving the basics of the process....Enjoy!
Basic steps pictured here are
1) the work before glass blasing. 2) the work in the blaster 3) the result of blasing 4)the work wired up ready for the bath 5) my cad tank set up 6) my rehostat 7)the work bubbling away in the tank. 8+9) the finished product after washing with clean water for a minute or so and cuting free from the wires.

Is this true cadmium or zinc? I have been plating with a smaller 1.5 gallon setup from Caswell for about 2 years. I use their CopyCad system with a final blue (clear) chromate finish. I was wondering if your setup is true cadmium and do you need to seal the finished hardware at all?

Thanks
Team FASTLIKEJUDY

It's true cadmium. No need to seal it. From my experience, cad lasts longer than zinc and offers better rust protection in the long run. It is a sacraficial metal, in that it will eventually deteriorate and give way to the surface it is protecting. But, I've had this set up for some time now and the parts I've plated for my bikes and others is still holding strong.

JCD, you are a good electro chemist with Frankenstein gizmo's with lights and meters galore! Storage and disposal of reagents are still mystery to me.

Hi JCD, keen to see what thickness on the CAD plating you end up with on completed parts. Microns only?
regards Mike

Where do you get the chemicals and how do you get rid of it when you're done?

Thanks for the compliments on my gear! Don't let the rheostat fool you. The guy who made it has a sense of humor and put all the extra lights and dials on it- and even a lock cylinder--and trailer wood venier to boot. It certainly looks impressive. Only the volt meter and amp gauge function. As far as thickness goes, yes-- probably microns. Of course you can build it up but it takes a while and the finish is crap. There is not much to dispose of yet. I rinse everything off in a large bucket of water. Since very little of the chemicals actually evaporate, I only have to refill it every so often with steam treated distilled water to keep it up to level. I've got a chemical disposal yard outside of my town, if the day does come when I just don't need this set up--and no one else wants it, I suppose I'll bucket up all the chemicals and pay to have it disposed of.
JCD

But what is the solution (chemicals) and where do you get it? I've got the power.



Dog

DogT-
I'll PM you the guys personal info>>>

Cheers.
JCD

Jcd,

Any chance you could copy me to that PM?

I too am restoring a MK3 and very interested in your process/supply sources.

Best regards,

Doug