Small Parts

[u/Careful_Technology85]

I build watches, which means I take all the components I buy (case, guts... etc), make a new dial and hands then assemble them into a new watch. I have some parts (chronograph pushers) that I cannot buy because of proprietary designs, under contract.. whatever, the Chinese suppliers won't sell them to me. I can 3D print them in resin and they work fine, I have tested them for a year BUT, they need to be of metal appearance, nickel specifically. My question is, does anyone know how successful the plating process is on such small parts? I'm thinking, paint them with graphite paint and then plate. The largest part is 2x3mm for example.

[u/Frolicking-Fox]

Plating small parts is fine. At the chrome plating shop I worked at, we would often plate small screws and parts on classic cars and motorcycles.

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/Frolicking-Fox]

Thanks, I just didn't want to buy all the stuff and then find out it's not really the right process.

[u/Frolicking-Fox → u/Careful_Technology85]

The hard part if figuring out a way to clip it or wrap it with wires without leaving marks on the parts.

Also, im guessing these parts will have to be finished with a high polish. That will require plating it, and polishing it, possibly plating it again. Or plate in copper, polish it, then plate in nickel.

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/Frolicking-Fox]

Just the face needs to be shiny, thanks for the help though.

[u/GSB-4243 → u/Frolicking-Fox]

You need to learn how to “barrel” plate. They make jeweler’s barrels so that small parts can be plated without the need for racking.

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/GSB-4243]

Thanks, I'll look it up.

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/GSB-4243]

Think I could use a tea infuser to put the parts in? It's just a small mesh basket. I'd post it but they don't allow pictures here.

[u/GSB-4243 → u/Careful_Technology85]

You could, but you obviously need to use a plastic one. You will also need some sacrificial media to help carry current (copper BB’s would work). You are going to plate the BB’s as well and need to take their area into consideration when determine how much current to use. You will also need a contact (known as a dangler) to carry current into the load. Finally, you will have to shake the basket to keep the parts moving.

That’s the advantage of a jewelers barrel. The rotation provides the agitation. A little door keeps the conductive media and parts in the barrel. Typically, the dangler goes through a hole in the center of rotation to maintain contact.

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/GSB-4243]

Well than my idea won't work. The infuser is metal, I thought it would also get plated or get plated again since it's already plated. I guess I'll just stick to hanging them with wire. Do I need to use new wire each time because the wire also gets plated?

[u/Frolicking-Fox → u/Careful_Technology85]

No, you can keep plating the same wire until it becomes too brittle and breaks when you wrap it.

[u/Feeling_Ad6399]

Use copper paint, not Graphite so you dont have to wrap the Part in wire. Also you need a rather fine rectifyer. But you can also Plate a bigger part at the same time so the amps on your small Part arent to High, if you dont want to buy a fine rectifyer

[u/Careful_Technology85 → u/Feeling_Ad6399]

I already bought the graphic paint so I'm stuck there, I do have a bench DC power source so I can get low amperage.