Plating on hardware 73 Six Day

[PNWbinder]

I'm the guy working on a 73 Six Day and have mentioned before that I work at a plating shop.  My question to you guys is what coating is original on the hardware?  I did a search here and it looks like zinc is preferred which would be easy, but I took some stuff to work and it doesn't appear to be any plating at all on the axle bolts, the accompaning nuts and washers, and the brake lever.  That's all I took to work so I wouldn't get things mixed up and forget where they go.  If there was zinc on them they would gas violently in hydrochloric acid and they did not.  They look like bare steel.    We don't have cadmium so that's not an option for me.  I would prefer zinc but I want this the bike to be original if practicle. Any input on this?  I'm no expert on plating yet so maybe the zinc corroded off over the years but it seems some plating would exist.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

[Kip Kern]

Mark  I brite Zinc everything on the machine including the spokes and nipples. CIAO

[PNWbinder]

Thanks Kip I'm pretty sure that's what I'll do too.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

[Ernie Phillips]

I need to have some small parts (spokes & nipples) plated.  I think zinc would be good but do not have a local source.  Does anyone have any experience with the do-it-yourself kits such Caswell?  Which kit did you use?  Thanks,

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[pketchum]

Ernie,

In my opinion you should do yourself a favor and have it done professionally.  I bought one of the Caswell zinc plating kits for around $70 and had some initial success (at least I thought).  However, while it does coat the pieces using the ONE sacrificial zinc anode, the result is less than satisfactory.  The coating just doesn't seem thick enough to justify the price and the time spent in the garage.

Hi Mark!


Phil Ketchum
Kansas City, MO

[Ernie Phillips]

Phil,  Dang!  I was hoping that a do-it-yourself kit could be my salvation.  Anybody have a recommendation for a plating shop that will handle this small stuff (spokes/nipples) - southeast preferred.

If plating does not work out, where can I get new nipples (cheap) for '72 & '74 6-day  (they look the same)

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[rfpotter]

Ernie,
I was talking to Nelson Lingle a few months ago about his Jackpiner. He is in Oak Ridge, and he mentioned getting zinc plating by the pound, and I think he said it was in Loudon. You might contact him through the members section, if not I think I have his email address around here somewhere.

Patrick Houston
Cosby, Tennessee

[linglewn]

Ernie,
Patrick is correct, I have had two batches of various sized parts zinc plated at Pro Tech Metal Finishing, 120 Tellico Port Rd, Vanore, TN. Phone 423-884-2000.

They have a minimum charge of $80 for up to 20 pounds of parts. All the Penton parts that need to be plated don't exceed the 20 pound minimum. They have done a good job for me, and most importantly haven't lost any of the small parts. You might call them to see if they will accept jobs that are shipped to them to save you two trips from Chattanooga.

Good luck.

Nelson Lingle
73 Jackpiner
71 DKW 125

[Ernie Phillips]

Patrick & Nelson,

Thanks for the plating contact.  I'll check them out.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN