DIY Silver Brush Plating

Silver-plated pieces often wear over time revealing the copper or brass metal underneath the plating. Normal electroplating involves dangerous chemicals, specifically cyanide, and is not suitable for home or small business purposes. Brush plating, however, bypasses these dangerous chemicals. While you can put together your own low-voltage equipment, you will have to purchase cyanide-free, silver-plating solutions. Wipe on silver solutions may suffice for home repair, but they only deposit the silver one molecule thick. With brush on silver plating, though, the longer you swab over the repair, the thicker the deposition of silver.

Buffing cloth
Buffing compound
Silver polish
Cloth
Degreaser
3-amp rectifier
Carbon electrodes
Carbon electrode handle
Cotton gauze or swab
Deionized water
Silver brush plating solution

Instructions

- 1
  Smooth the surface of the repair area with the buffing compound and a buffing cloth. Lightly rub the compound into the area to be smoothed and then buff it off with a cloth.
- 2
  Polish the surface using a polishing solution and a clean cloth. Rub the area gently in a circular motion.
- 3
  Clean and degrease the repair area using a degreaser and a clean cloth. Allow the area to dry completely before proceeding.
- 4
  Plug the red positive electrode handle into the red connection of the rectifier. The handle is fitted with a carbon electrode and covered with a swab.
- 5
  Plug the black negative electrode into the black plug of the rectifier.
- 6
  Clip the black electrode's alligator clip onto the item to be plated. Turn on the rectifier and set it to 3 volts.
- 7
  Wet the swab attached to the red electrode handle with deionized water. Pour the silver-plating solution into a small beaker.
- 8
  Dip the swab into the silver-plating solution. Rub the swab over the area to be brush-plated in a circular motion until the desired area is plated. Rinse the piece with deionized water.
- 9
  Polish with silver polish and a clean cloth.

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