Re: plating xmas balls...are you serious?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Mike <megavolts61-at-yahoo-dot-com> 

Ok,   if you wish to plate a plastic object,  I STRONGLY suggest using the 
age old siliver 'mirroring' process.  You can find the recipe in just about 
any old chemistry book....or email me offlist and I'll send it.   The 
copper 'electroless' process is ok, but much less likely to adhere as well.
   Once you've put on the initial silver coating, then you can easily plate 
the silvered part with another metal....because you can now apply 
electrical current to affect the plating.  Be advised that you will have to 
be working with toxic cyanide solutions, so don't even bother if you don't 
plan to be careful.  The cyanide solutions are safe.....unless you somehow 
manage to acidify them...then you have your own gas chamber.
    Note:  aluminum cannot be plated from an aqueous solution.  It requires 
some nasty organic solutions....a spun toroid would be much easier.
Nickel plating is relatively easy....don't bother with chrome 
plating....too much work and the benefits would be minimal, if any exist.
   There are a few electroless nickel plating solutions, but again,  a 
quick silver plate is so much more convenient.   Copper plating is so easy 
and cheap(commercial house wiring is electrolytically refined and pure 
enough for a cheap anode material).  You can build up a very nice layer of 
copper, then go for whatever metal you want to see(gold eg.).
     I've plated a lot of RF induction furnace parts...used silver....the 
tarnish isn't an issue except for looks.   Honestly....I would still use 
the dryer duct type...soooooo much easier.
Mike