No More Plating Mystery

[Brad Davis]

Hi Guys,

I have noticed a couple threads popping up regarding plating. I too have had a few unknowns on projects and have been looking for a way to 100% determine plating type. Today I visited Geotechnical Services in Tustin, CA to have them check a selection of parts with their XRF gun (X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer). Fascinating results.

I selected the following parts (results listed)

1968 911 ATE Front Caliper (Cadmium)
1971 911 ATE Rear Caliper (Cadmium)
1959 Argus 90* Fitting (Zinc)
Late 1960’s Argus 90* Fitting (Zinc)
1957 356 Fuel Line (Cadmium)
1968 911 Front Strut Pressure Plate (Zinc)

Geotechnical Services
XRF Rentals & Consulting
2852 Walnut Ave Ste E-1
Tustin, CA 92780
714-832-5610
714-832-8766
www.geotechnical.net

Best regards,

Brad

[Brad Davis]

Results Spreadsheet with greater detail.

[304065]

Brad, good on you! Nothing settles the argument like a spectrograph peak.

[chris_seven]

Brad,

Great information.

Can you still find Cadmium platers in the USA that will do this work on Auto parts?

In UK it is restricted for Aerospace and military but I believe that parts that were Cadmium plated when initially made can be refurbished with an exemption.

I will check and see what the situation is as we have quite a few early calipers and it would be good to do them in the original finish.

[Longballa]

Chris, you can still get Cadmium plating in the US from Queen City Plating in WA. Their work is the best I've seen.

[Brad Davis]

Thanks Guys.

surprisingly, plating shops in California will do Cad. They are not thrilled to handle old greasy car parts. When I take in a batch I make sure to prep and clean the parts very well. Less trouble for the platter and ensures a good finished product.

[91133]

I read in another thread about rear deck grille refurbishment that Harvey Weidman indicated he had been struggling to replicate the hard black anodising on the grilles because all the modern formulae result in 'fade to brown/bronze' rather than the originals' 'fade to purple'. I wonder if this Flash Gordon XRF gun would analyse out the anodising components in a part of an old grille that had not seen the Sun?

Mark

[chris_seven]

I read in another thread about rear deck grille refurbishment that Harvey Weidman indicated he had been struggling to replicate the hard black anodising on the grilles because all the modern formulae result in 'fade to brown/bronze' rather than the originals' 'fade to purple'. I wonder if this Flash Gordon XRF gun would analyse out the anodising components in a part of an old grille that had not seen the Sun?

Mark

Unhappily anodising isn't a plated layer it is a surface conversion of the parent material to an oxide film.

The film is generally porous and it is coloured by boiling the part in a dye.

I am not sure XRF will measure the compounds used in the dye.

It is possible that it is the type of dye that has changed and older formulations may not be readily available.