|
Brass Door Knocker Plating
Electroplating a brass door knocker provides many finishing options.
In our studio each door knocker is plated individually to achieve the desired finished product.
Natural brass can be polished brightly, satined to a brushed finish and antiqued. With electroplating, a thin layer of another metal is deposited on the surface of the brass to give it another appearance. In our studio we can produce nickel and copper finishes on our door knockers.
Electroplating uses a direct current electrical flow from an anode to a cathode through a solution. In our case the anode is the metal we want to place on the door knocker and the cathode is the door knocker itself.
In a direct electrical current electrons flow from positive to negative. When the positive side of a DC current is connected to a suitable material the electron flow will carry molecules in the form of positively charged ions to the negatively charged cathode. The electrons travel through a special solution from one piece to the other. The ions deposit themselves evenly across the surface of the door knocker creating a new surface.
The new surface created depends on the type of anode and solution used in the process.
The new surface can now be polished and finished just like the original brass surface could.
A plating operation must include proper metal preparation prior to plating for the operation to be successful. The surface must be properly prepared to achieve the finish desired. A satin or brushed finish must start with a satin or brush finish brass surface before plating. Degreasing the object is of extreme importance. A single fingerprint left on the object can ruin the finished product.
Plating becomes a special concern when engraving is to be performed. Engraving can permanently damage nickel plating. This was one of the prime reasons we incorporated electroplating into our business. By doing it ourselves we can engrave our door knockers before they are plated. This has the added benefit of making the engraving more visible on the finished product. By doing it in house one at a time we can offer very fast order fullfillment. We do not have to send them out or wait for a large batch of that particular finish to accumulate.
In the case of the bronze finishes the engraving is performed after the plating and oxidation processes in order for the copper plating to be exposed through the dark oxidation. This contrast creates a very desirable effect and offer excellent readability of the engraving.
|
