Metal Casting Zone

Hello folks.

I am thinking of attempting electroplating of 281 (58% bismuth + 42% tin) low melt alloy or perhaps a pewter.

Caswell has very inexpensive kits all the way down to $30 including the power-supply. That being his Plug n' Plate systems.

www.caswellplating.com/kits/plugnplate.htm
www.caswellplating.com/

Have any of you good people used his products, or have recommendations in general?

I was helping out in a casting co awhile back, that was doing their own plating with a Caswell system (gold plating).
The problem is that you almost need a very good chemist to check the system as you are using it.
Small plating setups can vary quickly in the ph balance, etc of the tanks.
They were having good results one day and the next day was failure.
I built my own system back in the '80s to chrome some parts on my 1933 street rod.
Same thing there. One day good and the next day poor.
I almost bought a Caswell system, but all I want to do is copper non metalic items.
I repair pot-metal parts and if I could fill pits with something like JB Weld, then put the first coat of copper on it, my regular plater could finish them with nickle and chrome.
He won't put anything in his tanks that has anything coated on it.
A $10,000.00 tank can go down on them with the wrong thing put into it.
There is a fellow in Florida doing just that.
Caswell's prices do, however, let you experiment without breaking the bank.
Remember the old baby shoe bronzing plating systems from the '50s?
I bought a complete set with 2 rectifiers for $20.00 because nobody knew what it was.
I just love auctions....

Hmmm. I wonder if there is such a thing as digital pH monitor that would of solved that. But then again maybe its a combination of a couple factors, usually is when multiple people can not get something to work consistently. I certainly couldn't afford for it to work half the time.

I watched Caswell's videos and read some support docs for the small kits. They seems like a safer alternative to other systems. But there are a lot of variables especially working with very small volume now that I think of it. Remaining size of anode, distance from object, volume of liquid, state of liquid, pH, etc. Maybe I should research plating vendors before I get distracted with a new skill set.

I appreciate this feedback Village Tinker.

Ya, I don't dare spend much time on eBay. There are just too many neat things to buy for just a few dollars. Although I have searched the net looking for vendors for some things and in the end I only found the best vendor via their eBay presence. That happens pretty often. But just as with Amazon I always track them down to their own website if possible to get the best price.