Hardware Plating

AltaNorton · Feb 22, 2011

Hi there,
I am looking into plating all of my nuts and bolts, probably with zinc or something similar. Is this a good, cost effective idea. If it's not something that has benefits than I may overlook it. Anyways, about how much would coating all the nuts bolts washers etc. cost me. And if anyone has bought a home kit from Eastwood or the likes, is it good quality and worth doing yourself?

Thanks again,
Matt

bmwbob · Feb 22, 2011

I had all my hardware zink plated locally and only cost around $50. Just threw them in a box and mailed it off.

DogT · Feb 23, 2011

I used the Caswell copy chrome process with their cheap PNP kit. It turned out OK, looks like chrome until it oxidizes then you have to polish it. Not cheap by the time you buy the buffer, compounds, wheels, orbital sander, sandpaper, etc., takes forever, but it is all very shiny. If I could have them chrome plated I would sent it out for that except you end up with a lot of threads to thick to work afterwords. If you don't mind the look of zinc or cad (if you can find it) that should work fine. My nuts, bolts and spacers had a lot of pits and rust, so I had to remove that too, it wasn't just a matter of cleaning and plating.

Here's a picture of the oil line fittings.

Dave
69S

AltaNorton · Feb 23, 2011

Wow, I was expecting something in the hundreds. I think I've heard of a few places in my area that do it so hopefully they'll be close to the price you paid.
Dave, those look pretty nice, I think for the things I want to chrome I may buy a kit.

Thanks

debby · Feb 23, 2011

When I restored my 750 I had the hardware cad plated by a plating shop in Utah. Hard to find anyone who still does cad these days in this country. It's an EPA nightmare. It cost about $100 (in 2005) as I recall. I just cleaned up the parts and shipped them off. Zinc is probably more durable than cad plating, but cad is what the factory originally did. I was after that original finish.

Don't know what's available in Canada, or if environmental regs have shut things down up there too...

Debby

DogT · Feb 23, 2011

Matt,
If you buy kits, probably better to go stainless. Wouldn't do with the motor mount hardware though.

Dave
69S

bpatton · Feb 23, 2011

I had a load of hardware done on my Commando in zinc. It didn't last very long on forward facing surfaces. I've heard that one approach is to have them nickel plated then then go over it with a light sandblast. Looks like cad and lasts longer.

AltaNorton · Feb 23, 2011

If cad is the original I'll do that, I think my dad (the owner) wants the bike to be as original as possible. Hopefully the place I've heard of in Calgary is still around. Why are so many plating business shutting down? Not enough work I guess
Thanks for the help

bwolfie · Feb 23, 2011

They are shutting down due to the cost of operating, chemical control, disposal, EPA etc...

rocker1 · Feb 23, 2011

Hi Chaps
I worked for a marine winch maker building custom winches for the likes of the Volvo and BMW ocean racing teams and people like Richard Branson and Roman Abramovich at anything up to £100,000 a pop.
However the credit crunch hit our company and I was one of the casualtys and have had to take a rubbish job at a third of my usual salary.
I now work in a commercial zinc plating,grit and glass bead blasting and powder coating shop.
We zinc plate clear (silver), colour (gold) or black passivate. As with any coating the result all depends on the quality of the surface finish.
You would not believe the condition of some stuff we are asked to plate and customers have some very funny requests, One recently wanted us to blast clean his parts so they wouldnt look too shiny.
As a price guide our normal minimum charge is £40. However for private motorcyclists we would only charge about £20 for a bike set of nuts and bolts up to about £40 if you wanted to include wheel spindles (axles) and sundry brackets, spacers, spokes and nipples ect.
I always thought plating was fairly expensive but since working here I realise how cheap it really is considering the complexity of the process.

AltaNorton · Feb 23, 2011

Thanks for the help, my dad also suggested buying all new nuts and bolts, maybe not a bad idea but a bit excessive. Anyone done this? How much was it for everything?

DogT · Feb 23, 2011

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Dave
69S

AltaNorton · Feb 23, 2011

Touché

bmwbob · Feb 23, 2011

plating bright zinc
Four-D Metal Finishing Inc‎
620 E Taylor Ave, Sunnyvale, CA‎ - (408) 730-5722‎

Josh Cox · Feb 23, 2011

I had both my bikes nuts, bolts and brackets CAD coated, quite cheap and looks awesome, much cheaper than renewing.

Suggest, before having re-coated, tap and die all threads, sand and de-burr all edges.

Scruff · Feb 24, 2011

Josh Where did you get the CAD done?
Ian

Josh Cox · Feb 24, 2011

Hi Ian,

Aeroplate
(08) 9451 2598
20 Bellows St
Welshpool WA 6106

The guys name is Anthony, he does a fantastic job, his main income comes from CAD coating Aviation parts, he does the other stuff when he's not busy, all that stuff in the photos cost $60.

Josh
0428 241 105

Foxy · Feb 24, 2011

I defineately like cad plate, done alot of nuts bolts etc for my 42 Harley, looks realy nice, just like Josh's pics show. I had mine done at TENIX, Parafield Airport, Parafield, South Australia. Dont have their ph number but Telstra 12456 will find it for you.
Foxy

Josh Cox · Feb 24, 2011

Foxy,

Are you in SA ?, I'm coming down to Port Lincoln and Arno Bay fishing in about three weeks.........anywhere near ?.

caddy chris · Feb 24, 2011

Josh Cox said:
I had both my bikes nuts, bolts and brackets CAD coated, quite cheap and looks awesome, much cheaper than renewing.

Suggest, before having re-coated, tap and die all threads, sand and de-burr all edges.

Hahaha! Nice toes!

Hardware Plating

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