Hi Rudy: The reason your plating looks trashy is because you have the rectifier hooked-up backwards. The part to be plated is the cathode which is "-" negative. The anode, in this case the stainless steel is "+" positive. :>) You can also try a couple of pinches cherry Jello as an additive. Regards Michael Barmuta Staff Engineer Fluke Corp. Everett WA 425-446-6076 -----Original Message----- From: Rudy Sedlak [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 2:06 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Fun with electroplating Greg: Do you have a source of Cobalt salts? If not, get a Cobalt salt that is "non-reactive" I would suggest Cobalt Sulfate? Or Nitrate...not Chloride.... Make up a solution of the Cobalt salt...add some acid, I prefer Methane sulfonic acid(because the methane sulfonate anion is almost an "invisible anion, and does not interfere with anything)...say 10% acid... Drop in your work...if you are not going to do much plating, you can probably get by with an insoluble anode...say stainless steel, 300 series. Connect up your rectifier...the work is connected to the + side... turn on the current, and you will get really trashy looking plating... As you need a plating brightener...to give you nice level deposits. I could make a good guess as to what would help a lot...but, it would be a guess, if an experienced one. Actually, here is the fun part... You may have heard of a chemical called "Nonoxynol 9"? It is the spermacide of choice today, and sold in your friendly local pharmacy. Turns out this is EXACTLY the item of choice for a good general purpose plating brightener.. and is often the only component in some tin plating brighteners. Any other questions you have? Rudy Sedlak RD Chemical Company --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------