Caswell plating/PH tester question

[Greg L.]

Those of you that use the Caswell kit for cad plating, do you have a Ph tester, and if you do, is it a good quality one or just paper strips?

I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy a good digital one or if I can get by with paper strips?

Is the ph level really all that critical or is ballpark close enough?

Thanks again!

[Gerard F.]

Re: Caswell plating/PH tester question

Greg,

The Ph tester is one of those things I have on my list but never got. You probably have to do a lot of plating to justify one. I just go by ballpark, when the solution wears out, I replenish it. The paper strips (like for a pool or spa) don't give you the range of Ph required.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Donald T.]

Re: Caswell plating/PH tester question

I've done a lot of plating with the Caswell kit and have never found need for a ph tester. As long as your tank isn't getting contaminated, I don't think ph will be an issue. I'm specifically talking about zinc plating. Other types of plating may more sensitive to ph.

[Peter L.]

Re: Caswell plating/PH tester question

Greg - If you need pH paper, you might check with a scientific or laboratory supply house. They should be able to fix you up with either wide range or limited range pH paper; but what I don't know is if it will work with the plating solutions. BTW, doesn't Caswell offer it? Pete

[Greg L.]

Re: Caswell plating/PH tester question

Thanks guys. I think I'll give it a shot without the PH tester and see how it turns out. I did manage to find one in town for around $55 so if all else fails I'll pick that one up.

Peter, yes Caswell does have them for about $64 CND but I kinda wanted to get going this week and didn't want to wait for it to get here.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Caswell plating/PH tester question

Greg:
I have done a LOT of Copy Cad plating, both dull and bright, with the Caswell system and I have never used a Ph tester. Just today I bright plated a windshield washer pump frame without even thinking about Ph and it turned out perfect.
Jeff

[Gerard F.]

Don't worry about the Ph

Greg,

If you are just starting up a Caswell plating kit (Zinc/Copy Cad), don't worry about the Ph. Just make up your solutions with distilled water. The Ph only comes into play after you have done a lot of plating and your solution is almost worn out.

After you degrease in SP degreaser, flush the part off with a distilled water spray back into the SP greaser tank, before you dip it into the zinc plating tank. The SP degreaser is a base, and the remnants of it on a part are the main thing which will make the Ph go up in a small acid plating tank.

After you have done a lot of plating in one solution, and you start seeing some spotty or very dull results. That's the time to check the Ph, and the solution for contamination.

I assume you are doing zinc.

Happy plating!

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Gerard F.]

Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

Regards,

Jerry Fuccillo

[Greg L.]

Re: Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

Thanks for the reassurance guys...I'm looking forward to trying it out now!

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

Jerry:
I have given up on the SP degreaser that Caswell sells. I think it is too much trouble for very little reward. It has to be heated and then the part soaked and I have found that even after rinsing really well with distilled water the part is generally not perfectly de-greased (evidenced by the water not "sheeting" on the part). I now use Comet or Simple Green or dishwashing liquid or any household degreaser with a Crest Spin Brush or similar powered toothbrush and the part comes out absolutely grease free. You keep doing what you have been doing since, based on the pictures you have posted, your results are fantastic. On second thought, maybe everyone should just follow your example and not mine! If you are in Bloomington we should meet up and exchange notes. Maybe everyone who posts regularly should meet somewhere so we could put faces with the names we see all year long.
Jeff

[Donald T.]

Re: Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

I agree with Jeff. I no longer use the SP degreaser either. I did have trouble with replating the female hood latches. The grease under the rivet heads and under the mechanism was difficult to completely remove. I bought a heated commercial ultrasonic cleaner and that really does the trick. A good soak in the ultrasonic cleaner, and the parts are degreased even in the inaccessible areas.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

Jeff,

I have tried Simple Green and also Plain TSP in a crockpot and they work reasonably well. But I went back to the SP degreaser as I think it works the best. I usually pickle my parts in an acid solution (muriatic, phosphoric, or pickle #4) and have found that the SP degreaser does the best job of both neutralizing and preping the bare metal prior to the dip in the plating tank.

There is also the wife's dishwasher, but you have to wait until she is out of town.

Hope to meet you some day at one of the events.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Hey Jeff, we are about online together!

Jerry:
If it works for you then keep doing what you're doing.
Jeff

[Jack J.]

Metal prep required?

This weekend,I am going to bead blast some parts prior to zinc phosphate. This will be my first attempt. Do the parts require a secondary step before I soak them in the zinc/crock pot? Thanks in advance.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Metal prep required?

Jack:
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "zinc/phosphate". If you mean you are using the Caswell Copy Cad system to zinc plate then all that I have found to be necessary to get excellent results is to clean the part scrupulously clean with a good degreasing agent (as stated above), using latex gloves, and adjusting the current of your power supply properly. Of course you need to add the brightener that is supplied by Caswell to get the cadmium plate shiny. You don't need to be concerned about the voltage as long as the amperage is accurate for the size piece(s) you are doing. If the piece comes out dark or not shiny enough, a light buffing with a wire wheel will correct this. If done properly, however, no buffing is needed. I know some others on this board would argue with my methods but I have been doing Copy-Cad this way for several years and have had consistantly good results. Listen to all other advise from this board and try each until you get the results you want. Hope this helps.
Jeff