How to Electroplate Household Metals
Gather the necessary materials., Wear proper protective equipment., Scrub the metal surface clean., Measure 5 parts water., Add 1 part muriatic acid to the water., Connect one alligator clip to each prong of the battery supply., Connect the copper...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather the necessary materials.
To setup this system, you will need water, muriatic acid, a 6 volt DC lantern battery, two alligator clips, a piece of copper metal, the metallic item you are trying to plate, and a container large enough for the metal you want to electroplate to be submerged.
All of these items can be found at a local hardware or home improvement store.
The 6 volt battery has two prongs that make it easier to connect to the system, but you can use a battery of lower voltage.
Alligator clips are insulated electrical wires that have metal clips as the ends used for connecting circuits together.
The piece of copper is the source of copper that ions that will be used to plate your metal item.
Steel and nickel are two metals that can easily be plated with copper. -
Step 2: Wear proper protective equipment.
When electroplating metals, you are dealing with acids and other chemicals that you need to be protected from.
Wear protective eye goggles, gloves, and a lab coat or clothes that you don’t mind ruining if something splashes. , To get an even electroplated coat, you must first clean the surface of your metal object.
Dirt and oils on the surface can prevent the donor metal from coating the surface.
Start with a degreaser such as a detergent (dish soap) and then scrub the metal with an abrasive, acidic cleaner to ensure the surface is very clean.A mixture of vinegar and baking soda can be used to scrub the surface clean. , To make the electroplating solution you will mix 5 parts of water with 1 part muriatic acid.
Never add water directly to acid! Adding water to acid causes an exothermic reaction that can lead to the acid exploding and be very harmful.
You want to fill a container large enough to submerge both pieces of metal that will be used for the electroplating process.
Start with 5 cups of water and add more as necessary.Always maintain the ratio of 5:1.
For example, if you need more than 5 cups, measure out 10 cups of water and add 2 cups of muriatic acid. , To avoid injury, remember to always add the acid to the water.
If you’ve measured out 5 cups of water, measure out 1 cup of acid and slowly add it to the water while stirring.Remember to keep the ratio of 5:1 water to acid.
The outside of the container will be warm because adding acid to water is exothermic (it creates heat).
Stir with a glass or plastic stirrer because the acid will attack a metal. , The battery will serve to produce the current necessary for the electroplating process.
Attach one clip to one prong and the second clip to the second prong of the battery.
At this stage, it doesn’t matter which clip is connected to which terminal, just that a separate clip is attached to each one. , Using the alligator clip attached to the positive terminal of the battery, clip the other end to the metal piece of copper.
If you clip the copper piece to the wrong terminal, the electroplating will not work.On a standard 9 volt battery, the positive terminal is the male side of the battery. , Take the clip attached to the negative terminal of the battery and attach it to the metal you are trying to plate.
Attach the clip in the least conspicuous place possible.
If there is no out-of-the-way place to attach the clip, you will need to alter the location of the clip during the plating process so the piece of metal gets evenly coated.The negative side of a standard 9 volt battery is the female component.
If you attach the positive clip to the metal, the electroplating will not work.
Double check that you have the correct terminals attached. , Once everything is connected, you can place both metal pieces into the bath.
The copper piece doesn’t have to be fully submerged, but the piece you are plating does.
Stir the solution during the plating process to get an even coat.
Keep the two metal pieces at least an inch apart from each other to avoid getting burn spots where the copper accumulates too quickly. , Using this method makes it a little more difficult to get a thick coat of copper, but you will be able to get a thin, even coat.
When are you are satisfied with the look of the metal you were trying to plate, you can remove the metal from the bath and place it on a towel to dry.
The plating can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
If you have more metals to plate, you can connect the next metal to the clip, place it in the acid bath, and stir to coat. -
Step 3: Scrub the metal surface clean.
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Step 4: Measure 5 parts water.
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Step 5: Add 1 part muriatic acid to the water.
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Step 6: Connect one alligator clip to each prong of the battery supply.
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Step 7: Connect the copper to the positive terminal of the battery.
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Step 8: Connect the metal piece to be plated to the negative terminal of the battery.
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Step 9: Submerge both metals into the diluted muriatic acid bath.
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Step 10: Remove metal piece when you are satisfied with the coat.
Detailed Guide
To setup this system, you will need water, muriatic acid, a 6 volt DC lantern battery, two alligator clips, a piece of copper metal, the metallic item you are trying to plate, and a container large enough for the metal you want to electroplate to be submerged.
All of these items can be found at a local hardware or home improvement store.
The 6 volt battery has two prongs that make it easier to connect to the system, but you can use a battery of lower voltage.
Alligator clips are insulated electrical wires that have metal clips as the ends used for connecting circuits together.
The piece of copper is the source of copper that ions that will be used to plate your metal item.
Steel and nickel are two metals that can easily be plated with copper.
When electroplating metals, you are dealing with acids and other chemicals that you need to be protected from.
Wear protective eye goggles, gloves, and a lab coat or clothes that you don’t mind ruining if something splashes. , To get an even electroplated coat, you must first clean the surface of your metal object.
Dirt and oils on the surface can prevent the donor metal from coating the surface.
Start with a degreaser such as a detergent (dish soap) and then scrub the metal with an abrasive, acidic cleaner to ensure the surface is very clean.A mixture of vinegar and baking soda can be used to scrub the surface clean. , To make the electroplating solution you will mix 5 parts of water with 1 part muriatic acid.
Never add water directly to acid! Adding water to acid causes an exothermic reaction that can lead to the acid exploding and be very harmful.
You want to fill a container large enough to submerge both pieces of metal that will be used for the electroplating process.
Start with 5 cups of water and add more as necessary.Always maintain the ratio of 5:1.
For example, if you need more than 5 cups, measure out 10 cups of water and add 2 cups of muriatic acid. , To avoid injury, remember to always add the acid to the water.
If you’ve measured out 5 cups of water, measure out 1 cup of acid and slowly add it to the water while stirring.Remember to keep the ratio of 5:1 water to acid.
The outside of the container will be warm because adding acid to water is exothermic (it creates heat).
Stir with a glass or plastic stirrer because the acid will attack a metal. , The battery will serve to produce the current necessary for the electroplating process.
Attach one clip to one prong and the second clip to the second prong of the battery.
At this stage, it doesn’t matter which clip is connected to which terminal, just that a separate clip is attached to each one. , Using the alligator clip attached to the positive terminal of the battery, clip the other end to the metal piece of copper.
If you clip the copper piece to the wrong terminal, the electroplating will not work.On a standard 9 volt battery, the positive terminal is the male side of the battery. , Take the clip attached to the negative terminal of the battery and attach it to the metal you are trying to plate.
Attach the clip in the least conspicuous place possible.
If there is no out-of-the-way place to attach the clip, you will need to alter the location of the clip during the plating process so the piece of metal gets evenly coated.The negative side of a standard 9 volt battery is the female component.
If you attach the positive clip to the metal, the electroplating will not work.
Double check that you have the correct terminals attached. , Once everything is connected, you can place both metal pieces into the bath.
The copper piece doesn’t have to be fully submerged, but the piece you are plating does.
Stir the solution during the plating process to get an even coat.
Keep the two metal pieces at least an inch apart from each other to avoid getting burn spots where the copper accumulates too quickly. , Using this method makes it a little more difficult to get a thick coat of copper, but you will be able to get a thin, even coat.
When are you are satisfied with the look of the metal you were trying to plate, you can remove the metal from the bath and place it on a towel to dry.
The plating can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
If you have more metals to plate, you can connect the next metal to the clip, place it in the acid bath, and stir to coat.
About the Author
James Jenkins
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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