I've been meaning to get answers on this very subject from a local plating shop here in Virginia.
There are several raw parts to a Way kit that I'm considering having 'plated'-- the BD spurs (whcih are really nothing more than slightly bent dowels, the outer rectangular metal plates that spurs go through, and possibly a few other items.
I'll share what info I get as well...
Jeff
It just seems that there might be a market for replating hardware to restore these old sets and make them shine like they were new. I've looked into reproduced snare lugs that I was told were exact and they appear o.k. but I want to use them on vintage shells that have holes drilled already and the locator underneath the lug that fits into the shell is 1/8 of an inch smaller than the hole! The lug fits so sloppy I don't want to use them, they would be usable on a new shell I'd have to drill but not on a old shell.
I restored a car for a guy once. it was a 1927 Isotta-Fraschini, Italian made limosene. The drivers seat aka cockpit was open at the top. no top for the driver. It was 18-20 ft long. The guy I restored it for payed me 18.00 a hour to come work on it. this was 25-30 yrs ago. He had a fishtank he chromed plated small parts in. He had a crockpot for replating copper or brass, and a little crockpot for replating gold. He hand made parts for that car that I couldnt believe! I did the interior. I drug a sewing machine over to his shop and left it there, and would go over there 2-3 times a week after work. Im just wondering, how hard could it be to rechrome a lug, if you really wanted to. Im sure a plating company could do it for you, but I bet they make lots more money on bigger stuff. They probably couldnt charge enough to do all these small parts.
It just seems that there might be a market for replating hardware to restore these old sets and make them shine like they were new. I've looked into reproduced snare lugs that I was told were exact and they appear o.k. but I want to use them on vintage shells that have holes drilled already and the locator underneath the lug that fits into the shell is 1/8 of an inch smaller than the hole! The lug fits so sloppy I don't want to use them, they would be usable on a new shell I'd have to drill but not on a old shell.
A buddy of mine is thinking the same thing, how hard could it be? He's actually researching it on the web now. I just don't know about all the chemicals and such used in the process, but it would be cool if it could be done at home without paying big bucks for someone to do it.
A buddy of mine is thinking the same thing, how hard could it be? He's actually researching it on the web now. I just don't know about all the chemicals and such used in the process, but it would be cool if it could be done at home without paying big bucks for someone to do it.
There are forums just like this for plating hobbbyists. I'd give a link if I had it, but when I stumbled onto to them it was just from a Google search. They would be a good resource to answer the "re-plate it myself?" questions.
For any of you in southern ,ca..The shop we used is called orange country plating.in the city of orange,they have been doing all of are work from 1992 to now..plating in chrome and brass and they do great work..Mikey
poppy, jjm, the problem isn't the plating, its the prep. Lugs are pot metal and pot metal is the hardest to plate or re-plate. Pot metal is prone to pitting, even pin hole pitting, which may or may not be visible. In these pits are were the grease and dirt gathers which inhibits the finish. Then those holes need to be filled to have a smooth surface. Some of it can be done when putting a copper base, but not all.
I agree there is probably a market for replating drum parts, however, there is a reason it costs so much. Most of the time it is cheaper to use new parts..
Good luck! I hope you have better luck in your searches than I did. Here's a place I looked at:
Just talked to a guy named Matt at Orange County Plating and he estimated a price (for my 20s NOB) of $5 per lug and $35 for the shell. That's not too shabby!
Those prices include stripping and are for all the different plating materials.
Just talked to a guy named Matt at Orange County Plating and he estimated a price (for my 20s NOB) of $5 per lug and $35 for the shell. That's not too shabby!Those prices include stripping and are for all the different plating materials.
That seems pretty reasonable.
Just talked to a guy named Matt at Orange County Plating and he estimated a price (for my 20s NOB) of $5 per lug and $35 for the shell. That's not too shabby!Those prices include stripping and are for all the different plating materials.
Do they do black nickel or black chrome?
