Any electroplating experts in the house?

[C_Run]

Once again I am messing around with home made spoons now with winter steelhead season creeping up. I got a big stash of spoon heads from tomriker before, probably a lifetime supply now, so I've been making up some new sizes and shapes and some standard models. More of the same , really.



When I started using spoons a couple of years ago, the copper little cleo was my favorite, luckiest, most productive one it seemed like. Then last year it seemed like I could never find any for sale on the racks except the smallest sizes. What I would like to do for a rainy day project would be to electroplate copper on to the silver spoons. Has anybody done this or know of a good reference? I don't want to poison myself or blow up the shop. I've got an old high school chemistry book with a couple of paragraphs on plating so I know the basic set up and also have a 750mA fish finder battery charger I thought might work for the power source. Any help would be appreciated. I have also grown averse to spending $4 on a spoon since I've been making these little slayers for the cost of the hook and split rings.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Chris-

I have a friend at work that has been playing around with this some.

Ill quiz him tomorrow at work.

 

[Chromatose]

[video=youtube;P-Itoa0Zf98]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Itoa0Zf98#t=13[/video]

 

[C_Run]

Wow, thanks! Guess I should have looked at You Tube first. I think we are on to something here and now I have a use for my old funky shorts, too. There seem to be a bunch of related videos I will have to also check out.

C

 

[DirectDrive]

In Jed Davis' book Spinner Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon and Trout he does a chapter on home plating blades.

 

[C_Run]

Update: 12/2 First attempt ...fail

Update: 12/2 First attempt ...fail

:sad: I just wanted to report on my first attempt to copper plate spoons that were already silver plated using the method in the above video. The gentleman in the video was plating copper on to nickel, not quite what I was doing but I proceeded anyway once I accumulated all the stuff. Here are my pictures from two runs using vinegar and salt for the solution and a fish finder battery for the power source. The spoons were all different from each other and the results were less than satisfactory. First, the eight spoons I wanted to plate.



My setup with daisy chains of spoons and copper pipe electrode.



Setup in action. Bubbling away and looking good. Ten minutes with the juice on.




Finished product after cleaning it up.



At first, some of the spoons looked good but, when I tried to start buffing them, the copper just fell off. A couple of them seemed like the silver came off and they got very pitted and it showed the metal below it and some of the copper stuck to that. A couple of them seemed to have a bit of copper sticking on just enough to discolor the original silver.

Anyway, like I said before, all the spoons were different to start with and I think that may have something to do with the erratic results. I am not giving up but, I don't think this method is correct for doing what I wanted. I hope I saved someone else the hassle of going through this. I did buy Jed Davis' book. He talks about plating silver on to brass, I believe, and there are some specific chemicals needed for that, poisonous ones. I did get some ideas from his book though like putting a switch in the wiring and stirring the solution during the process.

 

[Socaaron]

Here's a tip.
If you have one available use a battery charger, preferably one with the adjustable volt and ampere setting. It's what I used to use. Try sanding the spoons to be plated before plating them, this will help create a surface for the copper to adhere to, also don't forget to clean them thoroughly with alcohol to remove any oils or dirt(including oils from your skin) *hint hint*

 

[Mark1983]

Sounds like some good tips. I'm still working on making spoons that won't twist my line, but I'll probably want to try electroplating at some point later on. It would definitely be helpful to get on here and hear anything you find out about what works well and what doesn't. Keep trying and let us know how it turns out.

 

[halibuthitman]

I guarantee the top 2 center spoons will fish very well.... that is the perfect amount of tarnish, I leave all of my copper spinners and spoons outside on my deck rail for about a month before I ever fish them, nice bright shiny copper fishes poorly compared to a nice patina stained presentation-

 

[C_Run]

Thanks for the additional tips. I think my little charger might be better for the power like Soccarron said. It seemed like it was progressing very fast with the battery, too fast. There were a lot of chunky precipitates generated that fell out in the bottom of the jar. Maybe some sanding and better sanitation will help , too. I will definitely use these even though they are kind of ugly.

 

[Mark1983]

I will definitely use these even though they are kind of ugly.

What's ugly to a fisherman might be beautiful to a fish. And vice versa, I've got some great looking lures that have never caught anything except weeds and rust.

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

What's ugly to a fisherman might be beautiful to a fish. And vice versa, I've got some great looking lures that have never caught anything except weeds and rust.

And Iv caught fish with lures that have rust! Id fish any of those spoons especially after iv lost my stash of cleos and steel lees

 

[bigboy70]

Didn't want to make a new thread first attempt ay making a spoon well lure period

<a

 

[rogerdodger]

Didn't want to make a new thread first attempt at making a spoon well lure period

looks like a 3/4 'Cleo, nice job...

 

[C_Run]

Didn't want to make a new thread first attempt ay making a spoon well lure period

<a

Beautiful. You must have ground it down quite a bit to get the shape, right?

 

[bigboy70]

Thanks Roger wading for 2/5oz little Cleo came out a little big.

C_run no I didn't lol perk of working at a machine shop you learn slot that can be transfered to making fishing lures lol

 

[1 nut in the water]

Didn't want to make a new thread first attempt ay making a spoon well lure period

<a

That looks fishy! Pump out a few hundred and your in business.

 

[bigboy70]

I need y'all opinion on what finishing. or should I leave it how it is?

 

[1 nut in the water]

I would say before you take a single cast you need to duplicate it before it is lost forever! Dress it up with anything from nail polish, sharpie or some powder paint.

 

[bigboy70]

Well I want to see how it fishes before I start making more, to see if its even worth it. Thanks for the tips on finishes 1 nut any color suggestions