Electroplating & the 3.8 Fan Relay

[E-by'eck]

For those of you who like me are undertaking the long haul of Etype restoration, I cannot overstate the benefits of learning the dark art of electroplating. If I can do it so can you!

As the large number of original EType small parts become harder to source and usually arrive after a hard life and at considerable cost, why would you trust some corporate to fiddle with your bits !!!

I use zinc nickel to plate with as it looks like zinc...is as easy as zinc to plate with.... and lasts 10/20 times longer than zinc. It is a no brainer especially for small items and with practise and investing in the right kit you can get great results as below.

The 3.8 Etype uniquely uses a 6RA mechanical relay for the electric fan. Much better to use a modern reliable relay with electric gizmo stuff inside. A repro 6RA can cost you £20+. A modern relay can be less than a fiver, BUT we all crave for originality don't we????

Here is what I did...

Take one old 6RA



Disembowel it, cut out the back and zinc nickel plate. Epoxy your modern relay into the case


Plate the 6RA bracket and epoxy to the relay

Job done!!



Always enjoyed Blue Peter as a child.

To conclude, a big thanks to all the experts who work to provide and contribute to this forum. I still make a lot of mistakes with Etype rebuilding, but the wealth of knowledge this forum contains has for me prevented many more cock-ups along the way.

Graham

[richard btype]

Graham

I wish I could say that I had as much success of plating that you seem to have enjoyed, of late have found it more satisfying to use a local plater at 20p an item (to have them individually wired - in the hope of losing less!) - unfortunately one or two pieces have gone astray.

Shame we cannot have a special dispensation to use the aircraft guys and have our components cadmium plated!

[christopher storey]

Richard : there is ( or was when I last enquired a few years ago ) absolutely no regulatory problem getting parts which were originally cadmium plated, replated in cadmium. The difficulty lies in the fact that there are now only 2 places in the UK which do it AFAIK and when I last priced up some major replating on suspension parts, it was more than 5 times the cost of zinc-nickel which is what I went for

[mgcjag]

Electro plateing is really easy at home....but you need to follow the instructions and get the current right.....i got a kit of ebay.......the largest items i done were the front and rear calipers........all done in just a bucket useing a fish tank heater and pump to circulate the mixture........5 years on they still look great......i spray all the re zinced parts with Dimatrol clear high temperature hard wax

[Mich7920]

Hi Steve,

Where did you find the "Dimatrol" ?
Thanks
mich

[mgcjag]

Hi Mich.....this is the product....plenty of places to get it online http://www.frost.co.uk/dinitrol-corrohe ... 500ml.html

[Mich7920]

Hi Steeve,
Dinitrol is ok for me, I didn't find your "Dimatrol"...
Thanks
Mich

[richard btype]

Richard : there is ( or was when I last enquired a few years ago ) absolutely no regulatory problem getting parts which were originally cadmium plated, replated in cadmium. The difficulty lies in the fact that there are now only 2 places in the UK which do it AFAIK and when I last priced up some major replating on suspension parts, it was more than 5 times the cost of zinc-nickel which is what I went for

Christopher

I would much appreciate having their contact details…

[christopher storey]

Ricahrd : I think that one of the two I got prices from was

South West Metal Finishing, Exeter, 01392 258234

The other was in Wales but I cannot remember who, but it might have been Dennis Ferranti

You might find this list helpful - it looks as though West Middlesex Surface Treatments are doing it

http://www.engineeringcapacity.com/dire ... ng/cadmium

Chris

[cactusman]

I think you may find it hard to get things Cd plated now. While there are companies that will plate using cadmium the restriction on the use of hazardous substances regs (ROHS) mean that unless the cadmium plating is for aircraft, defence, offshore, safety, nuclear or electrical contacts then it is essentially banned. I suspect the answer from cadmium platers will be "No" unless you are lucky and they blend your bits in with a batch of other stuff they are doing so to speak....

[christopher storey]

Julian : I think you will find the directive in fact only applies to electrical and electronic equipment. It goes back to about 2002 although it has more recently been extended to cover a range of predominantly medical equipment . Like hexavalent chromium compounds, with the results of which sadly I had extensive experience , there is no substitute for some substances , and the purpose of the directive as I understand it is to restrict the new uses to which the substances can be put and minimise the possibility of emissions from e.g. arcing

[cactusman]

Afraid I think you are wrong. The directive applies to the use of hazardous substances in General and is different for each. I took my list from here

http://www.poeton.co.uk/w1/cadmium.htm

They do offer cadmium plating but are very clear about where bit can be used. They do mention the use of it in certain safety devices on road vehicles but General use for cosmetic appearances only would not, I suspect, be allowed.

Rules are open to interpretation but the gist of ROHS as I understand it is to limit use where the substance poses a risk to the environment either through use of or when disposed of. It applies to many areas of industry and not just to electronic devices.

Lead solder for instance is banned in new electronics not because it is hazardous to the user but because when disposed of the lead may contaminate other recoverable materials and when dumped in land fill the lead leaches out. The same applies presumably to the use of cadmium in cars.

ROHS legislation means the demise of the mercury thermometer as mercury use is hugely restricted due to the hazardous nature of mercury...

There are exceptions where no other option exists but those seem mostly to apply to military, aeronautical and medical applications where , presumably, more stringent disposal applies. I know someone who is an environmental compliance officer for Honda. Cadmium is essentially banned in motor vehicles as there are other plating materials that will do just as good a job. You may find a plater happy to plate old parts but then you may not...up to their interpretation of the rules I guess.

[cactusman]

Having peered st the rohs regs (yawn) they do apply just to electronic bits so who knows..platers might be willing to plate bits although I do still suspect that cadmium, because of its known toxicity, may also be covered by other regulations covering the use of hazardous materials. I do know from a friend who works in the car industry that cadmium, mercury, lead and hexavalent chromium among others are essentially banned in new cars although I doubt the ban would extend to old cars.

The fact that a couple of the plating companies on the link specifically mentioned vehicles makes me suspect you will find it difficult to get bits plated but the way to be sure i guess is to ask...

[Mark Gordon]

I do know from a friend who works in the car industry that cadmium, mercury, lead and hexavalent chromium among others are essentially banned in new cars although I doubt the ban would extend to old cars.

This interesting discussion makes me wonder: What would your regs say about a fastidious restorer using lead filling on the overhauling of an E's bodywork? Or for that matter, Jaguar Heritage Trust, making absolutely faithful "original" lightweight E's using it in their recent manufacturing? No question that more lead would be involved in body filling than in a few soldered electrical connections.

[cactusman]

Regs only apply to new cars You cannot use lead solder to make new bits but you are permitted to repair old parts that originally used lead solder with lead based solder....and as most will tell you....Lead tin solder is much better than the lead free replacement crap any how

Trouble with the cadmium plate thing is persuading the few platers left to re-plate (emphasis on the re ) your old parts.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has any joy....