Art & Inspiration NICKEL PLATED EXAMPLES

Please include pictures of nickel plated parts and your satisfaction with same. Did a search and did not see many pictures.

Thanks folks.

 

@DDDenny has some

 

^^^^^^^This!

 

Yes, yes I do!
Electroless nickel.

 

Nice Denny! More please.

 

I spoke to a plater about this when I client requested nickel for a job. Triple chrome plating is a layer of copper, a layer of nickle, and then layer of chrome. the Chromes job is to protect the nickel. Nickel marks really easily, finger prints etc, so while it looks great, I dot think I'd recommend it for a car, unless its show only, just my thoughts...

 

Please do not bring up chrome because it then becomes a Nickel/chrome debate, Nickel pictures please, not nickel/chrome opinions.

 

28-9 model A grill shells were nickel plated.

 

https://search.xfinity.com/?searchTerm=nickel+plating,+auto+parts,+pictures&searchType=images&searchPage=1

Hope this works!

 

If it shines, it's nickel plated, no chrome! You do have to keep on it with polish, it will tarnish over time. At least once a year this car got a full polish treatment.

 

Here’s some photos of two early Ford window handles showing one nickel and one chrome for comparison.
Not really a lot of difference can be seen in a photo, I really think you need to see nickel in the flesh so to speak. I’ve heard some say nickel has a warmer or richer appearance.
And like Joe H said it does tarnish, it gets a dull haze on it.

 

Here are a couple closeups to show the "muted" shine on my parts, I also should note this is called a satin finish, before having these done I prepped the bare steel with Scotchbrite to give them a brushed appearance.

 

Ok. Denny's parts are electroless nickel. There is a difference. I don't have have time for a dissertation, but En can be engineered for different properties, from brite to satin, hardness approaching hard chrome to ductile, depending upon the requirements needed. All surfaces will build up the same thickness. Electro nickel today comes out of the tank brite, In the 1920's and 30's nickel plating was dull, some Model A parts were left that way, like the shifter and the bottom of the brake handle. Parts that were to be chrome and polished were nickel buffed before flashing on the chrome. Electro Ni thickness will vary depending on the shape of the part and the current density. High quality satin finishes are polished, plated then satin finished for a uniform finish. Economy satin finishes can be media blasted and straight plated.

 

Back when Don Thelen - buffalo motor cars - built that beautiful all nickel plated '32 Roadster for Bob Morris he told me that there were different kinds of Nickel and that the nickel chrome platers use under chrome was not the kind to use. He used decorative nickel also known as German Silver such as used on high end guns and architectural items. The shinyness of the nickel depends of course on the surface preparation I.e. a highly polished steel part will be shiny and a dulled steel part will be dull.

 

I had the home built forks on our Bonneville bike electroless nickel plated. Washed the salt off when we got home, and the nickel held up fine.

 

Really like nickel plating. Ive been experimenting with it to apply at home. Havent had luck with nickel plating direct to steel, but nickel plated to zinc has gone well.
Yeah I know about Caswell, But the kits are pricey. Anyone else doing this at home let me know, Id like to compare setups.

 

I thought the 28-29 were painted and the 30-31 were nickel plated.

 

Commercial ones were (e.g. pickups), otherwise shiny nickel.

 

'30-31 are stainless steel.

 

'28 tuna can tail lights were nickel plated too.