Front forks and sissie bar
- Thread starter dave dickson
- Start date
It ain't cheap! I had a batch of items done a couple years ago. Trying to jog my memory but if I rember right, it was like $120 for a set of forks or $60 a side, header pipe was $60. Seamed like the guy wanted $60 for each peice I had done. $250 seams a little high but a lot of places don't want to mess with little peices.
It would be nice to find a place that specializes in small one off items. any input guys?
It would be nice to find a place that specializes in small one off items. any input guys?
Maybe some will be interested in doing their own plateing. As noted, it has gotten really expensive to have done. I can only do small parts. The pipes [less muffler] on the old HD were done by me. All the other small parts were also done in ether chrome or just nickel. I prefer to just nickel plate. Almost nothing on an old Harley came plated from the factory. This is just one of the projects that I have saved a ton by doing my own work. The other pic is a view of the set-up. The white tanks are "picke", nickle, copper, and chrome. All hold about 3 gal. of fluid. Also its fun to do.
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Ogy
That DC power supply will put out 15 amps max. That means it will plate about 15 sq. in. of surface area for chrome. Ya need 1 amp for each sq. in. But nickel requires only .05 amps per sq. in. So one amp on the dial on the power suppy will plate 20 sq. in. You can use even a very small battery charger or flashlight batteries to plate with nickel. I got lucky and got the power supply for free.
I got all the stuff for plateing, includeing anodizing different colors, from an outfit called Caswell in Palmyra NY. A really nice guy owns it. They even have a hot line if you have problems or questions. The plating book they sell is "Electroplating in Mininature". That is how I learned. Look up Caswell on the web.
Again, I would strongly reccommend that a person start with just the nickel set-up. It is very easy and requires little current and looks good. I like it better than chrome for most things. If you chrome nuts they will flake off the chrome if any pressure is applied with a wrench. I have yet to have anyone say "Is that chrome?". If you don't tell them it is nickel very few would see the small difference. Of course you will need a method to sand and buff the parts.
The set up has saved me a lot of loot over a number of projects. The nearest plating shop is 50 miles from here. Also I don't have to wait. I do it in the evening as my set up in the basement. So I'm bolting on plated parts the next day. If anyone have questions I will do my best to lend my experience with home plating.
That DC power supply will put out 15 amps max. That means it will plate about 15 sq. in. of surface area for chrome. Ya need 1 amp for each sq. in. But nickel requires only .05 amps per sq. in. So one amp on the dial on the power suppy will plate 20 sq. in. You can use even a very small battery charger or flashlight batteries to plate with nickel. I got lucky and got the power supply for free.
I got all the stuff for plateing, includeing anodizing different colors, from an outfit called Caswell in Palmyra NY. A really nice guy owns it. They even have a hot line if you have problems or questions. The plating book they sell is "Electroplating in Mininature". That is how I learned. Look up Caswell on the web.
Again, I would strongly reccommend that a person start with just the nickel set-up. It is very easy and requires little current and looks good. I like it better than chrome for most things. If you chrome nuts they will flake off the chrome if any pressure is applied with a wrench. I have yet to have anyone say "Is that chrome?". If you don't tell them it is nickel very few would see the small difference. Of course you will need a method to sand and buff the parts.
The set up has saved me a lot of loot over a number of projects. The nearest plating shop is 50 miles from here. Also I don't have to wait. I do it in the evening as my set up in the basement. So I'm bolting on plated parts the next day. If anyone have questions I will do my best to lend my experience with home plating.
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One of the biggest draw backs to plating shops is the wait for your parts to get done and they have all the cards in their hand on price. Home plating is kind of like making your own beer . Once you have the set up it is up to you to make it happen.
My Father was a Plater when I was young he did it all Chrome ,Cad plating and precious metal for the air craft industry. then he became a plumber it paid much better.
Steve
My Father was a Plater when I was young he did it all Chrome ,Cad plating and precious metal for the air craft industry. then he became a plumber it paid much better.
Steve
I checked with a plating shop on some parts for my '37 Pontiac. The parts I want to plate aren't replacable at any price. Simply don't exist out there.
He says he's 3 months out. So I say "just put me on your list and when you're ready in a few months, call me". He says "No, you leave the parts, and they'll be done in 3 months". I say "Well I hate to have the stuff sitting around for fear of getting damaged or lost". He says " I can't gaurantee they won't get damaged or lost".
Sitting around there for 3 months will almost gaurantee a bad outcome in my opinion, so I'm not sure what I'll do. I hate to take a chance on shipping the stuff.
He says he's 3 months out. So I say "just put me on your list and when you're ready in a few months, call me". He says "No, you leave the parts, and they'll be done in 3 months". I say "Well I hate to have the stuff sitting around for fear of getting damaged or lost". He says " I can't gaurantee they won't get damaged or lost".
Sitting around there for 3 months will almost gaurantee a bad outcome in my opinion, so I'm not sure what I'll do. I hate to take a chance on shipping the stuff.
You are right about that the wait is unbelievable and they can't seem to get it all together they forget what you told them three months before and they never remember what they told you that it would cost to do the work. Like you said some parts take years to find and are irreplaceable. I say that if you put all your parts in their shop they are responsible for all of them and should protect them or pay . I have a shop here in Portland that does good work and are fair with their pricing but the wait time is still there.
Steve
Steve
A few years ago I took a bunch of 38 Ford Std. parts to a plater for the restoration of the little coupe. I learned the hard way. Leave nothing to chance. Somehow they lost it all?!?! Everything on a Std is different, and much harder to find, than on a DeLuxe. Took a long time and a lot of wasted money to get back where I should have been before some dude working at the shop gave the stuff to his buddy. You are right to be careful.