Caswell Plating

[Mike M.]

I would like to hear from a few people who have used the Caswell Copy Cad system. I have there catalogue and price list but would like to know if its as easy as they say to use? Are the results good. Does it match Cad plate? How does it stand up, when you put a wrench on the bolt or nut does it flake off? If you used the system a few times how does it stand up over time. I am thinking of using this but I want to be sure before I buy a kit that I will be satisfied. Any comments would be great. Thanks Mike

[John M.]

Re: Caswell Plating

Mike, I have been using the copy cad system for a couple of years and find the system gives very good results, but there is a learning curve to get top results. They sell the system with a battery adapter which is fine for a couple of nuts and bolts but will not produce enough current for larger parts. The results are dependent on two factors the prep of the part and the regulation of the current,I have always glassbeaded the parts and I purchased a cheap DC power supply which can vary from 0 ma to 8 amps. I also found that I like to use the zinc brightener as I find that without it the parts will start to look way to dull and grey after a little use of the solution. After using it a little while you will be able to regulate the current by eye as you learn to judge the proper level by the amount of bubbles coming off the parts. You will want to agitate the parts every so often as they are plating or the will become very dull. I tried a small aquarium air pump but found that the foam obscures the parts and it is just easier to swish the tank bar arround. I have found the guy at Caswell plating to be real helpful in getting me past my learning curve and he is allways available to answer questions. John Mc Graw

[Robert C.]

Re: Caswell Plating

Mike, I haven't used the Cadwell System, but I do have the Eastwood Cad-plate System. I have used it for years and it does a great job. I'm sure all the systems use the same ingrediants; cad-bars, electrolite, pos.and neg. wires, and a low voltage source (battery or 6/12 volt charger). Preparation of the metal before plating is the most important part. The plating process is simple and lasting, but requires safety steps and lots of ventilation. Good luck.


Texas Chapter NCRS

[Juliet P.]

Re: Caswell Plating

I too have the Eastwood Cad plating system. It sure is fun to play with! One thing I'd like to add is that if you screw it up by overplating it, you can always reverse the polarity and UN-Plate the part, and then try again. :-) Seen it, been there, bought the T-shirt. (grin) It actually unplates as well as it plates. After the parts come out you need to buff & polish them, there is no wait & try time like the Black Oxide kit from Eastwood. I'm not going to venture to guess whether the finish is correct enough to stand up to NCRS judges scrutiny. I'll let someone with more experience answer that part. ~Juliet

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Caswell Plating

Mike: I have been using the Caswell copy-cad system as well as the black oxide kit. Both are excelent products and John is right about the learning curve. But the good news is that it is a very gentle curve. The newere sysetms come with a plug in power source so you never have to worry about batteries going bad. One trick I have learned to keep the plating at the correct brightness is to clean the anodes carefully with brillo or steel wool after each batch. After you have plated a batch you can see the anode gets real dark. Clean this off every time and the results area outstanding. I also have the Eatwood kit which I was not that happy with. The part comes out of the plating bath a flat grey color and you have to buff it to get it to look like cad. The problem is if you are plating ann intricate piece it's hard to buff the details. I think the Caswell kit is worth every penny. Jeff

[Mike M.]

Thanks for the comments

The comments and a couple emails sure helped me understand A few things about the system.I'm going to purchase the kit and give it a try. Thanks Mike