Cad plating

[Jason W.]

What are people doing to get cad plating anymore? Seems most shops don't do it. Anyone try this: http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/copycad.htm

[Robert M.]

Re: Cad plating

Hi Jason;
I have Caswell's 3 gallon kit , works great I also use their brightner with it.

[Gary B.]

Re: Cad plating

Jason,

If you want to send your parts out for plating, I'm sure Richard Fortier (contact info in the Driveline) can arrange to have cad done.

Gary

[Michael M.]

Re: Cad plating

Jason, in a recent previous post Rich Pasqualone and Dennis Crupi mention Manco Plating on the East Coast. If you live near the East Coast you might save some money instead of sending your stuff to Richard Fortier. Richards prices are a little dear compared to other platers.

[Peter J.]

Re: Cad plating

Jason,
I have used these guys a couple of times and been happy with the results and prices:
Aero Propeller & Accessories, Inc.
9616 Jeffco Airport Ave., Hangar 44
Broomfield, CO 80021
800-525-8756

[Jerod M.]

Re: Cad plating

I have the caswell kit and a power supply off of ebay

[Gary C.]

Re: Cad plating

Check aircraft repair shops in your area and find out where they get the CAD work done. Aircraft guys still CAD lots of parts.

Gary
....

[Tony S.]

Re: Cad plating

Detray Plating in Kansas City area still does full service cad plating.

Tony

[Gerard F.]

Re: Cad plating

What are people doing to get cad plating anymore? Seems most shops don't do it. Anyone try this: http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/copycad.htm

Jason,

I have been using the Caswell copycad plating for a number of years and I started with a 3 gallon kit. They call it copycad, as it is really zinc plating made to look like cadmium.

The yellow look which most people call cad is actually a
dichromate dip of the zinc plating. A little more dulled zinc plating actually looks like silver cadmium plating. After a little weathering, it takes an expert to tell the difference.

Most older parts and all reproduction parts are zinc plated instead of cadmium plated. If you search the archives, there is a number of discussions over whether an old part was zinc or cadmium plated. I think that the truth is that it was optional on the vendor, zinc or cadmium back then. Maybe certain parts subject to servere corrosion were spec'd as cadmium plating.

Cadmium at the present time is a very controlled material thanks to the EPA and many State Water Quality regulators. It has a disposal problem for commercial platers. But you still see aircraft industry platers and a few others, doing cadmium plating. But the regulatory and disposal costs would put a hobbyist out of business.

With that said, I have a still do a little real cad plating as a hobbiest with an older spent caswell solution. The cadmium anodes can be obtained.
But if you use the caswell copycad with the brightener, and the yellow chromate solution where applicable, nobody will be able to tell the difference. I actually prefer the zinc plating with the brightener for a nice bright finish, and that yellow gold on parts.

If you want to do it yourself, I'd go with the caswell copycad. Figure about $500 for starters, to get into it, plus a ventilated corner of your garage.

But it's a great hobby.

Here's what you can do with the caswell kit:



and this:

[Susan M.]

Re: Cad plating

Hi Jason, I see you are in CA. Valley Plating in Santa Clara does cad plating. They have a $185 minimum. I have used them for chrome and zinc so far with excellent results. Ask for Fred. http://sjvalleyplating.com/ . Are you in northern CA? They will ship too. Good luck. Susan

[Ronald L.]

Re: Cad plating

There are still many shops that do this at a much more affordable entry point - less that $100 for all you can do, essentially. But I ask you why bother?

#1 most the parts were zinc back then, it was only certain parts that got cad specified, and then again, if you are with a garaged car, zinc is more than adequate if you go with the original specification.