Any Opponauts do plating?

"Coty" (coty)
11/19/2014 at 09:39 • Filed to: None

Have a really small thing I want to have plated, but not sure what finish I'd want on it. Does anyone here do this? Just looking to see what kind of finishes people do so I can make a decision based off of that.

VW fer yer time.

DISCUSSION (23)

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 11:40

I re-plated all the fasteners/brackets on my Z when I was rebuilding it. I used the original "yellow zinc" finish, but there are a ton of options. I used Denver Metal Finish to do it. Really nice people who don't mind taking in a small job from a hobbyist even while their latest jobs are loading/unloading from boxcars on the railroad siding part of the building. They had a deal of any of their basic finishes (zinc, yellow zinc, 4 or 5 others), where if you could fit it in a 5 gallon bucket, they'd do it for $50 (roughly 2003 pricing), usually a week or less turnaround. I used numbered metal tags and wire to log where every bolt, nut, and piece came from to ensure it got back to where it belonged. Most major cities have similar operations in their light industrial district. I found DMF by either Google or dexonline or something like that. Type of finish you want depends on if you're trying to duplicate original, what the function is, what the operational environment is, what the aesthetic is (like, what's around it that it has to at least go with, if not match).

EDIT:
"re-plated", not "replaced". Man, where's that coffee...

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 11:43

It's actually for a gift, and it's making something that isn't really jewelry into jewelry, so it's probably be like gold or something similar.

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 11:51

A lot of those shops often have a section where they do gold, silver, etc. Do try to use someplace local-isn for gold/silver/platinum plating. Mail-away will do okay, but probably won't be as good value, and you can't talk to the person doing it and get their expert advice. For precious metal plating, gold coats well and tends to wear well (get lower carat rating, it'll be harder) and is about as reactively inert as you can get for jewelry. It doesn't always look great if there are a lot of tight little facets and crevasses, though. Silver doesn't usually wear quite as well as gold, but is still quite durable and tends to cost less. Bonus on silver is tends to "go" with more things, fashion wise, for a lot of people. Gold is bold, and can be over-the-top. Check out other jewelry and items the other recipient has to see if they have a preference. My wife really doesn't like gold except for setting a few stones (e.g. rubies usually look dumb in silver), but loves silver. On the other hand, Coco Chanel's image would have been nothing without gold. Platinum costs more, and not every place does it, but it has the looks of silver, is high value, polishes well, is very durable and lasts damn near forever. My wedding band, and my wife's, and her engagement setting are platinum, and they've stayed looking great for many, many years now. Granted, that's solid, but good plating will behave similarly.

MonkeePuzzle > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 11:57

know of anywhere good for some media blasting in Denver? got some wheels that I have to be powdercoated. already have a friend willing to do the coating but only if I bring them to him bare metal

BoulderZ > MonkeePuzzle
11/19/2014 at 12:15

The guys who did all the powder coating on my Z (i.e. everything I didn't re-plate, like all the suspension pieces, etc.) do all their own media blasting. They've done a couple of bicycle frame/fork jobs for me, too. I believe they do blast-only jobs, and are fine with individuals and small jobs even though they're running big jobs all the time, too. Colorado Powder Coating, 3801 E 68th Ave, Commerce City, CO 80022, (303) 853-0394, http://www.coloradopowdercoatinginc.com

Give 'em a call and ask. They were very nice, friendly, and professional with the several jobs I've had them do.

MonkeePuzzle > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 12:19

thanks. wheels are off soon as snows go on, so a winter project to get them ready for summer would work well.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 12:24

Kinja'd!!!

This is more or less what I'm going for to give you an idea.

BoulderZ > MonkeePuzzle
11/19/2014 at 12:25

Good plan! I actually do like winter, and one of the reasons why is all the fun projects and prep for next summer. Holidays can help that long nicely, too.

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 12:32

That could be really good in gold, there's enough open space to keep it from being too :

Keep the carat rating as low as you can and still have the gold tone you want, and get as thick as you can. Durability will be the key factor, as that has enough weight to swing and hit stuff (the death of many pendants) that could mar/scratch soft or thin plating.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 12:41

Google seems pretty useless for helping me find a plater. Should I go to a Jeweler and ask them?

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 12:52

A local independent jeweler will definitely know good platers. They have to get their stuff done somewhere, or may have their own setup as well.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 12:53

That's what I was thinking. If I get it engraved and then plated will that fuck up the engraving?

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 12:57

Just make sure whoever does the engraving knows it'll be subsequently plated. They should engrave more heavily (deeper, wider) to allow for the in-fill that will happen.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 12:59

That makes sense. Thanks.

BoulderZ > Coty
11/19/2014 at 13:02

Just occurred to me, if you're thinking xmas/holiday gift for this, you'll have to get it in before T-giving. Time gets really tight for jewelers and platers as the season goes to full ludicrous in the next two weeks. Good luck! Sounds like a really cool, creative, thoughtful gift!

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 13:14

Yeah it's for my girlfriend, she has two Beetles, I have two Beetles and a VW Fastback. She'll love it.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/19/2014 at 15:34

Getting it made out of Sterling, I guess.

Coty > BoulderZ
11/20/2014 at 17:20

Kinja'd!!!