Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2008 - (Page 50)

SPECIAL FEATURE STORIES RESTORATION TIPS ished again, nickel-plated and finally chrome plated. If an older classic bike with nickel trim is being restored and the trim needs to be replated, the process is slightly different. The initial polishing and copper striking and plating operations aren’t required and the nickel doesn’t need to be nickel-plated. “I see shops advertise triple chrome plating,” Meetz noted. “That doesn’t mean three layers of chrome.” In all chrome-plating operations, the parts get plated three times, starting with a dip in the copper-plating tank. Copper is soft enough to fill tiny imperfections and polishes to a high sheen. The level of brilliance the copper is polished to determines the chrome’s final appearance. Next the part goes in a nickel tank. Nickel adds a silvery color and protects copper from corrosion. In the early days of motorcycle manufacturing, the process stopped here. However, nickel oxidizes slowly, taking on a yellow tint. A very thin coat of chrome is added next to fight oxidation and add a bluish tint. Custom Plating Specialist, Inc., specializes in “show chrome.” This means it gives the motorcycle parts two “baths” in copper tanks. After some initial preparatory polishing (using a sander set on grinder mode with 150-grit sandpaper) the part is racked and put into the copper tank for 1-1/2 hours. The copper plating is then sanded with 320- and 800grit papers. After that, the part goes in for a one-hour coat of copper. This second coat is buffed out. The part is re-racked, cleaned and readied for nickel plating. It goes into the nickel tank for about 20 minutes, getting a The inside surface of a bright metal trim part, which never gets waxed, is usually where rust and corrosion can most easily be spotted. This close-up look at a motorcycle “sissy bar” in the shop for plating illustrates the “before” condition of some parts. Terry Meetz of Custom Plating Specialist, Inc., holds an ornament that’s been stripped to the base metal. Chrome plating is based on an electrolytic process. A bar of plating material is the anode (+) and the piece to be plated is the cathode (—). Here we see the way in which the parts are rigged to help create an electrical circuit. Steel, zinc alloy or aluminum parts are polished, copper-struck-and-plated, polished again, nickelplated and finally chrome plated. In chroming, the parts get plated three times, starting with a dip in the copper-plating tank. These parts are coming out of the tank and being rinsed. Copper is soft and polishes to a high sheen. Its level of brilliance determines the chrome’s final appearance. The parts being plated go into the nickel tank for about 20 minutes and get a nice silvery layer of nickel. Pot metal was once considered un-repairable, but companies like Custom Plating Specialist, Inc., can now restore it. Many identical parts in similar shape can be done faster, so the customer cost drops. Terry studies the condition and complexity of each piece and does an estimate. If he gets the go-ahead, the part is engraved with the owner’s name on back so it can be tracked. It is also photographed with a digital camera. Then it is stripped to the base metal. Muriatic acid is used to strip stamped steel, forgings or fabricated pieces. Die-cast is stripped electrically in a sulfuric acid bath. Steel, zinc alloy or aluminum parts are polished, copper-struck-and-plated, pol- 50 December 2008 | WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I WALNECKS.COM http://www.WALNECKS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2008

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2008 Contents American The Buzz w/ Buzz Walneck Motorcycle Tips w/ Mike Brown 1988 Harley Davidson KLH 883 When Fools Rush In - You, the Law, and Your Next Restoration Project 1963 Parilla 125 Wildcat Test Chrome Plating by John Gunnell 1955 NSU 250 Max Events Listings & Advertisements Bench Racing w/ Mark Zimmerman British Biker of the Month Port-A-Chopper K-Model by Buzz Walneck BUB 2008 by Somer Hooker European Japanese Motorbikes & Scooters Memorabilia Antique Cycle Clubs The Vard - America's Lost Motorcycle Parts, Accessories, Want Ads How to Place a Word Ad How to Place a Photo Ad Area Code Directory How to Subscribe Let Us Help With Your Event

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2008

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