[Beladran]

Since wife, baby, and dog are out of town this weekend im gonna be bored out my mind! So im gonna try to copper plate some boolits = ) I have plated stuff in highschool and college and the process is really simple.
Things you need
1- platic tray 9x16 about 3 inchs deep or better
4feet- copper tubing
Speaker wire cut into 2inch peices then take the strands of copper wire out
copper plate to lay in the bottom of the pan
Copper sulfate- you can get this in the plumbing dept as root killer for septic tanks or go to a co-op and buy it by the 50lb bag if you want to(kills alge in ponds)
1-1.5amp battery charger
1- acetone(nail polish remover)


I am not sure how easy it is going to be to find a copper plate around here. I may try a big spool of copper tubing in the bottom, or if i can find some heavy heavy gauge copper wire that i can strip the coating off might work also.

More details later on......

OK yes i know gas checks work fine... yes i know i can buy jacketed bullets. but there is no fun in that!

 

[PhillipM]

If there is a sheet metal shop around you they may have some copper sheets, used for high end gutters and awnings. I don't know if it will be thick enough though.

I've never tried it, but couldn't you melt some down into an ingot and hammer it into a plate?

 

[DieselDoc]

I hope the Dog, Kids and Mom don't have a remodeled home when they return. LOL

 

[pinetor]

SO I get the parts... not why ALL of them are need for the process.

Copper tubing? speaker wire?
How does it all come together?

I tired to copper plate a nickle in grade school. I got a nickle with little knobby deposits of copper on it.

Copper is in solution
Copper plate is anode
???? is cathode

does each boolit have to be wired up?

 

[Beladran]

ok solder a lead to the copper plate and put it into the solution. attach one end of the chager to it. mix the copper sulfate in with water untill no more will disolve. the copper tubing is placed on top of the container. wrap the copper wire around the bullets lube grove and hook it over the copper tube(base down). Attach the other end of the charger cable to it. Turn it on for 15min. Dip in clean water when finished. The acetone is used first to clean any bullets that might have casting oils on them

 

[Beladran]

O yea make sure the charger is off when you start and stop lol or this could be a shocking experiance

 

[Beladran]

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2KM_hr5eCNo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[SubGunFan]

OH YES............... I want to see your results.....

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[captain-03]

Interesting videos ..I, too, am interested in your little "experiment"

 

[Beladran]

well little update... finding a peice of flat stock copper is not as easy as i thought.... looks like im moving to plan B... lots of copper tubing

 

[bubbat]

Look for a buss bar out of a electrical box, some are pure cooper.

 

[Rw]

How big of a piece of plate do you need? i may have some in my shop, can look tomorrow.

 

[Beladran]

I would like a piece that is buh enough to fit in my pan 8x12?

 

[sidroski]

I may have some but it would be take some adjustent in size of the pan to keep from cutting the copper strips into too many pieces. About 1/4" to 3/8" deep and 3" wide. Let me know, I got to go to Natchez and go through Brookhaven. Could meet you there. Course I'd need a sample or 100 rounds for my trouble. JK, video it for us, warts and all.

 

[Libertyrules]

The copper that's being plated onto the bullets is actually coming from the copper sulfate, and the anode is just replacing the copper back into the solution, so I wouldn't think the anode would need to be all that big. Much more important that the copper anode be pure copper. Of course a larger surface area works in your favor. I like how you have utilized the coffee pot to circulate the solution - which also helps the striking process, and shouldn't be omitted.

Excellent innovation, Beladran. Only one thing bothers me about your set-up is that it's sitting on top of the coffee maker. Couldn't you make a shelf for it? Seriously, you done good.

 

[Beladran]

lol not me in the video.. i got the idea from the video and thought i would give it a try.. I am like you, i dont think boiling hot liquid sitting on top of a coffee maker is all that safe.

 

[Libertyrules]

Sorry Beladran - guess I didn't read carefully - but +1 on bringing that to us. I had been wondering about plating

 

[SubGunFan]

Well................. Bel.................. Did you do it..............?

.

 

[Beladran]

thats a negative subgun.. my local electic shops were complete A holes sat morning to me. THen i discovered a 12pack of bud heavy in the back of my yukon that i forgot about. So sat down an watched beverly hills cop saga all weekend... then today i got sidetracked by the star trek saga!! curse you dish network!!!

 

[SubGunFan]

SLACKER......................

Boy..... you have so many TO DOs ahead of you............

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