Whilst I have a few days off over Christmas I thought I’d try my hand at electroplating.
I have a few bolts under the bonnet that I’d like to save, in particular the 4 x M10 bolts that secure the top engine mount. I have tried alternative ones but can’t find any decent 33mm washers thick enough to withstand bending when torquing down. Most seem to be 2.5 mm whereas the Renault bolts are 3.2mm.
The electroplating kit comprises of the following :
1. 5 ltrs White Vinegar - £5
2. Table salt - free
3. Small jar with sealed lid - £1
4. Mobile phone charger - free
5. Copper wire - £2
6. Zinc anodes - £10 for 5 100mm x 100mm plates
I chose a Zinc Anode as my priority is restoring the bolts and protecting against further corrosion rather than looks. All sorts of passivates/brighteners can be used during the process but I’m only starting with the basics.
I filled the jar with Vinegar and added a tablespoon of salt. Then cut 2 thin strips of Zinc Anode and connected to the charger. The Zinc Acetate took around 2 hours to create.
I took the rusty bolts and gave them a good clean up in the wire wheel. Unfortunately there’s some pitting on the washers which no amount of plating will cover 🤷🏻♂️
To remove any grease I soaked the bolts in Acetone for a minute, then rinsed in distilled water.
Then cut another strip of Zinc Anode and connected the positive wire to that, then wrapped some copper wire around the bolts (I did 2 at a time) then connected the negative wire to that.
The process begins immediately and after 15 minutes the bolts were pretty much covered in Zinc - I’d recommend moving the parts around halfway through the process to get an even covering.
I repeated this process 3 times on each bolt to give a decent coating, then gave the bolts a light once over with wire wool.
Pretty pleased with how they turned out, so did a few more bolts while I’m there.
I know you can get bolts done pretty cheaply but I’m always up for learning new things, especially when it’s to do with restoring my Clio. Cost-wise it works out pretty reasonable given I can get 5 strips from 1 plate and each strip will do at least 4 bolts with multiple coverings.
Looking forward to learning a bit more about the process and trying different things.