Gold Cadium Plating

[Dick W.]

Re: Gold Cadium Plating

Clear cad

[Gerard F.]

Caswell system

Larry,

The Caswell system as Jeff suggests is not real Cad plating but a zinc plating.
You can do a real decent job an any parts going from bright gold cad to irridescent to dull bronze depending upon the brightness finish of the original part and the strength of the yellow dichromate solution. You can also plate to a dull white cad finish without the yellow dip. The product is called "Copy" Cad and Zinc with yellow, olive drab, or blackening solutions as add-ons. Take Jeff up on his offer and take a look at my Holley Carb finish post earlier this week.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Jack H.]

Re: Caswell system

Any 'system' that does zinc plating will also do cad an tin too.... All you have to do is provide the cad/tin anode (restricted distribution) and replace the zinc anode the kit/system mfgr provides.

[Peter L.]

Re: Gold Cadium Plating

I'm betting it's zinc plated. Pete

[Gerard F.]

Why do that, Jack,

when you can get the same dichromate finish (and perhaps more lasting) with zinc. And with less toxicity! How come you don't see any vitamin supplements with cadmium in them? You see em with zinc!

Tell you what, if you can get me a cadmium plate, I'll try it, but I'll wear rubber gloves. You know, you technically can't even dispose of NiCad batteries and TV tubes in a landfill anymore. NASA has prohibited cadmium plating in space especially on electrical parts.

What's so good about cadmium?

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Bryan H.]

Re: Gold Cadium Plating

I've been using a company in Orange County CA to do gold cad for the last few years and they do an absolutely PERFECT job on suspension parts for my '56 vintage racer. Most of their work is for NASA contractors on the space station. Unfortunately, in order to get space station quality, I have to pay space station prices.

[Peter L.]

Re: Why do that, Jack,

Jerry - On the vitamin supplement (for Corvette related activities since we're posting on the DB) the body does need zinc but in fact as you might guess too much zinc is also toxic. Not so with Cd and it's toxicity is higher.

Cadmium plating is more durable than zinc; so if the application requires, it Cd is used. Most of out automotive applications we deal with don't warrant the use of Cd plated parts; but some GM parts (in the Part & Accessories Catalog) indicate either Zn or Cd plating so I'm guessing that that was indicated on the spec for the part and it you could produce the part with a Cd plated finish cheaper than the guy with the Zn plated part you would most likely get GM's business.

Also, the dichromate treatment which can be used on both Zn and Cd adds a degree of "hardness" or resistance of the part to corrosion. Pete