Topic: Door striker and latches

[Chris Thauberger]

I'll tell you my little secret - I have a local professional shop do my clear and gold zinc plating. We have an "arrangement". That "arrangement" includes me providing the shop with clean, bead blasted parts untouched by human hands (I use gloves), a minimum lot size order (75 pieces), no "due by" date (it's usually 4 to 6 weeks, my stuff is fitted in the shop's schedule) and no arguing. There's other "things" in the mix. I operated in bulk to get minimum lot sizes, I did have four cars most of the time, 65 and 66, so I got ahead of myself. Gold zinc was the most difficult to get minimum lot sizes as those years didn't have a lot of that type finish.
Bottom line - real good zinc plating needs techniques that are expensive and dangerous. There are a few members here that I have supplied with zinc plated parts using my method. I've received no complaints.
Jim

My experience is the professional shops over do the zinc chromate finish. The look is way to shinny to match anything done in the 60's. Think production not show car.   As for "real good zinc plating needs techniques that are expensive and dangerous" I beg to differ.

The technique is the same, its basic chemistry. I knew nothing about it when I started. I did the research and followed the instructions to the letter.
Temperature, constant voltage and the correct amperage are crucial to success. I handle my part with bare hands all the time because the very first step is time in the heated degreaser prior to being plated. Once they pass the "water test" they are good to go. I have done both yellow and black chromate. I had no need for the olive drab green, but the process is similar.


I will start a new thread later in the week. Please be patient as Q4 is my busy time and I am stretched thin these days, customers come first.

Chris

[jwc66k]

Good luck. I learned the hard way about working with acid. I'll let the pro's do it. As to over doing something, I don't call these overdone.
Jim
(PS - they were sold a long time ago.)

[Chris Thauberger]

Good luck. I learned the hard way about working with acid. I'll let the pro's do it. As to over doing something, I don't call these overdone.
Jim
(PS - they were sold a long time ago.)

Jim, luck has very little to do with it, maybe that's why you learned the hard way.

It's always difficult to determine finish quality of an item in a picture. There does appear to be what looks like rust on those parts, is that what I am seeing?

[jwc66k]

Temperature, constant voltage and the correct amperage are crucial to success.

All that you list implies a major investment. If you zinc plate parts using those techniques without a license in my state, you will probably go to jail. The problem is simple, what happens to the acid bath when you're done? That's why I use a plating shop. I tell them what I want, and they do it. It's called "professionalism".
If you are fortunate enough to find a non-rusty part - use it. Your blow-up of my 64 1/2 parking lamp rings picture showed pitting, not rust.
Again, good luck.
Jim