Ok- Don't laugh but I tried the Coca-Cola Electroplating Trick

[wombat247]

So... Yesterday, I read about a guy at a place who tried a trick on a thing and decided to try it myself.

The gist of it is that you use aluminum foil, a 9-volt battery or two, some Coca-Cola (for a good acid:water ratio) and some wires and you can turn Titanium into Bronze... sorta. Really all that's happening is that you're electroplating Ti with Al but the net result is a yellow/brown finish which resembles oxidized bronze.

Of course, this post is worthless without pics so here you go...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

[TeeJay]

Awesome :tu: How is the process achieved?

[Nanuq]

Forget the electroplating, I want to know more about the watch, the anvil, and the HAMMER.

[wombat247]

Awesome :tu: How is the process achieved?

Quite simple really. I used an actual electroplating machine but all you need is a 9 volt battery. Here's the original link. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f74/my-bronze-tuna-emperor-535910.html

I guess the actual voltage he used is 18-volts? I set my machine to 10 volts and got the color you see. I didn't realize that volts affect color. Either way, I'm happy with the result and turned an ordinary looking PAM into one you won't see every day.

Also, it'll bide me until they come out with a *good* 283 rep (TT just posted one for <$200 but it's plated and I can't imagine it's going to be so great for that price http://www.ttw168.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_47&products_id=8854&zenid=ff780c5b7c65287a3ef9ef1aafd72288).

[wombat247]

Forget the electroplating, I want to know more about the watch, the anvil, and the HAMMER.

HA ha. Well, you got the anvil right. The rest of what you see (amidst the junk) is a 3/4" round brass bar (with the barcode sticker) and the handle to a Dewalt router. The watch is just a run of the mill 117N from Josh.

[TeeJay]

Quite simple really. I used an actual electroplating machine but all you need is a 9 volt battery. Here's the original link. http://forums.watchu...ror-535910.html

I guess the actual voltage he used is 18-volts? I set my machine to 10 volts and got the color you see. I didn't realize that volts affect color. Either way, I'm happy with the result and turned an ordinary looking PAM into one you won't see every day.

Also, it'll bide me until they come out with a *good* 283 rep (TT just posted one for <$200 but it's plated and I can't imagine it's going to be so great for that price http://www.ttw168.co...ef9ef1aafd72288).

Thanks for the link The results're good, and I bet more noticeable to the naked eye

[frankt]

The "Oxy-Clean" treatment works sorta like that, but a lot simpler....

Here' a quick and dirty shot of my 192 done a while back:

Here's a link to the original time it was done...And this is THAT actual watch I eventually bought from SubZ

http://www.rwg.cc/topic/8509-192-science-experiment/

Edited August 9, 2012 by frankt

[wombat247]

I bet more noticeable to the naked eye

Correct you are. FAR more noticeable. Those are iPhone pics which are far more convenient than they are chromatically accurate.