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MG TD TF 1500 - Plating Hood Latch

I started zinc plating the hood latch mechanism.

Zinc plating is a really easy and relativly safe home project.

I get pure zinc bars off ebay for a couple of bucks.

Mix 1 gallon 5% vinegar (household vinegar) with 3.5 oz (100g) of epsom salt and 4.3 oz (125g) cane sugar (Brightener).

Put in a bar or sheet of zinc into the solution and let stand for 24 hours. This is the plating solution.

Wwire wheel the parts down to bare metal and then clean.

I wipe the part with a solvent (acetone or laquer thinner) and then use an electro cleaning process.

I use an alkaly degreaser (purple power) with a steel anode hooked to positive and the part hooked to negative. Put both into the degreaser for a minute (Keep the anode and the part separate in the cleaning solution). I run this at 6 v DC for approximately 1 minute. (I use a variable power supply). You can hand clean the part with a brush and degreaser, but it may take a bit more cleaning to get it ready for plating.

Rinse with distilled water and dip into a 10% muratic acid bath.

Rinse again with distilled water. Check the part to assure it is clean by looking if the rinse water sheets off the part. If there are beads of water, repeat the cleaning process.

Part gets hooked to negative, zinc anode to positive. I run this at 1.5 v. You can use 2 D cell batteres for this. A small DC power supply, like a wall charger works well also. The part and anode go into the plating solution. Make sure the two are apart and not touching.

I check the part at 2 minutes and then again about every minute until the part is evenly colored a dull gray color.

Take out of the solution and rinse again with distilled water. Buff with a soft cloth.

You can put the part back in the solution if you find areas that did not plate well.

Materials:
1.5v DC power supply
6v DC power supply
Gallon tub
5% vinegar
Epsom salt
Sugar
Zinc bar.


Bruce Cunha

A club member zinc plated his TF latches recently. Look good. I hope to start plating in a week or two.

Do you feel that the zinc is thick enough to prevent/slow rust on fasteners and latches?

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Bruce

Like your work.

Graeme
G Evans

Wow. That is wonderful.

I always thought that zinc was blueish. These look just like CAD.
Christopher Couper

Hi Lonnie. I zinc plated all the washers and wiring/brake line clips on my MGB. That was back in 2005 and they look close to when I put them on. These are under the car, so yea, I think they should be ok to prevent rust. Nice thing about zinc, is if they start to rust, just a little steel wool removes it.
Bruce Cunha

Thanks Bruce. I'm looking forward to start plating.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

This thread was discussed between 14/09/2020 and 15/09/2020

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