Nickel Plateing

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Nickel Plateing

Andy Cunningham-2

Guy's..

Just wanted to ask,...

Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?

The item is, a "1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior" morse key, bought by
myself on that site that can't be mentioned..

I've spent the best part of a year of my life, "restoring" this key, back to
just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations (I
dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
with my results for a first time tryin'
my hand at a resoration project.

There are some who would say, "leave it as is", and others who say "yep,
that'll be nice when shineing again"....believe me, I have been tossing with
both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
I "wondered" in the beginning if the key COULD
indeed be "restored", but with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of time,
it is once again nearly "fully functional" as it was intended
for back in 1924, all parts that were "stuck fast" are now free, and working
as they should be, ...the only thing is "cosmetics" really,..

I feel that parts of the key could do, with some "restoration" on the
nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will stay
in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.

I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen, as
to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
seen as "small lot"..

SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
that might be interested in a "small lot job", or indeed someone who has in
the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a "ham" out there
willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to where
upon the subsequent "ham" could get the job done, and then send the key back
to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a "ham" who can
help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me know.

Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..

72's
Andy
GM0NWI              [hidden email]

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Re: Nickel Plateing

stephen Farthing
Andy,
            There is a company in the UK which sells DIY Nickel Plating
kits. They target people in the vintage
 motorcycle restoration hobby. Its not that difficult to do. I have an
address somewhere which I will post when i find it. you could also look in
the yellow pages of find a copu of Classic Bike which Smiths sells there
will be ads in there. There is a company called "Farham Electroplating" in
Hampshire run by a very nice lady called Patsy Boullin who might
help....dont have the phone number with me...

Steve


----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy GM0NWI" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>; "QRP-L Reflector"
<[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 6:12 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Nickel Plateing


>
> Guy's..
>
> Just wanted to ask,...
>
> Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
> enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?
>
> The item is, a "1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior" morse key, bought by
> myself on that site that can't be mentioned..
>
> I've spent the best part of a year of my life, "restoring" this key, back
> to
> just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations
> (I
> dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
> with my results for a first time tryin'
> my hand at a resoration project.
>
> There are some who would say, "leave it as is", and others who say "yep,
> that'll be nice when shineing again"....believe me, I have been tossing
> with
> both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
> I "wondered" in the beginning if the key COULD
> indeed be "restored", but with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of
> time,
> it is once again nearly "fully functional" as it was intended
> for back in 1924, all parts that were "stuck fast" are now free, and
> working
> as they should be, ...the only thing is "cosmetics" really,..
>
> I feel that parts of the key could do, with some "restoration" on the
> nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will
> stay
> in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.
>
> I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen,
> as
> to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
> seen as "small lot"..
>
> SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
> that might be interested in a "small lot job", or indeed someone who has
> in
> the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a "ham" out there
> willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to
> where
> upon the subsequent "ham" could get the job done, and then send the key
> back
> to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a "ham" who can
> help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me
> know.
>
> Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..
>
> 72's
> Andy
> GM0NWI              [hidden email]
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>


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RE: Nickel Plateing

EricJ-2
In reply to this post by Andy Cunningham-2
I've owned and written about motorcycles built all over the world. The best
plating I have every seen was always on British motorcycles. Japanese
motorcycle plating looks like it's done on plastic. American motorcycle
plating LOOKS like plastic. German plating is technically very good but
unremarkable. British plating is indescribable. It has subtle depth and tone
like no other finish.

Somewhere, somehow there is a little shop in England that has survived the
demise of the British motorcycle industry and can do a proper job on that
Vibroplex. Unfortunately, it won't be like the original which, sad to say
was typical of American plating. But after a year what's a little more time
to get it right.

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com
Wishing he still had his Red, White & Blue 1975 Norton Commando 850
Interstate

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Andy GM0NWI
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 10:12 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector; QRP-L Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Nickel Plateing


Guy's..

Just wanted to ask,...

Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?

The item is, a "1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior" morse key, bought by
myself on that site that can't be mentioned..

I've spent the best part of a year of my life, "restoring" this key, back to
just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations (I
dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
with my results for a first time tryin'
my hand at a resoration project.

There are some who would say, "leave it as is", and others who say "yep,
that'll be nice when shineing again"....believe me, I have been tossing with
both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
I "wondered" in the beginning if the key COULD indeed be "restored", but
with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of time, it is once again nearly
"fully functional" as it was intended for back in 1924, all parts that were
"stuck fast" are now free, and working as they should be, ...the only thing
is "cosmetics" really,..

I feel that parts of the key could do, with some "restoration" on the
nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will stay
in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.

I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen, as
to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
seen as "small lot"..

SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
that might be interested in a "small lot job", or indeed someone who has in
the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a "ham" out there
willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to where
upon the subsequent "ham" could get the job done, and then send the key back
to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a "ham" who can
help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me know.

Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..

72's
Andy
GM0NWI              [hidden email]

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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Re: Nickel Plateing

rrkrr-2
In reply to this post by Andy Cunningham-2
Andy,
I had good results with Graves Plating Co. in Florence, Alabama.  They
do a lot of restoration work.
http://www.gravesplating.com/

You might also consider asking Vibroplex who they use.  They are still
in business in Mobile, Alabama.
 http://www.vibroplex.com/

Bob
WB4TGG

Andy GM0NWI wrote:

>Guy's..
>
>Just wanted to ask,...
>
>Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
>enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?
>
>The item is, a "1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior" morse key, bought by
>myself on that site that can't be mentioned..
>
>I've spent the best part of a year of my life, "restoring" this key, back to
>just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations (I
>dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
>with my results for a first time tryin'
>my hand at a resoration project.
>
>There are some who would say, "leave it as is", and others who say "yep,
>that'll be nice when shineing again"....believe me, I have been tossing with
>both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
>I "wondered" in the beginning if the key COULD
>indeed be "restored", but with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of time,
>it is once again nearly "fully functional" as it was intended
>for back in 1924, all parts that were "stuck fast" are now free, and working
>as they should be, ...the only thing is "cosmetics" really,..
>
>I feel that parts of the key could do, with some "restoration" on the
>nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will stay
>in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.
>
>I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen, as
>to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
>seen as "small lot"..
>
>SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
>that might be interested in a "small lot job", or indeed someone who has in
>the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a "ham" out there
>willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to where
>upon the subsequent "ham" could get the job done, and then send the key back
>to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a "ham" who can
>help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me know.
>
>Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..
>
>72's
>Andy
>GM0NWI              [hidden email]
>
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>  
>

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Post to: [hidden email]
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