Owners Manual

OWNERS MANUAL WORKSHOP LAYOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTISING GOLDPLATING HOW TO PLATE A COIN PLATING I-PODS AND I-PHONES TANK DIPPING GUIDE BLACK KROME PLATING PLATING ALUMINIUM PLATING NON-CONDUCTIVE INTRODUCTION TO BUFFING AND POLISHING GOLD PLATING GUILD PRODUCT SAFETY DATA SHEETS 3

WORKSHOP AREA: Before you can start plating you should give some consideration to where you are going to set up your „work area‟. There are no real major requirements for this other than the following: Work area should be preferably near an outside window for both ventilation purposes; very few fumes are produced during small brush and tank plating processes but welcome on a hot day, and more importantly for lighting purposes. You could have the finest indoor lighting in your room but it will never be as good as natural daylight – even on a cloudy grey November day You obviously require a mains supply power point for any electrical equipment you are using. A simple 3 point mains plug is all you need per machine and these use a very low current and are cheap to run Your worktop area does not have to be large, 4 foot in width is usually adequate for when you start, and preferably with a clean wipeable surface You will need to acquire 3 cheap plastic shallow „sandwich‟ trays to stand your 3 pots in (one for each of the 3 main processes – chrome stripping, activating and plating) to ensure that chemicals do not mix. You must never mix chemicals (see health and safety section). You will require some de-mineralised water, if you cannot find this the use distilled water, either are better than tap water which may have some minerals that may affect the final finish after plating You will also require lots of paper towel, centre feed rolls are preferable and cheaper but never use cloth as this tends to get used repeatedly causing marks and scratches on the metal It is a good idea to obtain a handful of the type of plastic gloves that you find at most service stations (usually near the diesel pump) as these are ideal for persevering the life of your swabbing and keeping your plating solution on the swabbing from drying out‟ When you finish plating on any day simply use one glove per probe and push the probe (with the damp swabbing round it) into one of the fingers of the glove and this will prevent the swabbing from drying (which can cause scratching when plating next time) and the chemical on the swab from being used again A cupboard for storing plating chemicals in will keep them out of the light, which can shorten the life of the plating solutions, is recommended. If this is not available a simple cardboard box with a lid will do. Preparation chemicals do not need storage and should not be stored with plating solutions anyway for safety reasons A large waste disposal bin is necessary as you will get through a lot of paper towel when plating A word about electroplating chemicals: Electroplating chemicals are classed as hazardous chemicals and as such must be handled with care, although are no are hazardous than a kitchen knife, electric saw, bottle of bleach or domestic drain cleaner, all of which are used daily in most households. Chemicals must be kept away from children and pets and disposed of in the correct way (see details in manual). Always wear the gloves provided when handling chemicals and wash hands after use. Replacement gloves are available on request. HEALTH AND SAFETY: As stated previously, technically all plating solutions are classed as hazardous but also as stated, these are no more hazardous than many other items used around the house on a daily basis. It is not widely know that a popular drain cleaner sold on most B&Q type stores contains 93% Sulphuric acid and is remarkably dangerous, but still no more than a kitchen knife or electric saw? What is important, as well as all the other items mentioned, is that they are handled with care and respect and are kept away from children and animals. The only precaution necessary for Gold Solutions chemicals, when using them, is are that you wear chemically resistant latex gloves (like the ones provided with your kit by us) The dilution rates of our solutions are such that any contact with skin may cause some irritation (especially if repeated frequently by not wearing gloves) and should simply be washed under warm water with soap immediately. You may find that using some chemicals, Chrome, Silver, Chrome stripper for example, they produce a slight unpleasant odour but this is not intrusive and does not require any protective masks. You may also wish to open a window to allow for air circulation, or even in extreme cases, also have a small electric fan directing the air towards the open window but this is rarely necessary 4

As also stated you must not mix any chemical with any other chemical unless advised to do so by Gold Solutions as that can produce gases that may be harmful. All plating solutions are designed to be used straight from the bottle and mixing or diluting them will change the structure of those chemicals and not be beneficial As long as you follow these simple basic rules you will be doing what thousands of ordinary people from all over the world do every week safely. Plating is a simple process and as long as the basic rules within this manual are followed then you will get years of happy and safe plating experience As for the disposal of used and depleted chemicals is concerned they must be stored in individual plastic containers and when you have sufficient of any one chemical (say 1 or 5 litres) you should contact a local chemical waste disposal company when you will be required to pay a small sum to them to dispose of it correctly It is an offence to pour these chemicals down the sink or drain and should not be done. By the time anyone has produced 1 or 5 litres of any of the plating chemicals they will have made more than enough to pay for this service All solutions supplied have MSDS sheets detailed at the end of this manual and can be referred to if necessary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on purchasing the Gold Plating Kit. You could now be on your way to financial freedom. The gold plating systems were designed to offer all users the simplest operational procedure, combining quality electronics together with the finest chemicals which ensures the best results every time. Prior to commencing please take the time to read and completely understand this owner‟s manual. There is a certain amount of caution required during the plating process. This manual will outline the proper procedures for safe and consistent plating. We have, however, provided a brief summary of simple plating techniques that will get you started the right way – within minutes. When anyone starts plating it does appear to be quite daunting, but by the time they are half way through plating their practice pieces they will think the complete opposite – that is how simple this is to do. If however you do find that just one part of the process is causing you problems you simply have to let us know by telephoning or emailing us and, providing we have your telephone contact number, an experienced electroplater will call you back and get you on the right track again Instructions for plating (Practice pieces): The Gold Plating manual provides a sequenced procedure for the GOLD and SILVER plating of conductive metals and plastic that have a conductive coating. However, aluminium, which is conductive, requires another treatment called Zinc-Eze which is covered later in the manual. MINI TANKING COPPER COINS In your kit, you will find a bag with two 1 penny coins, two chrome plated pipe cuts and 2 stainless steel spoons. For the first trial, take out one of the 1 penny coins, if possible try not to use bare hands, either “glove” your hand with tissue or just use one of the latex gloves. You will notice that this coin has been polished to a fine shine and is absolutely ready for plating. Put this aside for now. 1: Plug in the GS90/200/500 and insert the red wire into the red port at the front of the machine, and likewise with the black wire Switch the machine on so that you have a lit up display on the screen (making absolutely sure that the two wire ends are NOT touching (this can damage the machine, the two ends must NEVER touch). 5

2: Take one of the clear chemical-resistant containers, and empty your 100ml of gold solution into it. Place this pot inside a large clean smooth plastic tray, ready to catch any possible gold solution run-off (as this run-off is NOT spent, and is perfectly re-usable, letting it go to waste by not catching and re-using is a bad economy). 3: On the free end of the red wire (coming out the front red port of your machine), attach one of the stainless steel probes by inserting the plug end into the end of the probe (at the handle end) 4: Rest this probe into your gold solution on one side of the pot, holding it upright so that if you were looking straight down into the pot from above, the probe is at 12 o‟clock 5: Using dry tissue and some of the GOLD finishing polish, polish the coin and rub dry hard. Clamp the crocodile clip (on the black wire) onto the 1 pence piece, so it covers as little of the coin as possible (again, try not to let skin grease or oils onto the coin if you can) 6: Turn on your machine, and turn the voltage dial until the voltage metre readout is at 9 volts (or there abouts) 7: Making sure that the probe is held upright against the wall of the container (12 o‟clock) lower your coin on its crocodile clip into the solution at the opposite side of the container (6 o‟clock if looking down from above). You will see the coin bubble and fizz....its plating! Hold it there for about 7 or 8 seconds, then lift out the coin, and turn it so the opposite side of the coin now faces the probe, and re-dunk for another 7 seconds. 8: Lift out, and shake all drips off the coin to land back in your container. Move the crocodile clip to clamp onto a part of the coin that has already plated, and re-dunk to plate the part of coin still copper (because it was covered by the clip) Again, 7 seconds or so on both sides again is all it needs 9: That‟s it!!!! As you can see, it has plated. All that is left to do now is shake off any excess solution back into your container, rinse the coin and dry off to completely remove any traces of chemical, and then go over quickly with the gold polish and some dry tissue, and there you have your first gold plated item! It‟s that simple! You have now learnt how to plate small items using the mini-tank method and will find this useful for many items in the future Please note: when plating always catch all chemicals running of the item and return to the bottle when finished plating as this is still usable again PLATING ON TO CHROME As you have to strip chrome off before plating, and under chrome is always nickel, this is how to brush strip, activate, and plate one of the chrome pipes 1: Reverse the wires, so the red wire is in the black hole and black wire is in the red hole (on the GS90 model, just swap the crocodile clip round on to the red end, and attach the probe to the blue end) 2: Have three trays ready, each with their respective containers (pots) in them. First pot should have the chrome stripper in, the second pot with the NICKEL activator in it, and the final one with the gold solution in. 3 Have each of your 3 probes already prepared with swabbing on them as explained in the diagram further on in this e-manual (cut strips off the swabbing bundle, about an inch high by about 6 inches long, tapered suddenly at one end. Starting with the un-tapered end, start to tightly wrap around the end of the probe until the swabbing has gripped the probe by itself, then continue to wrap round less tightly so some air can build up in the swab. Use the tapered tail to wrap tightly around the base of the swabbing to prevent it from undoing. 4: Attach one of the swabbed probes to the red wire, and dunk in the chrome stripper solution, and have the chrome pipe already attached to the crocodile clip on the black wire. 6

5: Set the voltage to 7.5. Start to brush the chrome pipe, apply no pressure, just the pressure of the probes own weight is enough (don‟t force it down onto the pipes surface). Immediately you should hear a sizzling, and see the swabbing turn a thick, luminous yellow and maybe experience some fumes. This is the chrome being removed. The chrome on the pipes you have been supplied with is very light, and comes off almost instantly, however on many chromed things, the process, although done exactly the same way, may take several times longer to fully strip. It is important with this process, as in all processes, that you keep your swabbing wet! As long as you catch the run-off, and don‟t let any go to waste, there is no reason to work your swabbing dry, it saves you no more gold but costs you results by over-stressing the surface metal. It is the wetness that allows direct contact between to opposite charged items with no damage to the surface! Upon inspection in a well lit, or naturally lit room, you will see when held side to side, that the chrome pipe has a blue tinge and the exposed nickel (always present beneath chrome plated surfaces) has a bronze tinge .When you can see no more chrome, it is stripped. Another way to tell is to put on fresh, dry swabbing, redunk the swabbing in stripper and brush around the pipe, looking for that yellow reaction. If you don‟t get it, it means the piece is stripped 6: Rinse and dry the pipe in de-min water, and with tissue paper, to ensure no chemical remains on the pipe (cross contamination needs to be avoided) 7: Swap the wires back to their same-coloured ports (black in black and red in red or-in the case of the GS90, move the crocodile clip back on to the blue end and the probes now attach to the red end). This is of supreme importance, as activating when the wires are reversed in “strip mode” can be destructive to the surface (to a point that may be beyond repair) 8: Using a different probe (with swabbing attached) move your operations to the activating tray. Keep the voltage on 7.5. Dunk the probe and very quickly brush the swabbing over the piece. Try to go over each bit of the surface only once if possible, but certainly as few times as you can without missing any areas. Over activation can result in foggy or misty patches which ruin the shine, or serious over activation can lead to black marks. So, to re-iterate, move your swabbing quickly, and pass over the area once before moving onto the next bit of area, rather than rubbing back and forth. Going over the same bit too many times, or for too long or too slowly can all lead to bad results in the final finish. 9: Again, rinse and dry thoroughly 10: Move to the gold tray, again using a different probe and swabbing, and turn your machine voltage up to 9 11: dunk your probe in the gold, holding the pipe over the container (pot) which is itself inside a much larger tray, and start brushing the gold on! You will see the surface change before your eyes! Unlike the activator, you may go over the same area several times (indeed yo u need to!) but when you have “buried” the nickel colour in gold, you need not do that area any more, a thicker layer will stand more wear (pure 24k gold is softer than other gold) but a thicker coat will not get any more “golden” in colour!!!!! 12: Rinse, dry, and then polish with the gold polish, and there you have a pipe, once chrome, that you have stripped, activated, and gold plated (potentially, the most amount of stages you will have to do in electroplating!!!) If you repeat these 2 processes again you will find it even easier and end up with 4 perfectly plated items aches to suit your own needs and targets. You have now learnt how to strip, nickel activate and then plate all chrome items in the future STAINLESS STEEL SPOON (how to do ALL stainless steel items) 1: Dip some soft tissue into de-mineralised water and apply a blob of NEAT washing up liquid to the wet tissue 2: Smear all over the stainless steel spoon/item 3: You need to be gloved, as from now on, any skin touching the spoon will mean you will have to repeat steps 1 and 2. The washing up liquid is de-greasing the steel, and skin oil, though invisible, is steel‟s no.1 enemy! It is ESSENTIAL that you de-grease this way, and that you ensure that you shield the item from direct contact with your skin prior to activating and plating. 4: Using dry tissue, dry off the item and remove all traces of washing up liquid. Ensure item is not only dry, but also smear-free (smears may plate as misty areas!) 7

5: Activate using stainless steel activator at 9 volts. As with the nickel activator, pass over each bit only once if possible, and be rapid with your movements. 6: Rinse spoon (or dry off with tissue if item cannot be sprayed/submerged) 7: Gold plate at 9 volts as per usual 8: Remove gloves, rinse/dry item and apply gold polish You have now learnt how to stainless steel activate and then plate all stainless steel items in the future PEN PLATING. USING PROBE AS A PEN WAND: (Set machine to 9 volts) (You will need swan slim filter tips for this- available at all tobacco kiosks at around 60 pence for a box of 100) 1: Take a bare probe, and turn it around so that the red plug is now attached to the end that is NOT insulated. The plug will go about half way in but it is secure and will work just fine. 2: Making sure hands are free of dirt or grease, take a filter tip and roll it between finger and thumb, until it is thin enough to wedge firmly into the open end of the probe. You want about half of the filter tip exposed. 3: If desired, use kitchen scissors to snip a point out of the exposed filter tip- for ultra-accurate controlled plating 4: Take the other 1p coin out of the bag 5: Dunk the pen nib into the gold solution for an initial dunk of about 15 seconds, to allow the nib to soak through to carry the charge from the metal of the pen/probe to the solution. 6: AFTER this initial dunk, if you wish to work ultra-precise small neat areas, then work drier (when you lift the nib out of the gold solution, shake it off so there are no drips) and use the point to fill in only the queen‟s head on the coin 7: You can also use the nibs un-snipped, for doing slightly larger more general small areas (like the whole coin for example) Don‟t forget to give the coin a quick rinse/polish after plating! I f you get 4ml straws (McDonalds straws are exactly the right size) and cut enough off to cover the exposed end of the probe/pen, and keep it in place by taping to the plastic insulation, you can now plug your red wire into the other end (with the deeper hole) and take advantage of the shallower end to place your filter tip in. This is set to exactly the right depth for to leave the perfect amount of nib out, and it also removes the possibility of the nib getting lost down inside the pen/probe After using the pen/probe, be sure to always clean AND dry the inside of the probe where the nib was, to remove traces of solution You have now learnt the basics of pen plating This whole process has shown you how to plate gold on to copper, nickel and stainless steel, the 3 most common metals you will have to work with. It is advisable however to take the piece of (now) gold plated pipe and repeat some of those processes again several times to be able to do it without thinking You do not need to use the gold solution any more at this stage (gold costs around 10 as much as chrome, nickel and copper) so just use these 3 chemicals It is after all just the settings that change with different finishes, the actions are all the same. Simply take the gold plated pipe and plate straight onto the surface copper (you already know the settings from before), once it is now copper plated you can plate straight onto the copper with your nickel (be sure to rinse after each process to prevent cross-contamination), then you need to nickel activate the nickel surface and then you can chrome plate it (back to where you originally started! 8

If you repeat this sequence several times over you will have learnt how to plate successfully and perfectly – with no mistakes – in just one short morning or afternoon which is quite remarkable and not too much to ask if you are going to go on to earn between £50 and £300 per hour! You have now completed the plating of the practice pieces successfully and are ready to proceed to general plating. If however you had experienced any problems you should contact us to arrange for a technician to contact you to advise further To plate onto any zinc item, you must first use stainless steel activator on that item (just as you would with stainless steel) then you must copper strike the item, and then nickel plate. Follow this with nickel activator and finally, your chosen plate. Now you are ready to take on more varied tasks and the following manual covers most areas that you are likely to encounter at a later stage – take your time with this processes and if you master 1 or 2 new ones a day you will be fine The following information is the finer detail of plating and will be learnt and absorbed over a longer period of time, as and when required FULL PLATING MANUAL The general electroplating procedure consists of an electrical current being passed through the item to be plated whilst the item is in contact with a liquid solution of an electroplating solution. Traditionally this has been undertaken with the item being totally immersed in the plating solution (tank plating), but with the GS 90/200/500 the technique is known as (SELECTIVE) BRUSH PLATING. Using the GS 90/200/500 methode it is not necessary to immerse the item. The plating solution is applied using a swab saturated in the preferred solution. This means that the plating process can be confined to any specific area where plating is required. For example car emblems and trim, bath and sink fittings can be plated in situ without the need for the usual expensive “strip down” usually associated with the dipping or tank method. The applications for selective brush plating are numerous, both in industry and within the decorative plating industry. The fact that items are plated in situ, opens up many opportunities within a previously untapped market. It is imperative that you read the following instructions carefully! We advise that you practice on personal inexpensive items which are of little value and are not overly intricate. You will need most practice in stripping and plating chrome items. ALWAYS work on a small unseen test area whenever possible to confirm what type of surface you are dealing with before proceeding to the main parts of the item. You will soon gain the experience and confidence to commence on real money making projects. GENERAL PREPARATION To ensure that plating is successful there are 3 basic rules to consider beforehand. 1. Check that item/area to be plated is conductive

2. If you require a „high shine‟ finish then you must remember that „what you start with is what you finish with‟. If an item is highly polished it will plate shiny, however if you plated (for example) a piece of BRUSHED steel then the finish will always be matt

3. Once the first 2 rules have been applied, and even if neither were a problem, you should always CLEAN surface area before plating. For most items this can be achieved simply by using a small amount of washing up liquid on a damp tissue and cleaning the area. For some pieces you can even wash them in a bowl full of diluted washing up solution, just ensure that afterwards the item is completely dry Now you are ready to start plating. Prepare and attach a swab to each of the 3 probes, this is done by taking a piece of the swabbing off of the roll provided. It should be approximately 6” long and 1.5” wide with one end tapering off to a point (there is a sample template swab included for you to model your future swabs on. 9

Wrap the “fat” end tightly around top of probe 1 rotation only, now it should hold itself in place. Now loosely wrap the rest of the swabbing around probe allowing air between layers until you get to near the other end of swabbing. Now take tapered end (“tail” end) and pull tightly around probe. It should go round probe 2 or 3 times and then hold itself. Now push swab up probe so that there is an overlap on the top of the probe. This is to ensure that the bare metal of the probe cannot be in direct contact with item when plating. To see a video of how to do this click here Note: A swab is not used for the (black wire) probe; use a crocodile clip in place of the probe. Plug the black lead into the black socket. Plug the red lead into the red socket It is advisable to clean the metal probe with wire wool every time you change a swab. You are advised to use an RCD adapter when using the GS90/200/500, plugged into a mains voltage supply. This will reduce the risks associated with a cut or damaged mains lead. RCD adapters are readily available from electrical shops. THEORY OF OPERATION The theory of electroplating is simple and is over 200 years old. The process involves transfer of a metal through electrolysis, using electrical current to transfer through an electrochemical reaction. IN DEPTH EXPLANITION OF PLATING There are 3 basic criteria for Gold or Silver plating which are: 1 - PLATING OF AN ITEM THAT IS ALREADY CHROME PLATED Adjust voltage to 7.5volts Swap probe leads so that red lead is in the black hole and black lead is in the red hole at front of machine. Apply CHROME STRIPPER solution with swab/probe attached to the red lead and socket and as you begin to strip the swab should show a yellow tinge, if it does not then STOP immediately as it is likely that you are dealing with stainless steel or even silver! Keep a chromed item nearby. You will see that the nickel (which is AWLWAYS directly under chrome) has a “yellowy” tinge to it- especially when held next to a chrome piece which now appears to have a blue look. Use this chrome piece to compare against to tell if you have fully stripped the item, or, simply put on some fresh swabbing, dunk in stripper, brush over the item you have been stripping, and look for a yellow reaction again. If you do not get one, then you have fully stripped the item of chrome! You can also use this method to tell you if an item needs stripping in the first place!! Chrome stripper (for the length of time you will be using on any metal) is inert to every metal other than chrome, so it is safe to apply to metal that does not need it!! So the yellow reaction can tell you if an item is chrome or not, and if it is not (no yellow reaction) then you have done no harm!! PLEASE NOTE>>>> If you try chrome stripper on stainless steel, you WILL get a very weak, mild yellow reaction--- yet stainless steel does NOT need stripping!! The only reason you get that reaction with stainless steel is because stainless steel contains chromate as an ingredient…NOT as a surface layer. So, to clarify, you do NOT “strip stainless steel” Compared together, the yellow reaction of stainless steel next to the yellow reaction of chrome is a huge difference! Disregard the weak yellow reaction of stainless steel, and pay attention only to the thick yellow reaction of chrome when it comes to gauging whether something should be stripped or not.. When you are satisfied that all chrome has been removed then rinse the item. VERY IMPORTANT. Now swap probe leads back again so that red lead is in red lead hole and black lead is in black hole (if you do not swap the probe leads and you try to activate metal it will this will destroy the surface by eating into the metal). 10

THIS IS THE ONE THING IN PLATING THAT YOU CANNOT NECESSARILY RECOVER FROM IF YOU DO IT WRONG!!!! All other things that you may get wrong are easy to recover from except activating or plating with the wires in reverse mode!! 2: ACTIVATION (ONLY APPLIES TO STAINLESS STEEL OR NICKEL ITEMS YOU WANT TO PLATE) Adjust voltage to 9 volts stainless steel activator- 7. 5 volts nickel activator Activate by going over the area (if nickel or stainless steel) in order to plate upon said surface. You only need to go over each bit of surface once, and repeated going over and over or “rubbing” back and forth will result in burning the surface or ruining it‟s shine! There is no vi sual difference between an activated and an un-activated surface, so you need to keep a visual and mental check on what areas you have already done. When you are activating you are looking for small „bubbles‟ on the surface where you are applying the chemical. If you cannot see these bubbles you will need to increase the voltage slowly, if you see large bubbles the voltage is too high and you have probably OVER activated the item. After activating rinse the item.

BRUSH PLATING please note “cold” refers to room temperature
To BRUSH plate using our chemicals, simply attach the (black wire/crocodile clip) negative electrode (cathode) to the item, and apply the gold (red wire) positive electrode (swab/anode) over the area of the item to be plated. When you have applied an even coat rinse then apply gold polish 24k GOLD: Adjust voltage to 9 volts (cold) WHITE GOLD: Adjust voltage to under 3 volts (cold) To plate with White Gold it is necessary to reduce the voltage to under 3 volts and also when „brushing‟ ensure that the plating action is constant and rapid and does not stay over any one area at all. 18 K GOLD: Adjust voltage to 6.5 volts (cold) ROSE GOLD: 6.5 volts (cold) finish with a HARD rubbing with gold polish to remove rainbow colours PLATINUM: Adjust voltage to 10 volts (cold) Plate just like regular gold, at 10 volts, though deposition is slower RHODIUM: Adjust voltage to 9 volts (cold) To plate with Rhodium, the build up may be a little slower than it is with gold SILVER: Adjust voltage to under 3 volts (COLD) If you are plating with SILVER the above procedure is followed but at the plating stage the voltage must be reduced to under 3 volts and also ensure that the plating action is constant and rapid and does not stay over any one area at all . If you notice that the silver plating leaves a milky crust on the surface (usually caused by too high a voltage) stop plating and rub surface with a micro fibre cloth to remove crust. Repeat this process once more then give item a final polish. NICKEL: Adjust voltage to 4 volts (COLD) lowest volts possible if brushing cold When „brushing‟ ensure that the plating action is constant and rapid and does not stay over any one area at all. CHROME: Adjust voltage to 5- 5.5 volts (COLD) (different batches vary-test on a sacrificial piece if you are not sure which voltage your current chrome works best on) This works best when being plated onto a nickel surface which has been activated. Move swabbing quickly. It takes some getting used to being able to tell when you are done plating, as the red liquid disguises the colour of the finish as chrome solution is much more of a viscous substance than the other plating solutions, but as long as your movements are quick, and you go over areas enough, it should plate quite quickly. 11

Rinse in de-min water or wipe clean. Follow with a going over with some of the compound polish, as it may have a fairly messy appearance when plated but comes up shiny with just a quick going over with the compound polish (rubbing fairly hard, but make sure that compound polish is “wet” If it gets to clumpy or dry, you can add water to make it more runny. If you over plate, or „burn‟ on the chrome (dark patches) a good hard polish or a quick „punch‟ in against a buffing machine will turn any dark bits into shiny chrome finish You will find that going over black lines (created by the edge of the swabbing/probe) will actually erase them-but where ever you stop, you create a new black line. The best technique is to move the swabbing in a way that finishes up leaving the smallest black line possible, rinse thoroughly in de-min and use the COMPOUND POLISH with dry tissue, to erase the last of the black line. Or, if you have one, “punch” the area quickly against a buffing machine soft mop with rouge wax. Then finally finish to an all round lustre all over with gold polish. BLACK KROME: Adjust voltage to 4 volts Slow to plate. Of all the plates we supply, Black Krome is the most sensitive to grease or oxides. It will totally refuse to plate in the presence of any (no matter how trace) grease or oxides. Even to the point where if you have touched your crocodile clip, then where the crocodile clip touches the part, it will transfer enough trace grease to block plating. So once part is TOTALLY grease free, brush at 4 volts going over and over (it is a slow plate) and finish with a HARD rub with gold polish (not compound polish) to "clean up" any wet marks Anywhere where it simply refuses to plate, that area (no matter how much you seem to have cleaned or de-tarnished it) still has grease and/ or oxides blocking the plating COPPER: Adjust voltage to 6 volts (cold) Plate just like with regular gold, although the copper strike may deposit a little slower than regular gold ACID COPPER: Adjust voltage to 4 volts (cold) Thoroughly clean and degrease scratched area, making sure that the scratch itself has no grease or dirt at its deepest point, activate if necessary depending on metal, then plate with the COPPER STRIKE. Rinse, then apply the acid copper with plenty of swabbing on the probe, and „pat‟ the acid copper onto the scratch rather than a „brush‟ motion. It is vital that you use the goggles supplied in your kit for this job. It may take a while and some practice to perfect, but the copper should go in looking like tarnished brown copper, the scratch gets filled as does the surrounding area, and you use a buffing machine to polish back all the copper until you have worn it all off and the scratch is filled but polished. It will look like a brownish hairline. You then gold plate as normal and the colour difference between the copper and the original metal surface disappears as the whole surface is plated and the scratch is no longer visible. This DOES take some practice though! To use for creating a show chrome look, then first copper strike the polished item, then go straight on with the acid copper (preferably tank plating) and let it plate for about 30 minutes or so for a really thick plate that will come out dull, but be able to be buffed back to a brilliant shine. Repeat if necessary until you are happy with shine levels, then rinse and go straight on with nickel. WE REALISE THAT NO ONE EVER ASKS FOR COPPER PLATING OR EVEN NICKEL PLATING TO BE DONE AS A FINISH…….HOWEVER YOU NEED THEM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PLATE CERTAIN METALS…… Here is the list of the plating solutions that we do that are more “tools” of plating than actual requested finishes. Next to them is their purpose. See above for how to brush them on. Tank plating settings for all these chemicals are further down in this guide. NICKEL: The most important one. ANY metal that is known to tarnish (copper, silver, brass etc) will STILL tarnish UNDER a plate of gold. So you may polish up a copper coin for example and plate it in gold. It will look great but in a year’s time the copper underneath the gold will start to tarnish, making the copper have an uneven looking and horrible surface. As the gold (or ANY plate) will only mimic the surface it sits on, this will encourage the gold to look “tarnished” (even though it isn’t, gold never actually tarnishes it just looks that way)

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However, nickel as a barrier between any metal that tarnishes and the final plate, will seal in the shine on the base metal, so, when the nickel is now plated over (and the nickel now has the shine of the shiny copper, and it in turn will give the gold ITS shine) you now have a gold coin that will not start to look bad over time. So consider nickel as a “barrier plate” In jewellery where this is needed but nickel is not allowed, then rhodium or platinum can be used, and are just as good at doing that particular job. So if the metal (or indeed plate) that you wish to plate over is a tarnishable metal (as stated, even if you have only PLATED some copper on to a surface, the surface is now copper therefore will need the barrier of nickel. Nickel is also self levelling for more advanced plater’s, and can build up a thickness after long tank plating, to the point where you can change dimensions of a piece!! COPPER STRIKE: (THIS MUST BE HEATED TO 40-50%) Also very important to have is copper strike. Copper strike is the best universal “glue” for plating onto metals that are somewhat problematic. Here are some examples that will give you the gist of what copper strike is best used for: Brass is a metal that tarnishes, therefore needs to have a plate of nickel between it and the final chosen plate (as written above) However, nickel will not happily plate straight onto brass 90% of the time. So the better idea is to (after polishing and de-tarnishing the brass first) plate with copper strike (brass accepts copper strike readily) and once you are done, you now only have to plate your nickel onto copper (which nickel is always happy to do!!). Or, for example, if you have a type of steel that is NOT stainless steel (eg mild steel) then, after stainless steel activating it (which you still need to do on any steel) you need to copper strike, then nickel plate, then nickel activate, THEN gold (or your chosen final plate) as plating gold etc straight onto these metals is often not possible. So consider copper strike as a kind of plating “glue” Also, if you ever wish to use acid copper (a different chemical) to either fill small scratches, or to build up thickness to then buff back for a mirror shine (like with show chroming on bikes etc) then the acid copper MUST be plated onto the copper strike for it to bond well. So consider copper strike a primer (and, depending on your thoroughness, an after-plate) for acid copper. Below is a brief summary of how to treat different metals and should be used as a point of reference in the early days of plating. It will not take long before you no longer need to refer to this guide HOW DO I PLATE THESE METALS? VARIOUS METALS AND HOW TO APPROACH THEM: (assuming that you have polished/ cleaned etc) STAINLESS STEEL….Just use stainless steel activator and then plate your chosen plate. ANY OTHER STEEL Best to go on with copper strike, then nickel plate, then nickel activate, then plate chosen plate NICKEL………………Just nickel activate and plate COPPER………………For reasons written above, it is best to plate with nickel, then nickel activate, then plate BRASS………………...Copper strike, nickel plate, nickel activate, plate CHROME……………..Chrome stripper, nickel activator, plate SILVER……………….Nickel plate, nickel activate, plate GOLD (24 or 22)…… You can go straight on with your plate GOLD (18k or less)…..Due to the nickel content, it is best to nickel activate first, then plate ALUMINIUM………..Zinc-Eze (available separately), nickel plate (for a long time), nickel activate, plate (see guide on plating aluminium elsewhere in this manual for details BRONZE……………...Copper strike, nickel plate, nickel activate, plate ZINC………………….Copper strike, nickel plate (heavily) nickel activate, plate TITANIUM……………Some can be done just with s. steel activator, but some require zinc -eze process. (see aluminium) 13

REMEMBER: IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH A METAL THAT TARNISHES EASILY, THEN WHOEVER ORGINALLY BUILT THE ITEM MAY HAVE LAQUERED IT TO PREVENT THIS (BRASS ITEMS, DECORATIVE COPPER ITEMS, SILVER ETC) SO BE SURE THAT THE LAQUER HAS BEEN REMOVED FIRST (you can sometimes use acetone products/ nail varnish remover etc) ALSO SOME DECORATIVE COINS ARE LAQUERED (some memorial 50ps etc) The chemical change that occurs opens the pores of the ferrous metal to allow a molecular bond between the item and the metal. This process is called electrodeposition. In today‟s world of technology the uses for plating are almost limitless. For insta nce, most automobile airbags are held in place by gold clips which are designed to break upon front end impact. They are gold plated to protect the base metals from corrosion. Similarly the US space agency used gold plate technology during the development of the space shuttle. The clips that retain the external booster rockets are also gold plated to avoid corrosion. Gold also has a melting point of over 1000 degrees. CHEMICALS The solutions supplied to you are engineered to serve virtually any industry. All solutions supplied are high metal concentrates with increased density, resulting in very high rates of deposition. This allows versatility and precision in the plating process. Other advantages of this truly portable system include: not having to purchase expensive tank systems, no requirement for expensive premises, no stockholding of solution inventories, and no costly dismantling of the item to be gold-plated. The following chemicals are normally included with your initial GS90/200/500 order but can vary: Chrome stripping solution Nickel activator Stainless Steel activator Gold solution Gold polish Compound polish Other chemicals: These vary according to the package you purchased NOTE Under no circumstances should you dilute or mix ANY of the solutions supplied with the GS90/200/500. Dilution of any solution, especially the gold solution, will shorten the longevity and the brilliance of the gold. PROTECTING YOURSELF Your eyes and exposed skin should always be protected by wearing the safety goggles and latex gloves that are included in your package. We suggest that you keep an eyewash kit handy in the event that it may be needed. Always wear gloves and safety glasses when plating. DANGERS AND HAZARDS The chemicals that you will be using are safe if used correctly but should always be considered as hazardous. They should be stored at room temperature away from the reach of children and pets. The chemicals are harmful not only to humans and animals, but also to the environment. They should never be poured down the drain, toilet, or be allowed to run off onto the ground. It is every user‟s responsibility to ensure proper and legal disposal of all chemical products and their waste products. Your local Council will advise The chrome stripper and the activator are acid based solutions and can cause harm if swallowed. They can also burn and/or irritate exposed skin. The vapours can also be dangerous and should never be directly inhaled. Always work in a well ventilated area. The gold solution contains a small amount of cyanide which is most hazardous if swallowed. The cyanide can also react with other solutions to form a hazardous vapour. Never mix any of the solutions with any plating solutions, ie gold, silver, chrome etc or with any of the preparation chemicals (chrome stripper, Nickel activator or Stainless Steel activator). When stored, used and disposed of properly, the solutions will work each and every time. Please consult the Material Safety Data Sheets for further information. 14

Please note: Whilst all electroplating chemicals can be classed as hazardous, and therefore dangerous, other everyday products also come into this category. Electric tools (saws, drills etc), household bleach, drain cleaners (some are over 90% pure acid) yet are used on a daily basis by ordinary members of the public with no training whatsoever required. In all cases, what is required is common sense! SOLUTION RECOVERY Ensure that all spillage and waste solutions are collected or absorbed with paper. All waste material must be collected and disposed of by a licensed hazardous waste disposal company. If you are unfamiliar with such companies in your area, please consult your local Yellow Pages. Always wear gloves and safety glasses throughout the whole plating process. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS Do not touch the metal probe tips (black and red wires) together. This may cause a short circuit. To reduce the risk of making direct contact with the 2 probes you can obtain some straws (from food takeaway shops) and slide them over probes before attaching swabbing. Do not contaminate solutions by putting an anode into an incorrect container. If solutions become contaminated - dispose of them and pour new solutions. Solutions should not harm the painted surface of any vehicle. As a precaution always use plastic drain sheets to protect all painted surfaces or keep surfaces wet whilst working. WARNING Storage: Store under controlled temperature range, 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Handling: Treat as poison. DO NOT store near strong acids and keep away from the reach of children. USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN USING THESE CHEMICALS. NEVER MIX CHEMICALS. Avoid impact shocks to the control unit. Switch off the unit when not in constant use and ensure that the probes do not come into direct contact with each other. Do not expose the control unit to wet conditions, or allow any solutions to enter the GS90/200/500 PREPARATION Solutions used in the plating process are considered hazardous and poisonous. You should take precautions to protect yourself, and ensure that at all times mechanical or natural ventilation is used. DO NOT Work in areas that lack ventilation and make use of extractor fans when necessary. DO NOT Work in wet conditions. ALWAYS Use the protective gloves and glasses provided. AVOID Inhaling any fumes that may be present. Your GS90/200/500 is supplied with all the necessary ancillaries and solutions to commence plating. The only additional items we recommend you have are: 1 Distilled water for rinsing 2 Paper towel/Tissue 3 Micro fibre cloth 4 Continuity tester 5 RCD connector NOTE: Always remember the condition and type of surface you are plating will determine the eventual finished appearance of the article, if the surface is highly polished then the finished surface will be highly polished. If the surface is matt, the final plating finish will also be matt. 15

NOTE: The plating process will not cover or remove scratches, marks or blemishes that exist prior to plating. The process relies on the swabs being in contact with the surface of the item or items being plated. It is important that you do not attempt to commence plating any item where the probe and the swabs will have difficulty entering, for example, where there is fine detail which is too small for the probe to reach, or where there is insufficient room to cover all the areas that need to be plated. Firstly, using a continuity tester, check that the item you are about to plate is conductive, hold the tester blade against the item and your thumb on the end of the tester, if the red light illuminates brightly then the item is conductive and can be plated. The only known exception is aluminium which you will not be able to plate with this kit without Zincate (Zinc-Eze). Should the item being plated be made up of several individual parts then ensure that ALL the parts are conductive and connected to each other. In order to avoid contamination of your stock solution we recommend that the required amount of solution be placed in a smaller container for day to day use. This small container should then be placed in a plastic tray approximately 12” x 8”. This will ensure that any chemical running of item is captured and, in the case of the activator and the plating solution, can be returned to the small pot for re-use. In the event that any solution has been contaminated it is advisable to use fresh solution. Used Chrome stripper should not be returned to the small pot and re-used. It is important that operatives are thorough throughout every stage. Should you have to repeat any of the previous stages this may have a detrimental effect on the finished piece. In the event that you are forced to repeat the STRIP process (which is not advisable), it is unlikely that you will achieve an optimum finish. For the purpose of clarity each probe lead is colour coded red or black. This is to ensure that the correct probe is inserted into the correct output socket. Prior to attaching the probes to the GS90/200/500, attach the material swabs to the three probes. The BLACK common probe (crocodile clip) does not require a swab if you are making contact on an unseen part of the item, in all other cases attach a swab to prevent it scratching the item and keep it soaked with distilled water in order to maintain an electrical connection. At all stages do not apply heavy pressure on to the item being plated, as too much pressure may cause markings on the surface being plated, you simply need to “float” the saturated swab over the plated service. Replacement swabbing is available from us. Cotton wool can be too dense and soaks up a lot of solution. Ensure that the probe tips do not come into direct contact with each other. Connect the GS90/200/500 to the nearest mains outlet via a RCD connector (optional, not supplied). Switch on the GS90/200/500. Keep red lead in red plug and black lead in black plug when activating or plating. Only swap when stripping chrome! Apply the plating solution of your choice with a different probe, applying an even coat to the WHOLE item (or area if you are working in sections ) After applying the first all over coat rinse the item and inspect the finish, if it is ok then proceed with building up successive layers by applying more solution. If any marks have appeared do not apply further gold as it will not cover the mark, simply rinse and buff the item with soft cotton wool. If the mark persists then apply lightly with cotton wool a glass or mirror polish and buff the mark out. The more solution you apply the thicker and hence more durable the plating will be. As a guide ONLY if the item takes 1 minute to apply the first all over coat then multiply this by 5 i.e. apply solution for 5 minutes, this is a minimum requirement and an item subjected to increased wear i.e. a tap handle should receive at least TWICE this amount. When you believe sufficient plate has been deposited then rinse the item and buff to a high lustre with soft cotton wool or tissue and the gold polish. TIPS AND HINTS When you first receive your system practice on chrome or existing gold and silver plated items, when you have had sufficient practice and feel more confident then move on to stainless steel. We suggest that you follow these easy steps before taking on any other work: 16

CHECKING THE COST OF GOLD PLATING By the time you have completed the practice items you will feel more confident about plating other items. It is also suggested that you then measure how much (little) you have used of the gold solution. It is further suggested that you keep a record of ALL of your plating, including practice and show pieces, and price them as if you were plating them for a customer. This way you will learn how to price jobs and give you an idea of what you should return in income for your work. You should aim for a minimum of 10 times the cost of the gold solution back in charges. Remember that the condition of the item you are plating has a crucial effect on the final appearance of the item. Most people requiring an item to be plated will expect to see a shiny appearance on the finished item. No amount of plating will cover up damage from rust or pitting or add shine to a dull surface. For a high shine finish the surface must first be clean and shiny. If you plate on to a matt surface you will only obtain a matt finish. Be careful with badge emblems, some appear to be chrome but are not. First test that they are conductive (some Ford badges are not conductive and will not plate). Some Volvo badges will show as being conductive but again will not plate because they are an aluminium pressing fixed on to a plastic backing, if you look closely at this type of badge you will see that they do not have the mirror like reflection of chrome. Chrome will always have a mirror reflection when clean and when CHROME STRIPPER is applied the swab will immediately turn yellow, if it does not then do not proceed. When plating with silver onto cylindrical items e.g. a tankard do not hold the item in the horizontal position, if you do there is a possibility that the silver solution will run around the tankard and because silver is highly conductive it will plate even though the swab has not been in direct contact with the area. This “run” of silver may be difficult disguise when you eventually plate that section of the tankard. The method is to hold the tankard in the vertical position and work in an up and down manner gradually moving around the item, this way any runs will be in the area you are working and will not cause a problem. The VOLTMETER displays the voltage output and is adjusted to the correct voltage by the voltage adjustment control. The AMMETER (GS90/200/500 machines only) displays the amount of current being used and will move between the nil and æ position of the dial when cleaning or activating, there will be only a small movement when gold or silver plating but there must be some movement at all stages for the plating to take place. On larger items you may increase the voltage to 10/12 volts for stripping, and on smaller items reduce the voltage to 6/10 volts. When plating GOLD the voltage should not be increased to more than 10/12 volts. For Silver reduce the voltage to 2/3 volts. You will find the STRIP function may benefit from an increase in voltage up to 15 volts but if you are obtaining satisfactory stripping at 6-10 volts then do not increase the output. When stripping you will see the swab turning yellow, this is the chrome dissolving, but make sure you remove ALL of the chrome. It is advised that when you think that the chrome has been removed, replace the swab and wipe it over the entire surface of the item with STRIPPER solution and ensure that NO yellow appears. If yellow does appear then there is still chrome to be stripped. Always use De-ionized water for all rinse stages. Do not attach the BLACK lead (with crocodile clip) to any surface that it may damage, either by scratches being made by the jaws of the clip or by direct metal contact which may cause a burn mark, you may attach the clip over a saturated piece of swab material. Alternatively attach the clip to an unseen area. Ensure that the item to be plated has a sound, clean surface. Remove any marks if possible but remember any blemishes that are present will not be covered by the gold or silver. New swabs, or swabs that have been left to dry out must be thoroughly saturated in their respective solutions before commencing any stages. You can prolong the life of your swabs if you obtain some of the plastic gloves supplied at petrol stations at the DIESEL pump. Use 1 glove per swab and this will prevent swabs drying out for 3-4 days, then replace swab. Keep probe swabs saturated with the solutions and move them in a light circular motion using the entire length of the swab, not just the tip, over the surface of the item. If the swab feels as if it is “gripping” the surface rather than gliding over it, it is because the swab is drying out and this will cause marking of the surface. Trying to save solutions by only partially dipping the probe into 17

the solution is a false economy. Do Not let any of the solutions dry on the surface that you are plating, this will cause marks to appear that can be very difficult to remove, particularly the activator. Always ensure that items are rinsed thoroughly between stages. If you are working on a small area of an item make sure that you rinse the whole item as some of the solutions will have run on to other areas of the item and if they are not rinsed it will mark the piece. If you suspect any cross contamination of either the swabs or solutions then replace them. Check that the conductivity extends to ALL parts of the item you are plating. NEVER assume that the whole item is conductive, especially when it is made up of numerous parts. DO NOT assume that an item is conductive simply because it is shiny or looks like chrome. If you are stripping an item that you may think is chrome but the swab does not turn yellow this is an indication that the item is not chrome and may be another base metal. Be thorough at every stage. If you miss an area during gold or silver stage then simply apply more solution to that area. If the gold or silver does not adhere to any part of the item it is usually due to inadequate preparation during the earlier stages. In the event that an area of chrome has not been stripped you may find the final plating process slow or non existent. In this event you have no option other than to strip the remaining chrome, and even after this action you may notice a difference between this area and the previously successfully plated area. Restrict second attempt at STRIP to the un-plated area only. *Replace swabs frequently. Clean all steel probe tips with wire wool regularly, this is particularly important on the activator probe. MINI - DIPPING METHOD With small intricate items it is easier to adopt the dipping method. With the item connected directly to or by a short length of copper wire to the BLACK lead via the Crocodile clip the item is lowered into the appropriate solution. The appropriate probe tip is then lowered into the solution (without swab) you will notice a fizzing action as the process takes place. As with the conventional method the longer you leave the item in the plating solution the thicker the plate will be. Do not place the inserted probe too close to the item being plated and ensure that it does not touch the item directly.

TANK PLATING (500 & 200 PLATING STATION ONLY)
The following is a guide only to plating. Times and settings and will vary according to size/density of item/tank and material of item to be plated. Amperage will also vary depending on distance of item from anode in tank. All amperages are based on “per square inch of item” So an item of 10 square inches, using a solution that plates at 0.5 amps per square inch, will require 5 amps of power running through it in that solution for it to work. The anodes CAN all be just stainless steel anodes from Goldsolutions.eu- the reason we say for example nickel solution must be tank plated with a nickel anode is more for long term tanks that will use the same solution for extremely long periods of time, where the stainless steel anodes would, in time, leech enough carbon into the solutions to make them stop working. However, over short periods of time (odd jobs etc) the steel anodes still leech- but it does no harm and has no effect on the end result. The one exception here is ACID COPPER when electroforming, which must have a copper anode. However, you cannot just use “any old steel” as an anode, it must be 316 steel to give the kind of results you expect. You can purchase these from goldsolutions.eu All references to "cold" in here in fact mean "room temperature", basically, no heating needed CHROME STRIPPING Set to strip mode and strip on approx 1.5 amps per square inch of item for 30 seconds – 1 minute depending on size of item Steel anode ALL OTHER PLATING SET TO PLATE MODE NICKEL ACTIVATION Activate on 1 amp per square inch of item for 1 minute Steel anode 18

S/STEEL ACTIVATION Activate on 1 amp per square inch of item for 1 minute Steel anode GOLD (COLD) Approx. 0.6amp and 30 seconds to 2 minute (depending on thickness) with regular turning. Steel anode Use Gold Polish after plating SILVER (COLD) Approx. 0.01 amp for 1-2 minutes with regular turning Steel anode If „milking‟ takes place stop plating, remove item, rub with Micro fibre cloth to remove milking then repeat process twice more RHODIUM Approx 3 amp until even plated, turning evenly. Ideal temperature 35 degrees slow plate PLATINUM (cold) Approx 3.5 to 4 amps. Plates slower than gold NICKEL (COLD) Approx. 0.1 amp 1 - 30 minutes with regular turning. Nickel anode The longer plating time the better the finish CHROME (COLD) If possible attach by tying copper wire through a part of the item or round it, in a way that will not cover any surface up. The trick with tank plating chrome, is that whenever you are lowering the item in, or lifting it out, the power must be OFF If the power is on at any point when you “break the waterline” with the item, it can cause complications on your piece that can make the rest of the job difficult. Also, if you DO take it out to check progress (having turned it off and waited for the motor to die down first) it must be COMPLETELY free of any traces of chrome before being lowered back in, so a spray bottle of demin water would be better than just dunking in demin. Minimum 2 amp for 20-40 seconds with regular turning. It is not unusual for the fizzing to start and stop on occasion. If this happens, just check connections. Lead peroxide anode If there are any burn marks, (black bits) then polish (HARD) with Buffing machine to remove BLACK KROME (cold) 0.1 amps per square inch Slow to plate. Of all the plates we supply, Black Krome is the most sensitive to grease or oxides. It will totally refuse to plate in the presence of any (no matter how trace) grease or oxide‟s.Even to the point where if you have touched your crocodile clip, then where the crocodile clip touches the part, it will transfer enough trace grease to block plating. So once part is TOTALLY grease/ oxide free, tank plate at 0.1 amps per square inch, (it is a slow plate) and finish with a HARD rub with gold polish (not compound polish) to "clean up" any wet marks Anywhere where it simply refuses to plate, that area (no matter how much you seem to have cleaned or de-tarnished it) still has grease and/ or oxides blocking the plating COPPER STRIKE flash plate (cold) Approx. 1.0 amp for up to 1 minute with continual turning. Copper anode ACID COPPER 0.5 amps per square inch (cold) Thoroughly clean and degrease scratched area, making sure that the scratch itself has no grease or dirt at its deepest point, activate if necessary depending on metal, then plate with COPPER STRIKE, rinse, then apply the acid copper with plenty of swabbing on the probe, and „pat‟ the acid copper onto t he scratch rather than a „brush‟ motion. It is vital that you use the goggles supplied in your kit for this job. It may take a while and some practice to perfect, but the copper should go in looking like tarnished brown copper, after a while enough has plated on. 19

Use a buffing machine to “mush buff” the copper into the scratches to fill them then polish over the whole area . It will look like a brownish hairline. You then nickel plate over the copper (or the whole item if you want) followed by nickel activation. Plate as normal and the colour difference between the copper and the original metal surface disappears as the whole surface is plated and the scratch is no longer visible. This DOES take some practice though! MUST BE A COPPER ANODE!!!!!!!!!!!!! To use for creating a show chrome look, then first copper strike the polished item, then go straight on with the acid copper (preferably tank plating) and let it plate for about 30 minutes or so for a really thick plate that will come out dull, but be able to be buffed back to a brilliant shine. Repeat if necessary until you are happy with shine levels, then rinse and go straight on with nickel. GENERAL COMMENTS NEVER ALLOW ANODE AND CATHODE TO TOUCH-AS THIS WILL DAMAGE MACHINE When tank plating connect red lead to anode and black lead to item to be plated Ensure items are (compound) polished and cleaned BEFORE commencing the plating process After (compound) polishing clean item with cleaning solution or soapy water When plating/stripping ensure ALL sides are facing anode for equal time to guarantee even strip/plate Always rinse item between treatments in distilled water Keep anodes and connections clean. Remove carbon deposits with wire wool regularly Store plating chemicals away from any light when not in use When Chrome stripping ensure that machine is set on stripping mode Heat plating chemical before plating. This can first be done with a microwave and then kept hot with heating element/s. Never use abrasive chemicals/polishes after gold plating as this will remove plating General description of tank plating process Fill tank with plating chemical, if heating chemical this can be done either by putting chemical in heavy duty container (plastic) and heating in microwave then transferring back to tank or using immersion heater in tank. Immersion heater can then be used to keep chemical at required temperature. Place correct anode in tank and attach red lead If using agitation required switch on air pump Turn voltage down to minimum setting on machine Connect item to be plated to black lead and immerse in tank well away from anode Increase voltage until amperage/voltage reaches required setting. Please be aware that amperage changes when you move item nearer or further away from anode but the voltage remains the same Always ensure that item being plated has ALL sides facing anode for an equal amount of time When Nickel plating small items the piece of solid nickel (square) provided can be attached to red lead with a crocodile clip and used as an anode General maintenance tips Store plating solutions back in their original bottles and clean out tanks regularly Dirty and contaminated anodes/connectors will cause bad plating finishes Remove anodes from tanks when not in use and remove any residue regularly Copper anodes require frequent polishing to remove contamination (this can be done with wire wool) 20

You can re-plate Nickel anodes by using one Nickel anode to plate another Gold, Silver, Copper and other solutions can be filtered to remove visible particles by passing through a clean micro fibre cloth As with BRUSH plating always ensure that all crocodile clips and connectors are polished regularly to remove carbon BLACK CHROME Black Chrome Plating solution provides a distinctive finish suitable for a wide variety of articles. Any black finish, ranging from matte to a brilliant lustre, can be obtained. Matte finishes have been found suitable for industrial and military instruments, cameras, microscopes and binocular parts. Articles requiring lustrous finishes include tubular furniture, plumbing fixtures, buttons, fishing lures and trophies. Surfaces can be mechanically relieved to provide highly desirable antique finishes suitable for casket hardware, jewellery, buckles and lamps. The appearance of the antique finish is altered by the substrate on which the Black Chrome coating is applied, eg. Copper, Zinc, Nickel, etc. Black Chrome will plate over zinc, nickel, copper, steel, sintered metal, tin and lead. It will not plate over pot metal, pewter, stainless steel or aluminium, which should be treated and copper plated, then nickel plated if desired, first. It is best applied to a nickel base on ferrous metals, where it will give a smoky black metallic appearance. On copper, the blackness will be more pronounced. Adhesion and performance of the Black Chrome can be enhanced by an acid etch in pickle It is best applied to a nickel base on ferrous metals, where it will give a smoky black metallic appearance. On copper, the blackness will be more pronounced. Adhesion and performance of the Black Chrome can be enhanced by an acid etch in pickle # 4 (additional item purchased separately). Soak for 30-60 seconds before plating. Then rinse thoroughly before Black Chrome Plating. To obtain a matte finish, the part should be bead blasted to a dull finish prior to plating. For best results, you should have an air supply or agitator blowing bubbles into the tank. Operate at a temperature of 34 degrees C. After plating with Black Chrome, buff the part to a high shine using a loose cotton wheel and blue compound and then soak in hot SP Degreaser to remove buffing greases etc. Plate for approximately1-3 minutes. The shiny appearance of Black Chrome plate can be enhanced by several factors:1. Buffing and polishing PRIOR to plating, is by far the most important factor. 2. Buffing and polishing AFTER plating. 3. Protecting the surface by applying a clear lacquer. DISPOSAL OF BLACK CHROME PLATING SOLUTION Electro-Winning The bronze can easily be plated out using scrap iron or steel nails. The bronze metal in the bath can be reduced to levels acceptable to Local Authorities. Precipitation Precipitation of the bronze metal can be achieved by raising the pH to 10-11 using sodium hydroxide or by lowering the pH with Hydrogen Sulfite to 3-4. Using either method, the copper and tin metals in the bath will drop out of the solution. It may then be disposed of accordingly. 21

ZINCATE INSTRUCTIONS USING GOLD SOLUTIONS ZINC-EZE for easy home aluminium plating!!!!! Process for plating Aluminium NO ELECTRICITY REQUIRED FOR THIS FIRST PROCESS Plating aluminium is usually a very tricky process, because of the level of preparation on the aluminium part needed is so high, that most people cannot achieve this in their own home. However Gold Solutions ZINC-EZE eradicates most of these problems, and makes plating aluminium easy, quick and something you can do in the home, opening up a whole world of previously un-tapped plating opportunities. GUIDE TO USING ZINC-EZE Zinc-Eze instructions. Polish the aluminium to the shine required (as shiny as you want the plate to be) Use acetone to remove any wax compound traces left by buffing machine (gold polish will also help) Rinse well De-grease in water with a heavy concentration of washing up liquid (for example a washing up bowl full of water requires a good 10 second squirt of washing up liquid to achieve this strength Dry thoroughly but do NOT touch with hands Brush zincate method Get a probe (insulated end) or ideally a plastic rod and wrap some swabbing around like you would for brush plating. Dip swabbing in zinc-eze Brush over aluminium swiftly. Go over and over the same patch until you notice the metal become grey and dull. Go over the whole item until it all matches the same grey dull appearance. Rinse well- ideally if possible keep item submerged until ready to nickel plate- but it can be done with the zincate having dried also so is not essential!!! When properly applied, the successful zinc-eze should be a dull grey colour, should NOT powder off if you were to touch it (or even rub with tissue) and should be even in tone all over It is now ready for nickel plating the usual way (skip to nickel plating over zinc-eze Dip method After preparing item for zinc-eze, lower item into bath of zinc-eze and hold for 5 seconds. lift out and lower back in for about 2 seconds, raise, lower for 2 seconds etc. Repeat this until item is uniformly grey and dull in appearance Rinse well and move on to nickel plating the zinc-eze NICKEL PLATING OVER THE ZINC_EZE Either brush or tank plate the nickel the usual way (4 volts by brush moving quickly or 0.1 amps per square inch if by tank. (both methods at room temp using gold solutions nickel plating solution) 22

Plate a thick, thick layer on (tank plate for at LEAST ten minutes, brushing an item the size of an eraser would be brush plated in nickel for about half an hour! However, as long as you have got a basically good plate over the whole thing, then you can stop and do it in stages if you wish rather than all in one sitting. The thickness of the nickel plate helps the item adhere well to the zinc-eze AND prevents any blistering when gold is applied onto the nickel (which may happen if too thin a coat of nickel is applied to the zinceze) The nickel will probably look dull. Using a little compound polish on some tissue, go over the whole surface area with some force, and the nickel should shine up to the same level of shine that you got the aluminium to. Alternatively, use a buffing machine for even quicker results. From now on, treat your aluminium piece as a regular nickel or nickel plated item with regards to plating. AN INTRODUCTION TO BUFFING AND POLISHING Buffing and polishing using wheels and „compounds‟ is somewhat like using wet and dry sanding paper, only much faster. Instead of using „elbow grease‟ you will be using the power and speed of an electric motor. The edge, or face, of the wheel is the „sanding block‟, which carries a thin layer of compound, which is the sandpaper. Varying types of wheel are available and the different grades of compound are scaled similar to sandpaper. The compounds are made from a wax substance which has the different abrasive powders added to it. When this hard block is applied to the edge of a spinning buffing wheel, the heat from the friction melts the wax, and both wax and abrasive are applied to a thin slick to the face of the wheel. The objective of buffing and polishing is to make a rough surface into a smooth one and, of course, each work piece will be in a different condition, so will need different procedures. Imagine the surface magnified thousands of times, it will look like jagged mountains and valleys. By repeated abrasion, you are going to wear down those mountains until they are old, soft, rolling hills! Then they will not dissipate the light, but reflect it. It is the reflection that makes the buffed part appear shiny. Applying Compound LITTLE & OFTEN is the rule. Too much compound will reduce the effectiveness of the cutting action, because the surface will become TOO greasy and over lubricated. This can often be seen by the presence of a black slick of compound that seems to reveal around the work piece. Apply compound to the wheel for approximately 1 second. Any more is wasted. CHOOSING THE RIGHT WHEEL Compounds are made from a mixture of fine abrasive fillers and a sort of greasy wax. The compound is melted, by friction heat, as the bar is pressed to the revolving wheel. This applies a thin layer of abrasive, „glued‟ onto the cloth wheel, making it similar to an emery paper, only much faster! Apply small quantities of compound by approx. ½ - 1 second applications to the wheel. An old washing machine motor (1/8hp @ 1800 rpm) is ideal as the slower rpm lessens the chance of burning or melting the plastic. CUT AND POLISH MOTIONS There are two basic buffing motions you should use. 1. CUT MOTION gives you:SMOOTH SURFACE, SEMI-BRIGHT AND UNIFORM. The work piece should be moved AGAINST the direction of the wheel, using a MEDIUM to HARD pressure. 2. COLOUR MOTION gives you:BRIGHT, SHINY & CLEAN SURFACE. The work piece should be moved TOWARD the direction of the wheel, using a MEDIUM to LIGHT pressure. BUFFING SPEED AND PRESSURE The correct pressure must be applied to the work piece to provide the best finish economically and safely. Inadequate pressure will give NO buffing action. Excessive pressure will cause the buffing wheel to slow down or actually collapse. This can also result in burn marks on the work piece. 23

BUFFING COMPOUNDS AND THEIR USES BLACK/EMERY BAR An emery filled compound which has excellent cutting qualities. Ideal for removing scratches, small pits, thin plate, paint, lacquer etc. We recommend you start almost every job with this material it will save you hours of work rather than using the less abrasive materials first. It will produce a fair shine. Use with a SISAL wheel for best results. BROWN/TRIPOLI BAR A Tripoli compound, known well for its general purpose use for buffing and polishing on soft metals such as brass copper, aluminium, pot metal. WHITE ROUGE BAR This compound will cut lightly, bringing most harder metals to a brilliant shine Designed for polishing chrome and nickel plate, stainless steel and ordinary steels. BLUE ROUGE BAR This compound is a drier, less greasy version of what is commonly known as “jeweller‟s rouge”. It has no cutting action and can therefore be used on thin gold and silver plates without damage. It is ideal for bringing up an extremely high quality polish on your finest pieces. It is also the perfect compound for polishing Bakelite. Ideal for use after the white bar. GREEN STAINLESS STEEL BAR Use this compound exclusively to bring stainless steel to a high quality shine. JEWELLER‟S ROUGE High quality colouring rouge for treating gold, silver, pewter, nickel and almost all precious metals. Use with a Canton Flannel Wheel to bring out the true colours of your metals. TRICKS OF THE TRADE REPAIRING SMALL DENTS Sand the inside of the part with emery paper. This will show you exactly where the dent is. Using a piece of end grain wood as a block, gently beat out the dent with a hammer. CLEAN YOUR BUFFING WHEELS WITH A WHEEL RAKE Offer the jagged blade to the edge of the spinning wheel and work it across the face until the wheel looks bright and fluffy once more. This action, carried out periodically, will remove entrapped metal particles, which could scratch a more delicate part. ELIMINATING „SWIRL MARKS‟ Swirl marks caused by buffing in the final stages can easily be removed by wetting the part with a damp cloth, then dusting with a powder such as:Whiting, Talcum Powder or Corn Starch then buff on your wheel again until the swirls disappear. ONE WHEEL FOR ONE COMPOUND Applying different compounds to the same wheel only causes problems because you end up with a mixture of abrasive surfaces and metal deposits left over from the more abrasive operation. These microscopic particles only scratch the surface, destroying any benefit gained by the finer compound. To remove excess compound from the work, apply a small amount of talc to the work and the wheel, then rebuff. 24

Plating Non-Conductive items NOT RECOMMENDED The most common question asked is “can you plate non-conductive items” and to this the answer is yes – but! To explain the „but‟ we need to explain the process of ELECTROPLATING which put simply the passing of a low current through an item which, in turn, attracts small particles of the plating material (Gold, Silver, Chrome etc.) to that item and causes them to permanently bond with the item. In order to do this the item must be itself CONDUCTIVE. This means that in order to plate something non-conductive, you must MAKE it conductive. The way to do this, sometimes with the aid of some additional copper wires connected to the item, is to spray the item with a conductive paint, which is heavy in either silver or copper. It is possible to now pass current through the item. Normally the paint is applied with an airbrush. This procedure will vary according to the size, thickness and type of material used. It must be stressed that, unlike Gold plating a simple metal piece, this process is expensive (the Silver paint is about 4 times as expensive as Gold solution) and requires a lot of practice. The quality of finish of the plate is now dependent on the quality of the sprayed paint which, it has to be said, is very difficult to achieve a smooth finish that looks good when plated. A high shine finish will always exaggerate any imperfections in the surface of the item to be plated. We supply Silver conductive paint to the more determined people who wish to develop this market. When sourcing an airbrush we suggest that you buy as good an airbrush as your budget allows and that you buy a small airbrush compressor rather than use a gas can propellant. It should be understood that, unlike brush plating a piece of metal in first class condition, this method of producing an electroplated item made of a non-conductive material is very time consuming, relatively expensive and may have limited commercial potential. There are 2 main methods of application of the Silver conductive paint which are as follows: 1. DIPPING: This method ensures that there is no waste of paint as it is only applied to the surface area of the item. It is suggested that you dip item many times for a good coat, giving up to 1 hour (longer is better) between coats 2. AIRBRUSH: This method should be used with a good quality airbrush with a compressor. A small booth can be made cheaply using a cardboard box and with a small hole in the top where a copper wire can be inserted holding the item to be sprayed. The item can then be turned, whilst spraying, to get an even coat. Once again this process should be repeated. Once a suitable coating has been applied the process of plating can be started. You may need to attach some copper wire/s to the item before spraying and join them together to give you a better electrical 'input' (black lead) to the item. The best method is to Nickel plate the item and build up the thickness of plate which may take some time. If successful this will provide the 'shine' required for the final plate