greywuuf
10-28-2011, 12:06 AM
Is it possible that I just iron plated some bullets ?
I have been messing about copper electroplating some other little buckskinning projects and was sitting at my desk last night looking over my recently cast bullets and noticed the small bottle of "Blue Vitrol" ( copper sulphate ) I had on my bench I happened to have a shallow plastic dish and a AA battery So in went a 370 Mihec Hollow point 503 the battery balanced on the bullet base ( bullet was nose down ) poured in a little solution and discovered I had no copper wire handy, So a paper clip served as the negative connection ... i walked away , to check back late.
instead of copper plating the paper click had turned a nasty kinda sooty black ( where it was in solution ) and my bullet has a fairly hard very dark grey coating ( it could just be a an oxide of the lead) but I guess maybe I moved some of the Fe from the electrode to the bullet. not sure what iron plate looks like. Don't plan to do anymore (at least not on bullets) but the appearance is interesting.
photo will follow after I feel like cleaning up my desk for a decent background.
Dan
ok a "ScotchBrite" pad hides most of the clutter. The one if middle is the experiment. it is lighter now after an attempt to buff it with a rag and toothpaste
also the outside two are as cast.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6287599971_26386de9b5_z.jpg
I have been messing about copper electroplating some other little buckskinning projects and was sitting at my desk last night looking over my recently cast bullets and noticed the small bottle of "Blue Vitrol" ( copper sulphate ) I had on my bench I happened to have a shallow plastic dish and a AA battery So in went a 370 Mihec Hollow point 503 the battery balanced on the bullet base ( bullet was nose down ) poured in a little solution and discovered I had no copper wire handy, So a paper clip served as the negative connection ... i walked away , to check back late.
instead of copper plating the paper click had turned a nasty kinda sooty black ( where it was in solution ) and my bullet has a fairly hard very dark grey coating ( it could just be a an oxide of the lead) but I guess maybe I moved some of the Fe from the electrode to the bullet. not sure what iron plate looks like. Don't plan to do anymore (at least not on bullets) but the appearance is interesting.
photo will follow after I feel like cleaning up my desk for a decent background.
Dan
ok a "ScotchBrite" pad hides most of the clutter. The one if middle is the experiment. it is lighter now after an attempt to buff it with a rag and toothpaste
also the outside two are as cast.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6287599971_26386de9b5_z.jpg