Electroplating Services for Small Parts
We plate small work — knife fittings, brackets, trim, tooling, model parts, instrument hardware and restoration pieces. The jobs most plating shops turn away because they will not fill a tank. No minimum order, no setup fee on small parts.
Send a couple of photos and tell us the base metal. That is enough to quote.
Nickel plating
Hard, corrosion-resistant, and the usual choice for tooling, fasteners and brackets. Bright nickel takes a mirror polish and shows every flaw underneath; satin nickel is softer and far more forgiving. Plates directly on steel, brass and copper, or over a copper strike on zinc and pot metal.
Copper plating
A finish in its own right and the standard undercoat. A copper strike gives later layers something to key into and is often the only way to get nickel or silver to adhere to a difficult base metal. Bare copper darkens over time — say if you want it lacquered.
Silver plating
Decorative and highly conductive. Common on instrument parts, contacts, jewellery findings and restoration work. Silver tarnishes; we can lacquer it, though that rules out electrical use.
Gold plating
Flash and accent work rather than heavy deposits — small decorative parts, jewellery findings, trim details and contact surfaces. Quoted by the piece.
Base metals we plate
Steel, stainless, brass, bronze and copper plate directly. Zinc, pot metal and die-cast parts need a copper strike first. We do not plate aluminium, plastics, or previously chrome-plated parts without stripping. Pitted, painted or rusted parts need prep, and prep is quotable work.
Turnaround
Five to ten business days from the day your part arrives, plus return shipping. Rush work is sometimes possible — ask when you request a quote. Everything ships from the USA.