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Is gold plating on plastic body panel possible?


HGT500H

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Hi. Everyone.

 

I really like to do gold plating on 1/8 Pocher Aventador body just like this vid I found on Youtube.

 

 

 

 

but would the plastic strong enough to withstand gold plating? Can local plating guys could do such work easily? I have 0 knowledge on gold plating so if anyone could sort it out for me, it would be greatly appreciated. I live in Los Angeles so if anyone knows somebody could done this job around this area, please let me know.  Also, by any chance, is Adam Croc ( OP for the Video) known in this scale modeling field? It would be really great if we can see this work in very detail. Any input would be thankful!

 

Best,

Jason C

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A. the metals plated on plastic parts are not the metals they appear to be. 'Chrome' is actually a bright aluminium.  In the past Pyro did 'Gold' plated cars; the 'Gold' was anodised aluminium. The plating is an industrial process which would be extremely expensive for an individual to set up. Regular electroplating process cannot plate on to plastics

B. your best option is the 'Gold' covering my Bare Metal Foil Company or one of the Alclad paints

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Thanks Guys. Black kinghts. It’s quite interesting to hear from you directly because because I saw exact product a couple days ago at Tony’s Hobbies in Baldwin Park CA. I just didn’t pay much of attention but it’s good to know there are such  product. Can I order a custome sheet that is bigger size as well? Do you have any example photo of works done with “Gold” wrap? It would be great if there is any completed example to see. Also, you guys don’t think the plated plastic parts are in fact not gold but something else on the video? Thank you.

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Hi Jason,

                 The Pocher kit body is in fact die cast. In other words, it's metal and can be polished and plated. It comes ready painted and the paint would have to be stripped first which you can see on the video. There are probably other pre-treatments as well. It looks like nickel has been plated on first and then the gold on top of that. It's a very professional set up and I doubt that ordinary platers could do that kind of specialised work - more like workers in jewellery.

 

I think plastic uses a vacuum deposition process and as has already been said, the metal used is aluminium which has to be coated first with a kind of varnish to give a gloss finish and prevent the plastic from gassing.

You mention plastic - is yours made of this?

 

Dave

 

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Gold leafing sounds good too. It might work as well I guess. I would have to do some reaserch on gold leaf.  What I want is not a-gold-like finish. I want actual 24k gold shiny finish that tarnishes over the time. If that’s physically not possible with 24k gold for all body parts, I want at least some sort of actual hard metal finish like chrome or so.  As long as anyone can do this work with 24k gold, paying him with  + thousands of $ is not a problem.

 

Thanks Fastcat, unfortunately, many of pocher aventador body parts such as wing, side panel, side mirrors , rear bumper cover and etc are in fact plastic (it would be awesome if all body parts were 100% diecast metal......). That’s why I am posting this question on here how this guy in the video were able to plate all of it’s body parts although many of that are plastic.  So the vaccume deposit process you’ve mentioned is a way to creat a metal barrier or coat over plastic surface without damaging or melting plastic parts and the video guy used the method to create the gold aventador? 

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Quote

 So the vaccume deposit process you’ve mentioned is a way to creat a metal barrier or coat over plastic surface without damaging or melting plastic parts and the video guy used the method to create the gold aventador? 

Hi Jason,

                No, as far as I can see, the video shows conventional electrolytic plating where the body is immersed in a liquid (a solution which in this case contains gold) and an electric current is applied to it. The gold transfers from the solution to the metal body.

With vacuum deposition, the plastic parts are hung in a chamber together with a metal source (gold in this case) and all the air is sucked out. The metal is then heated and evaporates, covering the plastic sprue in the process. They don't show that process on the video, the doors etc. just appear! Any metal that can be melted can be used, aluminium, chromium, gold etc. That's what most models use.

 

Applying gold leaf is a very skilled operation and I don't think it's very durable although I'm guessing that if you succeeded in gold plating it, you'd not be playing with it too often! The gold leaf is extremely thin and an adhesive has to be used.

 

I've found a company in the US which offers plating on plastics: Link

They're based in Pennsylvania. There are probably many more. Google - gold plating non metallic items and you'll see some of what's available but the link is a good start point. I'd give them a call and have a talk to them. If they can't help, they may be able to advise. You've nothing to lose, give 'em a try.

Hope the above is some help.

 

Dave

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I know back in the late 90's there was a trend in the car modification scene for gold plating car badges, and those were largely plastic. They used to advertise in the back of the car mags. Don't know if it's still available. 

I would have thought 9ct gold would be more suitable for what you want, as 24ct gold is very soft. 

Found this kit online.... 

http://www.gold-plating-kits.co.uk/index.php/gs90-gold-plating-kit-3.html#.Wp2LN6Cnw0M

Don't know if it's worth checking out. 

 

Matt

Edited by S5 modeller
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2 hours ago, S5 modeller said:

I know back in the late 90's there was a trend in the car modification scene for gold plating car badges, and those were largely plastic. They used to advertise in the back of the car mags. Don't know if it's still available. 

I would have thought 9ct gold would be more suitable for what you want, as 24ct gold is very soft. 

Found this kit online.... 

http://www.gold-plating-kits.co.uk/index.php/gs90-gold-plating-kit-3.html#.Wp2LN6Cnw0M

Don't know if it's worth checking out. 

 

Matt

I worked in a Lexus dealer during this time and we had a lot of customers having their badges plated. Often poorly done from the get go and tarnished or peeled very quickly. We stopped offering it as an accessory very quickly!

 

Edge

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Interesting topic. A Pocher is a big model to paint, so maybe going the aerosol route might be better. There is an American product named Plastikote that has bright silver and gold in their ranges of craft aerosol paints. It may be worth getting their gold. look out for the one that looks as though it has a bright plated cap on it. read up on what would be the best primer for this paint and it may also need to be clear sealed after the top coat dries before handling as all mettallics tend to be 'soft' paints. I got the silver from Wilko's and it was almost chrome like in appearance. I would imagine the Plastikote gold will be similar. But do experiment on an old model car body or on a piece of plastic card first. There may be other similar aerosol products available as an alternative. Needless to say meticulous preparation is needed to obtain a blemish free finish.

 

Gold plated number plate surrounds, trim badges etc. can be very easily simulated provided the kit part is already vacuum plated. Simply go over the part with Tamiya Translucent Yellow that will give a gold appearance when dry. I used this technique on the 1/12th scale Monogram/Revell 57 Chevy Bel Air number plates and trim.

Edited by Noel Smith
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