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In the process of ordering some more nickel electroplating solution last night (for my reelmaking business) I came across an interesting paper called Electroplating on Plastics! It turns out that ABS can be activated with a simple surface treatment and then plated. I would think we might be able to make some very nice parts with a process that goes something like this:

1. print part
2. treat surface to smooth the ABS with either flame polish or acetone dip
3. optionally - fill voids and smooth surface with a filler
4. prepare the part for plating as per the document (etch then activate the surface)
5. deposit electroless copper on the par
6. conventional electroplate copper to fill in voids (this is a common technique to use copper underneath other plating metals)
7. finish plate with silver, nickel, gold or whatever

It is also possible to use a conductive paint instead of steps 4 & 5.

There might be some very cool things that could be made this way.

cheers,
Michael

Reading over at Caswell Plating they recommend the following:
Coat with Copper Conductive Paint, dip in Tinning Solution, plate with Acid Copper.

It would be interesting to see how well it turned out.

Back in the 80's I had a half-dozen fiberglass "lip" bumpers for a Jaguar XKSS replica my company made flame-sprayed with an aluminum layer, which we had plated. The aluminum layer was about 3/32" over a 15 mil polyester gelcoat. It worked well, with good impact resistance and temperature tolerance. Temperature changes are always the problem with plated plastics since the materials expand and contract at such different rates - it forces you to put such a thick layer of plating on the surface that it can tend to flake.
We ultimately switching to sand-cast aluminum - in those pre-China days it was too expensive to have them die cast.

Be interesting to see what a difference 25 years can make in the technology.

Just a thought, feel free to correct me as I'm no expert, but couldn't this method be used to in a way "3D print" your own circuit boards, using something like a paste extruder to prep the areas that would be plated as your circuit etchings before plating with copper?

That's interesting Pheonix! I don't know that I've seen that done, might make an interesting project for someone to figure out.

cheers,
Michael

Circuit board manufacturers already use a similar process for through-hole plating. There is copper on both sides of the board, but when they need copper in the holes they've drilled, they have to activate the holes before plating.
I don't think it would be too practical to do a whole board this way, as the bond between the copper and the fiberglass needs to be very strong, as there is very little copper, and doing rework on boards, keeping from lifting traces is already a challenge. Also the normal photo-etching process is able to be done so cheaply. For home stuff you're better off with toner transfer (or using a 3d printer or CNC as a pen plotter,) or milling the board.

What kind of reels do you make? Conventional, spinning ect? Me and my dad are Big on fishing

Hi Tom, check out my site: www.EclecticAngler.com. I wrote a book - The Reelsmith's Primer - to teach people how to make fly reels. I also sell a line of fly reel kits. I also make bait casing and spinning reels and will be writing a book about those and offering kits in the near future.

I also teach workshops around the country and have had students from 13 years old to 92 years old.

And, I am working on 3D printed reels now - a fly reel and a casting reel. Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man how to 3D print his own reel and he will probably starve to death!

cheers,
Michael

Nice site, spinners and baitcaster are what you mean right? I will look into getting a kit i love baitcasters and spinners

Yes, spinning reels and bait casters coming in the next 6 months.

cheers,
Michael