JTG - (continued post, more costs)
Various buckets and measuring cups from McMaster Carr: $30
Muriatic & Sulfuric acids: $20
Misc Supplies & Distilled water: $20
Copper wire: $10
GRAND TOTAL FOR THIS SECTION: $80
Where I didn't spare the expense - and some do - is the constant current plating rectifier. Some people jig rig batteries, light bulbs, and rheostats to achieve the proper current for plating. I had zero desire to do any of that, so I purchased the rectifier from Ebay. Attach the leads, set your current, and the power supply manipulates the voltage to maintain your set current. Easy as pie, and worth the $60 in my opinion.
Although $300 for a proper plating setup may seem expensive, there are numerous parts on our bikes (brackets, chain adjusters, spacers, axles, etc) that either aren't available anymore or buying them new is very expensive. Buying a new axle, chain adjusters, and spacers, can easily be $150 or more. The setup pays for itself quickly.
Although the chemicals from Caswell work great, I wouldn't buy any of their other kit supplies such as anodes, power supplies, etc. Equivalent items can be found for far cheaper, especially the anodes, on the internet. Rotometals.com is an EXCELLENT source for large zinc anodes with an integral copper wire. Caswell will charge you an arm and a leg for a flimsy sheet of zinc.
Overall, I'm actually enjoying the hell out of plating stuff - I'm like a kid with a new toy!!! In a weird way, its fun!
Various buckets and measuring cups from McMaster Carr: $30
Muriatic & Sulfuric acids: $20
Misc Supplies & Distilled water: $20
Copper wire: $10
GRAND TOTAL FOR THIS SECTION: $80
Where I didn't spare the expense - and some do - is the constant current plating rectifier. Some people jig rig batteries, light bulbs, and rheostats to achieve the proper current for plating. I had zero desire to do any of that, so I purchased the rectifier from Ebay. Attach the leads, set your current, and the power supply manipulates the voltage to maintain your set current. Easy as pie, and worth the $60 in my opinion.
Although $300 for a proper plating setup may seem expensive, there are numerous parts on our bikes (brackets, chain adjusters, spacers, axles, etc) that either aren't available anymore or buying them new is very expensive. Buying a new axle, chain adjusters, and spacers, can easily be $150 or more. The setup pays for itself quickly.
Although the chemicals from Caswell work great, I wouldn't buy any of their other kit supplies such as anodes, power supplies, etc. Equivalent items can be found for far cheaper, especially the anodes, on the internet. Rotometals.com is an EXCELLENT source for large zinc anodes with an integral copper wire. Caswell will charge you an arm and a leg for a flimsy sheet of zinc.
Overall, I'm actually enjoying the hell out of plating stuff - I'm like a kid with a new toy!!! In a weird way, its fun!
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