Plating and Anodizing
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Cedge
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I do some electro-nickel on a small scale. It's been really nice to have the capability and not difficult at all. I bought a small Caswell plating kit through www.Micromark.com a couple of years ago and it is only now needing replenishing.
The link below is to an engine I've been doing some extensive restoration/rework to. You can see the results form the Caswell kit on the heads and support legs.
I've not tried anodizing so I can't comment on the process, but experience with the surface finish has been that it scratches pretty easily. This could be due to the process Jensen was using, as I also understand there are various hardness variables available.
Steve
Butt Ugly Radial Engine
The link below is to an engine I've been doing some extensive restoration/rework to. You can see the results form the Caswell kit on the heads and support legs.
I've not tried anodizing so I can't comment on the process, but experience with the surface finish has been that it scratches pretty easily. This could be due to the process Jensen was using, as I also understand there are various hardness variables available.
Steve
Butt Ugly Radial Engine
Cedge
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Wareagle
I can only make a few educated guesses based on how it was built and then rebuilt at some point in its apparently long existence. It appears to have possibly been an apprentice piece from sometime in the 1920's, based on some of the parts used. To give you an idea... the old base was a cast iron electrical junction box.
It doesn't quite bear the mark of a master machinist, but the internal workings are really quite nicely made. The exterior was another story. The valve system appeared to have been made from stray bits and pieces of scrap and old steel fittings, none of which were in any way uniform in profile.
Part of this was due to the engine having been badly repaired sometime after it was built. The unknown repairer attempted to match the original design, but mismatched and misaligned the parts he installed. In short, it was a bit of a mess when I spotted it in a local auction and bought it.
I studied the engine for quite some time before deciding that it needed much more than a simple cosmetic restoration. Since I had no access to the original fittings or materials, I chose to do a bit of remodeling and make it "my engine" to some extent. All the brass is my doings while the pistons, block and crank are still the original builder's work. I tried to retain as much of that guy's metal craft as possible while making it a keeper engine. This is the project that finally gave me the confidence to recently attempt my first from scratch engine build .
It's basically complete, except for building the exhaust system, soldering up the incoming steam lines and deciding how I want to display it. I've just had it on hold while I cogitate how best to match an exhaust system to the new design. The recent Elbow engine project supplied the lacking clues as to how that will have to be fitted, so its back on the active list as I get time to work on it.
Steve
(who is an incurable sucker for broken down old steam engines)
I can only make a few educated guesses based on how it was built and then rebuilt at some point in its apparently long existence. It appears to have possibly been an apprentice piece from sometime in the 1920's, based on some of the parts used. To give you an idea... the old base was a cast iron electrical junction box.
It doesn't quite bear the mark of a master machinist, but the internal workings are really quite nicely made. The exterior was another story. The valve system appeared to have been made from stray bits and pieces of scrap and old steel fittings, none of which were in any way uniform in profile.
Part of this was due to the engine having been badly repaired sometime after it was built. The unknown repairer attempted to match the original design, but mismatched and misaligned the parts he installed. In short, it was a bit of a mess when I spotted it in a local auction and bought it.
I studied the engine for quite some time before deciding that it needed much more than a simple cosmetic restoration. Since I had no access to the original fittings or materials, I chose to do a bit of remodeling and make it "my engine" to some extent. All the brass is my doings while the pistons, block and crank are still the original builder's work. I tried to retain as much of that guy's metal craft as possible while making it a keeper engine. This is the project that finally gave me the confidence to recently attempt my first from scratch engine build .
It's basically complete, except for building the exhaust system, soldering up the incoming steam lines and deciding how I want to display it. I've just had it on hold while I cogitate how best to match an exhaust system to the new design. The recent Elbow engine project supplied the lacking clues as to how that will have to be fitted, so its back on the active list as I get time to work on it.
Steve
(who is an incurable sucker for broken down old steam engines)
Steve, you have done an excellent job on the restoration. You obviously have an eye for seeing the potential in an otherwise dull piece of machinery.
I may have to look at giving the plating a try before too much longer.
I may have to look at giving the plating a try before too much longer.
Cedge
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Wareagle...
Thanks for the kind words. I'm not one to let my lack of knowledge slow me down...LOL The poor little devil was just so abused that I had to give it a go. Nothing should be so bloody unattractive as to pick up a nickname like "Butt Ugly"... well except maybe for my ex wife....LOL
Soon after I bought it, I showed it to a few collector friends, one of whom gave it that well deserved tag... which, of course, perversely stuck to it like glue. She's (the engine, not the ex) come a long way and after the long break, I'm ready to get her done now.
Steve
Thanks for the kind words. I'm not one to let my lack of knowledge slow me down...LOL The poor little devil was just so abused that I had to give it a go. Nothing should be so bloody unattractive as to pick up a nickname like "Butt Ugly"... well except maybe for my ex wife....LOL
Soon after I bought it, I showed it to a few collector friends, one of whom gave it that well deserved tag... which, of course, perversely stuck to it like glue. She's (the engine, not the ex) come a long way and after the long break, I'm ready to get her done now.
Steve
Cedge
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Julian
The way I use mine is to pour the plating solution into a small 4" x 4" open top container and dip the piece into it rather than trying to swab it on. then I pour the solution back into the bottle for storage. It's fast and easy. Just use due caution and you'll do fine.
Steve
The way I use mine is to pour the plating solution into a small 4" x 4" open top container and dip the piece into it rather than trying to swab it on. then I pour the solution back into the bottle for storage. It's fast and easy. Just use due caution and you'll do fine.
Steve
Steve,
Many thanks for advice. Guy at Caswell suggested using small amount in the way you said but he suggests pouring it into a different bottle for storage not back into the original supply. The first parts to be plated are the spokes on my wheels but they will probably be swabbed as they will come off one at atime to be cleaned, buffed and plated before being replaced back on the rim in their original place. I have posted some pics on my thread in the new members section of this forum.
Julian.
Many thanks for advice. Guy at Caswell suggested using small amount in the way you said but he suggests pouring it into a different bottle for storage not back into the original supply. The first parts to be plated are the spokes on my wheels but they will probably be swabbed as they will come off one at atime to be cleaned, buffed and plated before being replaced back on the rim in their original place. I have posted some pics on my thread in the new members section of this forum.
Julian.
