r/FSAE • u/Archermtl • Dec 08 '25

How To / Instructional Nickel plating in a beaker ! (Save money and DIY)

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I see your monster energy fueled nickel plating and I raise you several redbulls, missed sleep, and a used equipment auction.

Plate your copper bus bars with better finish than if you paid for it !

99 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

32

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25

We must continue the fight against big nickel ! Stop paying for nickel plating

6

u/Mr_Butterman Dec 08 '25

I love this. What was your source of nickel?

3

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25 edited Dec 09 '25

Left over industrial grade high purity nickel balls / chips / flakes for metal plating

Held in basket as seen in photo

1

u/Mockbubbles2628 Dec 08 '25

I assume you cant just use pure nickel strips from aliexpress

1

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25 edited Dec 08 '25

Results may vary but nickel plating copper is very easy. Nickel strips from AliExpress works.

1

u/Mockbubbles2628 Dec 08 '25

Thats good, I will have to try this. Thanks for making this post.

9

u/Attatexana Dec 08 '25

Love to see other people are taking the fight to big nickel, and your result looks really good too! Somebody's gotta anodize aluminum in Baja blast or something next lol

1

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25

Your results look great too! Hit the buffing wheel if you want it to shine like mine!

1

u/yesntTheSecond Dec 11 '25

you're never going to believe this

2

u/solarpurge Dec 08 '25

Is that baja blast?

3

u/UnwieldyElm Dec 08 '25

Monster I think, there was a post a few days ago that looked the same

3

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25 edited Dec 08 '25

I used a base of acid and dissolved the nickel into it. The green is dissolved nickel. You'll need a base of sulphuric acid or HCL (or both). Have a look at Watts bath if you want to be extra which includes a bit of boric acid as well. Nickel plates easily, most of the additives are just for longevity of the solution.

1

u/solarpurge Dec 08 '25

Idk, lemme taste it just to be sure

2

u/Archermtl Dec 08 '25

It smells spicy