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zinc plating kit and question

To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: zinc plating kit and question
From: Gbouff1@aol.com
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 21:37:17 EST
Listers,
 
I have a little information to pass on and also a question.
 
One of the items on my Christmas list was the Eastwood zinc plating  kit.  I 
have to say that the kit works as advertised.
 
Over the weekend, I removed the pitted and rusty covers from the flasher  
relay, overdrive relay and overdrive switch.  The flasher relay is made  from 
very thin stock so I lightly sand blasted to remove rust from the pitted  areas 
and then blended the areas as much as possible by sanding.  The  overdrive 
relay and switch covers are quite thick and can take quite a bit of  sanding 
without problems.  I just made sure that I didn't remove the  stamped markings.
 
I followed the recommended procedure for plating which only takes about 4-8  
minutes per piece.  The plating initially comes out as a frosty silver  
surface but can be easily buffed. I used a dry paper towel to buff the surface  
to  
a shiny satin surface that resembles the surface of modern  aluminum relay 
covers, the surface can be further buffed with polish to a shiny  metallic 
surface.
 
My question to the list is what surface condition was on the original  covers 
when new?
 
As far as the rest of the mechanism, I cleaned the insulating board with  
carb cleaner and wire brushed the rust from the connector strips and associated 
 
hardware to a bright finish.  I then masked off the areas that would make  
connection and sprayed the outside of the insulating board and metal connectors 
 
with clear wheel finish.  
 
I am very pleased with the finished results.  I am also glad that I  checked 
the replacement value  of the pieces AFTER I did the finishing,  otherwise I 
may have not been so cavalier in taking on all three pieces at  once.
 
TIA for any info on the original plating surface color/finish.
 
Gary Bouffard
1960 BN7




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