How to: Chrome Plating
Chrome is a type of metal that is used as a pure and solid substance. While most things are not created as solid chrome, you can make use of chrome plating to provide a shiny coat to different auto parts. Most people use this procedure when creating the aluminum parts of cars and other machines. You can set up a simple station at home to start chrome plating various aluminum parts. The process takes a little getting used to, but can come in handy, especially if you want to learn more about the material itself.
Things You'll Need
- Aluminum parts
- Aluminum polish
- Vapor degreaser
- Sodium hydroxide
- Dioxide solution
- Etching solution
- Sulphuric acid
- Charging plates
- 12-volt charger
- Liquid copper
- Liquid nickel
- Hex chromate solution
- Actuator
Instructions
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1
Place the aluminum parts on your workstation and use your polisher to clean the parts to prepare them for plating. Remove any hint of impurities or grease on the aluminum parts using your vapor degreaser.
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2
Bring out your sodium hydroxide and lightly dip the aluminum part to corrode the aluminum surface. The corrosion of the surface of your aluminum parts will make its texture rougher as preparation for chrome plating.
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3
Place the corroded aluminum parts in a bowl of dioxide solution, and use your etching solution to roughen its surface a little more.
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4
Rinse all parts with clean water, before bathing the parts with sulphuric acid. Attach the charging plates your 12-volt charger and put the plates in the acid bath. Raise the solution temperature to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
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5
Run the AC current for at least 10 minutes, and rinse the aluminum parts with water once done.
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6
Dip the aluminum in liquid copper strike bath, and submerge it in your liquid nickel strike solution afterward.
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7
Rinse the parts with water then soak them in your hex chromate solution using your actuator. Wait for a few hours to complete the plating process.
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