Coper Plateing

[bendyone]

Just a thought, is it possible to copper plate a prop? Using a simple electro plating method. ie container, electrolite(copper sulphate), a lump of coper, and a car battery.
Would this stop the barnicals/other weeds?

 

[Bob_Ranft]

If the prop is aluminium - I would suspect copper plating would cause serious electrolysis problems.

If you want to take the risk, take the prop to a chrome platers. Copper is one of the base metals usually plated to metal objects before the final chrome plating.

They should be able to apply a few microns at least.

Best of luck

 

[VicS]

As already said not appropriate for an aluminium prop. Why should copper plating a copper alloy, eg bronze, prop make any difference.
Copper plating from a copper sulphate solution in the simple way you suggest is unlikely to give a good result but I am not sure how it is done commercially. I know it works better from a ammonia copper complex solution and silver plating is done from a cyanide complex.

 

[bendyone]

I have just spoken to a company in Maidenhead who will copper plate a prop with a layer of pure coper mim charge £75 /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
There is no problem plateing bronze but how do I do it?

 

[Bob_Ranft]

If the prop is bronze - which I think is an alloy of copper and tin. With lots more copper than tin. Can't see much if any advantage in adding more copper. Copper is still one of the main ingredients in antifoulings and tin used to be. Would of thought a combination of these two metals would make a perfect natural antifouling - perhaps in this instance they cancel each other out for some obscurer reason ?

 

[pampas]

I advise you to get hold of a copy o fElectroplating for the Amateur, brilliant booklet by MAP will put you off for life, as nearly all the plating is with substances that are prohibited to the general public, ask any friends that are model engineers, they may have one that you could borrow.
I think you are coming from the angle that anti fouling has copper mixed and that copper plating will cure your problem? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[vyv_cox]

Many years ago I tried copper plating using copper sulphate and a battery. It wiped off with a finger! Best of luck if you try it.

 

[srp]

Re: Copper Plateing

I think you'll find that most props these days are brass, not bronze. It follows that copper plating would provide a degree of protection, as it would provide a physical barrier between the seawater (electrolyte) and the brass. Hopefully this would prevent de-zincification. As Vyv-cox says, copper sulphate and a battery isn't up to it - I've tried it with the same result!
At £75, it's probably cheaper and easier to stick a bonded zinc anode on the hull near the prop, and maybe think about painting it as well (the prop, not the anode).

 

[KieronRyan]

Re: Copper Plateing

There appears to be little point in copper plating as the main constituent of antifoul is copper oxide - not copper. a few microns will last no time. Copper plate is much heavier.

You could try epoxy filled with copper oxide 1:1 but the price of copper at the moment is still high.

It would be worthwhile acid dipping the prop too. to get all the crud off (right down to the grease off your fingertips when handling).

 

[huldah]

Re: Copper Plateing

Plating will only work if the proper solutions, with the correct additives, are used. However, there is another reason why it may not be successful. During plating, gas is produced, thus causing cavities in the finish.

This information came from an industrial chemist, who also had his own plating business.

Philip