Has anyone ever tried to plate a watchcase ?

[JohnPilot 1]

It would be great to plate and individualize part with copper, nickel or other plating.

What do you think?

 

 

There are some tools out there:

 

 

 

http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/530506/Handgalvanisier-Set

 

or

 

http://www.ebay.de/itm/261139571795?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[spboudart 0]

Wotancraft use to do some amazing plated box, couldn't find any pics though...

[onionbag 1]

Plating is a very specialised process, etching of the base, pre-treatment and fixing of the plated material are not simple tasks.

 

One other thing to consider may be, that even though you're laying down only microns of material, this can be enough to knock out the tolerances involved in a watch movement assembly.

 

But don't be shy to give it a go, and let us see your results.

[mykeos 0]

I was thinking about it as well! Just last week I was browsing the web to find the tools, but all the kits were 300+EUR. This one from Conrad might be interesting,but I'll wait from more inputs from forum members

The UN reps are my "softspot" but the gold plating looks almost like copper so I was thinking of replating...

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

I agree with Onionbag on this (mostly.)

Plating is prep and much more specialized than people think. Dipping it in the solution is the easy part.

 

On the other hand, as far as watch movement tolerances, I don't think plating will make any difference.

 

As an aside, I sometimes plate movement parts, but I send out cases.

[onionbag 1]

Thanks for the info Chris, and it's not often I have enough of the answer correct for us to concur.

 

I mentioned movement parts as it seemed a common sense proviso, being unsure of the pitfalls of plating these.

 

For instance, just today I was grinding a heavy nickel plated valve bore, 8.000" +- .001" dia by 36" long, because it was being finished in an electroless nickel plate I had to grind it .004" oversize, so that once plated it would be within tolerance.

[offshore 0]

Been there, done that...sold the ( pen) plating kit a long time back!

The single biggest impediment is finding out exactly what metal you are trying to plate.

And don't say "Oh they will be s/s" because there are a huge number of base metals used.

Save your self the anguish, send it to a specialist plater.

We have a guy locally here who professes to know it all, yet I have not seen a 100% job from him, and he is doing them every day.(Amateur)

He is dip plating, not pen plating, and he says he needs bigger and more powerful gear.

 

Only bad can come of this little experiment!

 

Offshore

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

Thanks for the info Chris, and it's not often I have enough of the answer correct for us to concur.

 

I mentioned movement parts as it seemed a common sense proviso, being unsure of the pitfalls of plating these.

 

For instance, just today I was grinding a heavy nickel plated valve bore, 8.000" +- .001" dia by 36" long, because it was being finished in an electroless nickel plate I had to grind it .004" oversize, so that once plated it would be within tolerance.

 

That's tight. I deal in fractions of a mm too, but watches were (and some still are) made by hand, so the real fine adjustments are made by setting the jewels.

There's not reason not to try it IMO, be it cases, or parts. It can be an expensive learning experiment though.

[JohnPilot 1]

Thanks mates for your input.

Will try on an old case first.

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

caswellplating.com

you'll find a lot of info there.

[JohnPilot 1]

Very interesting.

I would need sth like this in the EU.

 

This would fit http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/bronze-plating-kits.html

 

I can't stop dreaming of a Bronzo watch :-)

Edited December 11, 2012 by JohnPilot

[Olly 0]

Don't you have to hook it up to a power source and put the watch case (cathode) and what ever you and to plate (anode) it with then use elecrtolysis solution ???

[JohnPilot 1]

Yes, it goes all with anode and cathode plus different plating solutions.

[onionbag 1]

Not all plating is performed electrically, it is quite possible to plate copper, nickel, silver etc using auto-catalytic or chemical plating.

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

Onionbag, do you think watch companies use electroless for very small parts like hands, or cannon pin caps, or do they set up a way to hang them?

[onionbag 1]

I don't really know mate........that's the short and best answer.

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

I don't really know mate........that's the short and best answer.

Sadly, neither do I...

One of my platers told me about a mass finishing technique, I think it involved a barrel and individual parts didn't need direct electrode contact.

[onionbag 1]

Whilst my company does specialise in surface treatments it's things like high velocity oxygen fuel, plasma ceramics and metal spraying we offer.

 

My foreman used to work at the platers that we use...........I'll ask him.

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

Whilst my company does specialise in surface treatments it's things like high velocity oxygen fuel, plasma ceramics and metal spraying we offer.

 

You mean all the usual stuff.

[onionbag 1]

Whilst my company does specialise in surface treatments it's things like high velocity oxygen fuel, plasma ceramics and metal spraying we offer.

 

You mean all the usual stuff.

 

Well, it's usual for us..........but all nasty stuff to finish accurately.

 

Is this the type of process you spoke of?

 

http://industrial.macdermid.com/cms/surface-preparation/mass-finishing/index.shtml

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

 

Is this the type of process you spoke of?

 

http://industrial.ma...ing/index.shtml

 

No, that looks basically like tumble polishing. I have a vibratory tumbler, they're very common for jewelry finishing.

I may have misunderstood the plater, people who work with metal tend to be a bit demented and hard to understand...

[10:10 Watch Repair 1]

This looks like it:

http://www.electrum.ca/

 

Rack plating: in this method the parts to be plated are fixed with a wire and positioned on a metal rack. The electricity is conducted along the wire to the part and coated in the appropriate metal. The object can be plated entirely or on selected areas by masking areas where plating is not needed. This method can plate a variety of different part sizes and shapes.

 

Barrel plating: is a type of mass finishing that takes place in a barrel or tub and is commonly used for smaller durable parts. Current is supplied to the parts by means of fingers or tangler in the barrel. Plating uniformity is maintained by constantly turning the barrel. We employ various barrel sizes from 100 grams up to 30 kilograms to accommodate different part sizes.