A new (to me) process for bike details, with even radder results!

t71ford

t71ford

Over 1,000 Posts
I have been wantint to add some copper effects to my Harley Softail, since it is brown metallic. So I did a little research on copper plating this weekend, and I came across this pretty cool electroplating process.

Dissolve 3 Tbs. Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate in hot water.
Add 1/2 c. white vinegar
Stick in a piece of copper (tubing, bar stock, wire, etc)
Connect the positive cable from a small 12v battery charger to the copper piece (connect out of the solution, of course)
Connect the negative lead to the piece being plated. Use a wire or something to keep the battery charger lead out of the solution.
Immerse the piece being plated in the solution.
Plug in the charger, and watch it work. It takes about 20 minutes for a good full coat of copper.
Remove the piece and polish

Notes:
Be careful not to leave it, though, as it does get warm during operation.
Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate is found in septic system root killers. Not all root killers have it in them, though, so check the label.

And the results (this is the aluminum points cover from my HD):

100_3293.jpg


100_3295.jpg


100_3296.jpg


I did not polish it fully out, as it gives a really cool retro patina. However the plating is thick enough to be sanded and polished fully.


Just a cool little gimmick I thought I would share. If anyone has any input as to the process, feel free to add or teach!
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

Wow thats awesome, I might have to find something to make copper now.
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

It's a terrific process. I intend to use it a lot on an upcoming steampunk themed bike.
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

Do you know if this works with brass as well?
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

12V is actually a bit high for this process. If you have an adjustable power supply try it at 3V. If you have control over your current output, aim for about .05A per square inch. It takes longer, but you get a much smoother finish. Also, make sure the item you're plating is spotlessly clean. Rub it down with acetone to get all of the grease and such from it. Use some deionized water to submerge the piece and then pull it from the bath. The water should run off without beading. Choose copper wire over copper pipe if you have the option as it tends to be a bit more pure.

Finally, Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate does provide an easier and better method, but you can use straight copper and vinegar as well. To start, run a copper electrode and anode for an hour in the white vinegar bath until the water looks nice and blue. Then replace the electrode with the item you plan to plate. The piece should be put into the bath, "hot", which means the power supply should be connected and running before you put the item into the bath.

Copper is a bit more "noble" than the iron and so it requires a bit more messing around. Unlike with iron electroplating methods (like those used to remove rust), the copper atoms don't actually jump directly from the anode to the electrode. They need to be dissolved from the anode, into the solution, and then get plated from the solution onto the electrode. The more "noble" the metal, the more difficult the process. Things like gold, silver, chrome, and brass require much strong acids and often need multiple baths of different metals and solutions as not all metals can be plated onto other metals.
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

I got you, I have a couple things I plan on doing with brass on my bike.. So I didn't want to mix the two colors since they are completely different. Hmm, 50 buck eh? I'm going to see if there is a ebook floating around on the net. I'll let you know what I find. Have you tried googling this process for brass? I would but my internet on the ship is slooooow. So googling is inefficient for me.
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

Awesome man! This should be in the 50$ mod thread if it isn't already!
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!


Thanks for the additional information, Sonreir! I am very new to the process, and I did notice that the original finish was not very smooth. It was thick, though, so I was able to sand it down and polish it.

I think the copper sulfate pentahydrate just speeds the process up a little. The plating was really fast when I did it.

Do you know how it works on chrome plated bits?
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!

It doesn't, unfortunately. You can't plate a lot onto chrome. There are a few ways of getting the chrome off, though.

You can soak a chrome part in a bath of muriatic acid for a few hours. To speed up the process you can use the chromed part as the cathode and leech the chrome out onto a nickel anode.

That pretty nasty stuff though, if it were me, I'd try to use an abrasive to remove the chrome. If you're careful you can get the chrome off the part without damaging the nickel underplating too much. Preserving the nickel is a good idea because, as a substrate, it REALLY brings out the shine in a lot of different metals (including copper).

Also, keep an eye on your plating. It may not be as durable as you'd hoped. While you can directly plate copper onto aluminum, it's not done commercially. Aluminum is a highly reactive metal and will immediately form an aluminum oxide layer after being exposed to air. It's common to use a Zincate bath to remove the aluminum oxide layer as well as sealing the aluminum with a layer of zinc. Nickel then gets plated onto the zinc before moving onto copper.
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!


A lil' more involved than my back porch setup, I'm afraid :D Actually, I really only intend to use this process in areas where I want a little antique patina look, since my plating is far from a "show finish".

I really appreciate your insight!
 
Re: A new (to me) process for bike details, with rad results!


Well, I spent some more time learning the process, and have gotten some better results. I learned that I can plate the zinc plated hardware on my bike if I dissolve the zinc with sulfuric acid (battery acid) first, and then plate. I can also plate chrome parts if I etch the chrome with sulfuric acid first as well. Then I lowered the charging rate of the charger, and plate in about 6 second increments, with a polish in between. The results are stunning:

100_3322.jpg


100_3323.jpg


100_3324.jpg


100_3325.jpg


The Mrs. was less than pleased to find a bubbling cauldron of bolts in battery acid, and the battery charger hooked to a vat of copper sulphate pentahydrate, but hey...its cheap mods!

Oh, and I deserve some credit, since I have yet to see one HD set up this way. Mine is degenerating to Steam Punk by falling in a vat of battery acid!
 
I've said it before but will say it again: I like this.

Did you tell Mrs. T71 that the Mustang was next?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DTT Light or Dark

  • DTT Light
    • www.jadusmotorcycleparts.com
    www.lostapostle.ca/
    www.sparckmoto.com

    Spread the Love

    Back
    Top Bottom