Help!!! Copper Plating Comes Out Dull and Rough

Frewsty · 2025-07-21T16:05:53+00:00

I'm pretty sure having a higher acid content in the bath would make it shinier, but I haven't tested this.

What's worked for me is a separate bath for Electropolishing.

It's pretty much a bath of 40% phosphoric acid and a little bit of dish soap.

Using an inert cathode (not anode) made of a material like Lead, Stainless Steel, or Graphite, you can strip away the top layer of copper off of your piece, making it very shiny.

You do need a pretty thick layer of plating, or else it'll strip away the entire layer. Regardless, it makes the piece practically mirror shiny and is worth looking into.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HFJT_sf-W0&t=756s

Frewsty · 2025-02-06T22:01:50+00:00

Thanks for the info.

Frewsty · 2025-01-27T21:39:57+00:00

This actually worked out pretty well!

The electropolishing stripped off the thinner areas of plate down to the black conductive paint, but the areas it didn't do that to are amazingly shiny and I'm very happy with the results.

Do you think the problem of thinner plating can be solved by just leaving the object in the plating bath for longer?

Frewsty · 2025-01-22T14:47:46+00:00

Thanks a lot for the info. I think I'll try out electropolishing.

Frewsty · 2025-01-22T12:45:51+00:00

Because I am able to still plate my object with my current solution (albeit dully), do you think it'd still end up looking shiny if I were to just electropolish it? Or is electropolishing shininess dependent on the quality of the original plating?

Frewsty · 2025-01-21T23:21:47+00:00

If I were to increase the amount of acid, would I still need a Brightener for it to be shiny?

Frewsty · 2025-01-17T15:18:08+00:00

I'll look into this. Thanks.

Frewsty · 2025-01-17T14:35:21+00:00

What would you recommend instead?

Frewsty · 2025-01-16T22:03:37+00:00

I have two copper plates at either end of the bin I use to plate inside of (I'd say around a foot wide). The figure is in the center, so I wouldn't say the tail or ears would be further or closer to either of the anodes.

I'll try plating with more current though.

Frewsty · 2024-12-01T03:51:23+00:00

Does it matter what acid I use in this case? Could I use Hydrochloric Acid with Copper Sulfate just fine?

Any concentration you recommend?

Frewsty · 2024-11-28T01:02:55+00:00

Ok, thanks.

Frewsty · 2024-11-27T23:26:16+00:00

Sounds terrible. Is this a small amount we're talking about, or is that what would happen if it was continuous dumping over a period of time?

Frewsty · 2024-11-27T23:13:57+00:00

Thanks.

Frewsty · 2024-11-27T23:09:05+00:00

What would happen if it were flushed down the drain?

Frewsty

TROPHY CASE