restoring old bolts

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 1:31 pm

Will do

One last question......can you zinc plate over top of dull chrome plating?

Wilf · Post by **Wilf** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:43 pm

Nope. Zinc likes to go to copper and plain steel. It won't stick to chrome, stainless steel or cadmium plating using the voltage and electrolyte that I use. Those things shouldn't be in the electrolyte because of the possibility of releasing toxic elements.

I think it might adhere to pot metal like our carburetors but I haven't tried it.

Wilf

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:02 am

Thanks again, Wilf.......

Wonder what would happen if you tried to zinc plate the interior of a de-rusted gas tank?

Sounds like it would be fairly easy to do?

LOUD MOUSE · Post by **LOUD MOUSE** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:47 am

If this method works similar to Nickle Plating the zinc won't easily go into the crevices or Inside Corners as I've been told by plating companies.
Not sure of this. ....................lm

brewsky wrote:Thanks again, Wilf.......

Wonder what would happen if you tried to zinc plate the interior of a de-rusted gas tank?

Sounds like it would be fairly easy to do?

Wilf · Post by **Wilf** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:02 am

I've thought of that many times! In theory, it should work, but I think it would be very difficult in practice because of the "line-of-sight" requirement. All areas on the part to be plated must be able to "see" the zinc anode. Areas in shadow don't get plated. This would mean a lot of fiddling with the zinc and a lot of care to ensure it doesn't short out against the tank.

It would also take a long time because there is a large surface area to be plated but a much smaller surface area of zinc.

A third problem is that the amount of zinc deposited on any area of the part being plated is inversely propoprtional to the square of the distance between that area and the zinc anode...part of the tank that is 1" away from the zinc will get 9 times more zinc plating than an area 3" away from the zinc.

Finally, the tank would have to be carefully cleaned with BB's or whatever to dislodge any smut on the surfaces.

That's why I haven't tried it!

Wilf

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:08 am

Kind of sounds like the reverse of electrolysis de rusting.

When I tried it, I noticed the areas closest to the steel insert de rusted quickest, and the shadow areas almost not at all.

If it could be done in stages with the tank only partiall filled to target a section at a time, maybe that would help get the coverage.

Just a thought....maybe I should try a bolt or 2 first!

Wilf · Post by **Wilf** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:28 am

Yes, it works the same way as electrolytic de-rusting. It would have to be done in many stages and even then, how could be sure about total coverage?

Wilf