Chrome plating yourself? Do not do it.

Occasionally the question arises whether chrome plating yourself - and you can buy sets for that - is a smart plan.
Chrome plating yourself? Do not do it.

The hobby sets that are offered here and there are generally only suitable for earrings, washers, nuts and bolts. But the chemicals that come with it are no less nasty about it. The most basic and safe way to chromate at home is with vinegar.

And that is more a nice experiment than really chrome. Because of the battery voltage, there is a real chance that the chrome will turn on, but will not adhere. A current of 2-3 Volt gives a better result. But it's nice to give it a try.

You need a glass jar, vinegar, a block of pure chrome and a power source. You can therefore also use a (car) battery for this. When chroming in this way, the chromium ions are transported by the current from the block to the workpiece to be chromed.

Proceed as follows:

• Make the workpiece to be chromed completely clean and free of grease.
  Fill the jar with vinegar.
  Connect the minus pole of the power source to the workpiece to be chromed.
  Connect the plus pole of the power source with the chrome block.
  Immerse both in the vinegar.
  Make sure your work piece hangs completely free in the vinegar.
  Turn on the power.
  If all is well, you will see what bubbles appear and the workpiece becomes dull / blue.
  Chrome-plating will take a few hours.
  After the chrome plating there is a somewhat rough, dull layer on the workpiece. You can sand that with fine sandpaper. For a high gloss you will need to polish it.
  You can also use an old chrome-plated object instead of a block of pure chrome. If that is larger than the object to be chromed, there is enough chromium to make this process work.

Remember that the surface to be chromed must be completely clean and must hang freely in the vinegar. Where there is still dirt, the chrome will not adhere. The high gloss does not occur automatically. For that, there will still have to be polished. In real life, chrome-plated parts are first coppered. That goes in the same way. And of course you need a block of pure copper.

If the intention is to seriously chrome-plated or otherwise work galvanically, then these are the things to keep in mind:

- The voltage (depending on the galvanic bath)
- The current (depending on the size of the chrome-plated object)
- The composition of the galvanic bath, including the concentration of the substances. On the Internet, on the chemistry forum you can find interesting information about this.
Chrome plating ZAMAC?
Zinc alloys have a dubious reputation when it comes to restoration. Zamac can be chromed, but not after it has been first coppered.
What is "hard chrome plating"?
A hard chrome layer is made in the same way as a decorative chrome layer. Only with "hard" chrome the thickness is much larger. Application for example with engine parts. Decorative chrome is also hard. Only the layer is much thinner. The hardnesses, in Vickers, are about the same.
Both of these galvanic processes are analogous. It is all specialized work that you cannot do yourself without experience.