# Electroplating vs. vacuum plating **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2023, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634 "2023-07-05T11:39:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![komolono](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/komolono/32/532_2.png) [@komolono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/komolono)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/1 "2023-07-05T11:39:58Z")
I sort of know how plating is done. However, I have no experience of working with either method. So can you compare these two method: costs, durability, time spent on making products… I know that you can make a product from scratch and sort of dissolve the base material in electroplating, but it takes days - can you vacuum plate thick parts? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/2 "2023-07-05T16:54:04Z")
Electroplating doesn’t take that long if you are talking about a chrome bumper for instance. I’ve watched them a few times at Custom Chrome. Each step takes a minute or two. But the vacuum plating I’ve seen videos of is instantaneous. The parts (usually many of them) are placed on racks in the vacuum chamber and when conditions are ready a metal ribbon is flashed into vapor with an electrical current. Everything exposed to the ribbon gets a very thin coating. ---
**Author:** ![Oooklout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba8739/32.png) [@Oooklout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oooklout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/3 "2023-07-06T13:45:19Z")
> [@komolono](#): > > sort of dissolve the base material That sounds like etching, which is electroplating in reverse. You can coat wax models in silver- or carbon-loaded paint (conductive) and electroplate them, then dissolve the original, leaving a thin, hollow copy. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/4 "2023-07-06T15:31:03Z")
> [@Oooklout](#): > > That sounds like etching, which is electroplating in reverse. Electropolishing, I think. > **[Electropolishing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electropolishing)** > > Electropolishing, also known as electrochemical polishing, anodic polishing, or electrolytic polishing (especially in the metallography field), is an electrochemical process that removes material from a metallic workpiece, reducing the surface roughness by levelling micro-peaks and valleys, improving the surface finish. Electropolishing is often compared to, but distinctly different from, electrochemical machining. It is used to polish, passivate, and deburr metal parts. It is often described as ... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/5 "2023-07-06T17:31:35Z")
Also electrolysis can be used for rust removal from steel and iron. It seems to simply convert the simple Fe2O3 iron oxide into Fe3O4 iron oxide (magnetite). To the best of my knowledge this process, like the others mentioned here, are done with magic. ---
**Author:** ![komolono](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/komolono/32/532_2.png) [@komolono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/komolono)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/6 "2023-07-06T18:31:46Z")
I guess that if you want more thickness, you should electroplate from inside of a hollow product in order to keep the details sharp. ---
**Author:** ![Oooklout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba8739/32.png) [@Oooklout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oooklout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/7 "2023-07-06T18:50:56Z")
I recommend visiting/calling a local plating company or PCB mfr; I learned more in 20mins that way than all this “Here’s yet another process starting with ‘electro-‘ chat.” \ You’ll find these guys have handled every kind of project (and then some) and are pleased thst someone is interested. E.g., my plater was doing an entire Harley’s parts in nickel and chrome (of course, putting copper on first, I learned). …check if it’s convenient to chat first, of course 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![komolono](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/komolono/32/532_2.png) [@komolono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/komolono)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/8 "2023-07-07T11:03:24Z")
Let’s assume that you want to join two metal pieces together - how long would it take to electroplate these pieces together firmly? ---
**Author:** ![komolono](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/komolono/32/532_2.png) [@komolono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/komolono)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/9 "2023-08-02T06:35:17Z")
Had a conversation with ChatGPT and found out that _“As of my last update in September 2021, the information about the specific metal used to electroplate SKA (Square Kilometre Array) dishes was not readily available. However, it’s common for such radio telescope dishes to be plated with materials like aluminum or gold for their reflective properties. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, I recommend checking official sources or conducting a recent search.”_ Why bother posting on bulletin boards, when you can ask your AI buddy. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electroplating-vs-vacuum-plating/986634/10 "2023-08-26T18:25:37Z")
I worked in an auto parts plant making headlights, tail lights, and chrome-plated trim parts. The vacuum plating we did was for the reflecting surface inside the lights, and it was done with aluminum. That was very thin, and could be easily scratched. Since it was for the inside of the light, the thinness didn’t matter. For external parts, we used electroplating, with layers of nickel, copper, and chrome. That’s much thicker and more sturdy, and it can stand up to years of car washes and weather.