Roland6250 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  08:58:42

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Any suggestions on where to get metal parts re-plated?

Grey Dog - Posted - 10/30/2009:  09:05:15

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I have a jeweler who can do it, but I think it's more of a personal favor than a public service....But you may want to check into it.

][ Grey Dog in NH

Grey Dog - Posted - 10/30/2009:  09:05:52

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Clarification: Jeweler who makes the jewelry, not just one who sells it.

][ Grey Dog in NH

percyfam - Posted - 10/30/2009:  09:07:21

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Ron Satterfield at Nashville Plating Service does excellent work. Try this: http://www.nashvilleplatingservice.com/



http://www.reverbnation.com/souther...urebluegrass

Tele65 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  09:07:32

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I would drop a line to Steve Huber at Huber Banjos

118 M Mid Town Court
Hendersonville, TN 37075

615-264-4959

But I have one of his rings... YMMV

Cheers

Fabio
----------------------------------------------------------
Come on cow, come a cow cow yippee ay yey!

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Edited by - Tele65 on 10/30/2009 09:08:10

uncle.fogey - Posted - 10/30/2009:  09:42:20

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I have found plating to be more and more of a problem as time goes on. At one time I could get it done easily, now the small shops that chrome plate motorcycle parts and could nickel plate banjo parts are becoming scarce, probably due to EPA regulations involved with the chemicals they use. Gold plating uses cyanide, as an example, and many of these guys were probably disposing of it improperly.

Most recently, I got a quote to nickel plate a bracket band (no brackets, just the band) a tension hoop and a simple tailpiece, and the price was $75, not including mailing, shipping or whatever it took to get it back and forth. Maybe that's reasonable, and I'm just a complainer.(?)

I gave up and bought an electroless nickel plating kit from Caswell. I haven't tried it yet, but will report when I do.

A man wouldn't need many plastic heads in a lifetime.

beegee - Posted - 10/30/2009:  10:41:25

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Google "metal plating NJ" and you should be able to find someone close, if close is what you're after.

__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca

uncle.fogey - Posted - 10/30/2009:  12:15:58

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quote:

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Originally posted by beegee

Google "metal plating NJ" and you should be able to find someone close, if close is what you're after.

__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca

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Actually, the place I got the quote from is in Elmira NY, very close to where I live, closer than Jersey. Most of the places I called are either out of business, or send it out to that big plater in the sky somewhere.
The shipping is never cheap, you have to polish the part, wrap it up so it doesn't get scuffed, etc etc.

I analyzed how many square inches I needed plated, what they were quoting, and just decided to do it myself and eliminate the hassle. It will build character.

A man wouldn't need many plastic heads in a lifetime.

tubeandplate - Posted - 10/30/2009:  12:19:31

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Steve Huber, hands down. Well worth shipping him your parts.

The best option in my opinion and experience.

I'll let him tell you why if you call him.

I have no stake in that recommendation even though I used to work there and did a lot of the plating myself.

http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/152453

Chris Cioffi
(615)382-1376

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Edited by - tubeandplate on 10/30/2009 12:22:31

uncle.fogey - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:09:19

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I'm sure there are some good people out there, Steve Huber being one of the best. Any idea what he would charge to plate a bracket band? I think I'm going to figure out how to do it myself - that way I can control it and not have to depend on someone else's schedule. It's easy to make things out of brass - not being able to plate them is like making wooden parts and having to send them out to be lacquered.

A man wouldn't need many plastic heads in a lifetime.

the.hogman - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:20:33

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I have recently gotten prices on plating from several of the platers on the Hangout and a full set of hardware for a typical Gibson was running at least $375. If I wanted an additional service such as copper flash it added as much as $175 on top of the $375!!

I must be cheap because I determined that "looks" don't matter at those prices... Not that much more and I can buy new?

Anyways, good luck in your quest and keep us posted if you find a reasonably priced plater. I'm still looking.

Phil

O=='=::
Got Banjo?

tubeandplate - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:42:00

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Huber is consistently reasonable/comparable or even cheaper than a lot of plating houses, and of course the worry of trusting a lunkhead with your precious banjo parts is not part of the equation with Steve Huber.

I don't have any specific prices (I often do barter things with Steve when I need plating since he uses my services from time to time), but my experience with him has been that Nickle is so reasonable (comparatively, pricewise) it's laughable (and doesn't look like the chincey new nickle most banjo parts look like these days), and Gold is pretty much what everyone else prices at but looks like an "old banjo" gold when you are done, not a cheap Timex watch or bowling trophy like everywhere else.

Steve has made quite an effort to set up his services for this so the parts look as much like the old plating as possible....this is almost impossible to find anywhere else (there is some chemistry and science involved that except for his services are pretty much lost to antiquity today).

Second pretty much only to his tonering, Huber's plating is one of his best contributions to the banjo world, and in my opinion for what he can accomplish, it's not celebrated near enough as an accomplishment or a service.

Remember, gold prices are at a premium these days....why woudn't it be expensive to gold plate a banjo these days....anywhere?


http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/152453

Chris Cioffi
(615)382-1376

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Edited by - tubeandplate on 10/30/2009 13:44:22

uncle.fogey - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:50:31

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quote:

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Originally posted by the.hogman

I have recently gotten prices on plating from several of the platers on the Hangout and a full set of hardware for a typical Gibson was running at least $375. If I wanted an additional service such as copper flash it added as much as $175 on top of the $375!!

I must be cheap because I determined that "looks" don't matter at those prices... Not that much more and I can buy new?

Anyways, good luck in your quest and keep us posted if you find a reasonably priced plater. I'm still looking.

Phil

You can understand why I'm going to figure out how to do it myself.
http://www.caswellplating.com/

O=='=::
Got Banjo?

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A man wouldn't need many plastic heads in a lifetime.

uncle.fogey - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:53:46

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quote:

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Originally posted by tubeandplate

Huber is consistently reasonable/comparable or even cheaper than a lot of plating houses, and of course the worry of trusting a lunkhead with your precious banjo parts is not part of the equation with Steve Huber.

I don't have any specific prices (I often do barter things with Steve when I need plating since he uses my services from time to time), but my experience with him has been that Nickle is so reasonable (comparatively, pricewise) it's laughable (and doesn't look like the chincey new nickle most banjo parts look like these days), and Gold is pretty much what everyone else prices at but looks like an "old banjo" gold when you are done, not a cheap Timex watch or bowling trophy like everywhere else.

Steve has made quite an effort to set up his services for this so the parts look as much like the old plating as possible....this is almost impossible to find anywhere else (there is some chemistry and science involved that except for his services are pretty much lost to antiquity today).

Second pretty much only to his tonering, Huber's plating is one of his best contributions to the banjo world, and in my opinion for what he can accomplish, it's not celebrated near enough as an accomplishment or a service.

Remember, gold prices are at a premium these days....why woudn't it be expensive to gold plate a banjo these days....anywhere?


http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/152453

Chris Cioffi
(615)382-1376

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Unfortunately, when I've gotten specific prices, they are sky high. I think this is due to the problems involved with using toxic chemicals and handling them properly. I wish Steve had a price list. That would cut through a lot of the fog.

A man wouldn't need many plastic heads in a lifetime.