Restoring gold inlay isn't complicated – but it is tedious. Brush plating systems are
available from numerous sources. Mine came from a company specializing in supplies for antique radio restoration. For convenience, I use an AC to DC adaptor with multiple voltage settings from Radio Shack,
although batteries will work fine. Note that the negative lead connects to the cornet, and the postive lead is clipped to the plating brush. FAQ's are at the bottom of this page.1. The area is first
prepared by polishing with 3M Tarnishield, then cleaned with acetone. 2. Using an a good quality, fine tipped artist's brush, carefully apply clear lacquer to the surface around and up to the engraving you wish to
gold plate. The hardest part here is to tell where you have already masked, so you may want to try tinting the lacquer or using colored lacquer. Allow to dry completely. 3. Using a plating brush system,
apply gold plate media, being careful not to work the masking lacquer too much (causing it to lift). I have found 5 volts DC works about right with gold spot plating. |
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Note that the gold plating appears dark, and brownish as applied.4) Carefully clean off excess gold media with a soft cloth and water.
5) Carefully remove the lacquer mask with lacquer thinner or acetone. |
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6) Finish by lightly
buffing with a soft cloth and just a little Tarnishield. Go very easy here, or you might go through to silver in spots. |
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Frequently Asked Questions: Is this real gold? Yes.Can you see brush marks? No. How thick is the plating? It's very thin, and easy to polish through if you're not
careful. This is the biggest drawback. Silver plating (see below) seems to go on in a thicker layer. How hard is it to do? It is more a case of practicing to learn the techniques
involved than a matter of difficulty. Are the supplies expensive? The AC-DC converter is under $15, the brush about $5 and a bottle of gold media about $35.
Will the same technique work for repairing worn or repaired areas in silver plating? Yes, and silver is much easier to spot plate. I will be adding a page on this subject in the future. |
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