Nickel Plating

[parnold]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a lantern nickel plated. Has anyone tried to strip the ventilators of their porcelain?

[Woodbutcher]

No Paul, I have not heard of anyone trying that. Before you get to involved you may want to ask the plating guy if the vent would hold up to the high temperature the vent gets to. There is a place over on the Coleman site that will re-porcelain a vent. They may be able to do a color you like. If I remember the cost was about 40 bucks.

[parnold]

I'm thinking it will from looking at these, but I might just keep it as a decoration. Also the old Coleman lanterns were nickle plated.



This is the look I'm after!

[eamarquardt]

A while back I restored an old doctor's office scale. I had the parts replated (nickel). The shops around here have an $80 minimum. Nothing that I'm aware of will dissolve the porcelain so you'll have to sand or blast it off. Sanding won't get you into all the nooks and crannies. Blasting with sand or glass media might leave a surface too rough for a nice smooth plating job. Walnut shells might work and they leave a nice burnished surface.

I dunno, just some thoughts.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[parnold]

Thanks Gus. I hadn't thought about walnut shells. I have a blaster so I guess I'll have to look for a source of shells.

[eamarquardt]

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-lbs-fin ... 92155.html

Cheers,

Gus

[Rock]

Glass bead blasting is the way to remove old porcelain. Be careful with the vent if it is rusty - the metal is thin. Sand blasting would be detrimental.

The nickel will hold up to the heat - meaning it won't melt. But it will get oxidation colors as it is run - like the pipes on a Harley. Pretty much unavoidable.

If you wanted to plate the vent after porcelain removal, you could leave the bead blast finish to get a matte finish like the military Petromaxes. If you want the bright plate like the lanterns you show, the plater could plate with copper first, then buff, then nickel. Going to be pricey.

Eric