Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Zinc plating

Do any of you have a preferred zinc plater that does small batches? Looking for clear zinc on brackets, linkages, hardware, etc.

Thanks

Anybody?

Have you checked out the home tin/zinc plating kits from Eastwood? While I have not tried it myself I have heard they work well. May be worth a try.

Thanks for the reply mrbill. I have tried the Eastwood kit and was not the result I was looking for, it was a dull finish and I wanted the bright finish.

Hi Archer2,
I used to restore alot of old tractors. I'd sandblast all the nuts and bolts first, then drop them off at a place in Dubuque, IA called Key City Plating. They would do as big or as small of batches as you'd like and they really do a fantastic job. I used to ask them for a zinc coating with a clear finish. I had a buddy that was sending stuff there also so I know you can send things and they'll ship them back. Might be worth a call for you. Here is their info:
2500 Kerper Boulevard
Dubuque, IA 52001-1460
(563) 583-6811
Let me know how it goes, I'm not all that far away if I can help you out. Make sure you ask for the clear, makes a big difference.

Just an idea of how they turn out, one of the last batches I had done. This was from a very rusty tractor and the hardware wasn't in the best of shape. The smoother your part is, the better it turns out.

Zinc Plated Bolts

Just a question....when you plate a fastener, doesn't it foul up the threads? It just seems that anything that coats the threads would make fitting a nut or fitting the bolt into a threaded receptor, much more difficult? I don't ever have hardware replated so I just wanted to ask? Paul www.severngaspumps.com

I've done 40-50 old tractors Paul and never had a problem with that. The coating though is so thin though that it isn't like paint in the respect that it leaves a thick coat at all. Even the clear they somehow do doesn't leave anything other than a clearer part. Say if you have a bolt that is pitted real bad, the zinc w/clear coating doesn't fill even the tiniest of pits, just puts enough on it to make it bright and shiny. Also, everything I have ever had done, they ask you to sandblast first. You probably take more off with the sandblasting that you put on with the coating. When doing a restoration, really a great way to go, at least on a tractor. Used to look so good I would leave certain bolts unpainted to add a little detail.

Thanks neatoldstuff, that's the finish I'm looking for, I'll give them a call.

Paul, from what I understand, I think they have to remove the existing plating before they can replate so the build up shouldn't be any greater than original.

Still looking for a plater, it didn't work out with Key City Plating.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

Check w/ your local Harley, Hot Rod Shops & Antique stores to see who they use for plating.

Here is who I use. I ship from AZ to CA and they ship back. One of the only places I know of where you can still get Cad plating done. Had some done locally in AZ and the shop totally screwed it up where like mentioned above a nut would not go onto a bolt. Sent to Burbank in CA and they stripped and re-plated and their plating was perfect.

Burbank Plating Service Corp.
13561 Desmond St. Pacoima, CA 91331
Phone (818) 899-1157 Fax (818) 899-9557
E-mail info@burbankplating.com

Jeff

For 25yrs I have used Swift metal finishing in Santa Clara CA
408-727-5776 Jim

Thanks for the info guys, I'll start researching these.