White metal casting

Ive recently started casting parts in white metal, how do you make castings that are chrome plated. Ive bought parts in the past which have been chrome plated. Some part i cast would be perefect if they could be done this wa instead of spraying them silver.

Thanks

Reply to
Spinal
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You can't cast them plated - you have to plate them.

Since they are metal, I would suppose that you could plate them yourself with a home electro plating/repair kit like I've seen in some automotive catalogs.

Reply to
Rufus

If I may ask, what do you make your molds of??

Bill Shuey

Reply to
William H. Shuey

Try looking at Micro Mark or Harbor Freight for a small plating set up. I think I saw a small inexpensive set up from one of them.

Reply to
Zack

White metal is a generic term that includes a number of various alloys. Some of these can be polished to a chrome-like finish. However, most of these low temp casting alloys tarnish rapidly, so it is important to clean them and clear coat them.

If the alloy is NOT polishable, it can be plated. I would suggest first a copper plate, then a decorative plate. Actual chrome is very hard to do, but there are inexpensive brush plating sets that use either nickel or rhodium. Caldwell Industries is one vendor- I use their stuff. These nickel and rhodium platings look very much like chrome.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

And if you don't want to deal with all that work & mess of using those chemicals, consider paying a professional to do it. Look in the yellow pages under "plating". Probably not cost-effective for just a few small parts, but I did it once for a large lead figure.

Reply to
Wayne C. Morris

Parts for fire and police models i convert etc (so parts include, lightbars, ladders, etc.) Molds are made with RTV rubber

Reply to
Spinal

Most likely nickel plating.

Reply to
Ron

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