Adventures of Electrolysis and Electroplating

I’ve never electroplated anything before, but I decided to give it a try.

My primary goal was to electroplate some 3D-printed components I use on my reloading presses. If this works out well—and if I’m feeling ambitious—I may eventually attempt a SIG P320 grip module.

After watching a handful of YouTube videos, I had enough foundational understanding to attempt a basic setup.

While this process can be done using a standard smartphone charger, I already had a DC bench power supply, so I used that instead. I purchased a magnetic stirrer, two pure nickel rods (to be used as electrodes), conductive graphite spray paint, and a 3000 mL glass jar with a lid from Amazon. I picked up a spool of copper wire locally at the hardware store.

Initially, I considered buying premade nickel acetate solution, but it’s relatively expensive and straightforward to produce yourself.

To prepare the electrolyte, I placed the jar on the magnetic stirrer and added 3000 mL of distilled white vinegar along with approximately five tablespoons of kosher salt. The solution was stirred until the salt fully dissolved.

I wrapped copper wire around each nickel rod and submerged them into the vinegar–salt solution. Using the bench power supply, I started at 3 V and 1.5 A. After some time, I increased the voltage to approximately 13 V to accelerate the reaction. After about two hours, the solution had turned a bluish green, indicating the formation of nickel acetate.

Safety note: This process must be performed in a well-ventilated area. Electrolysis produces hydrogen gas, and during the initial breakdown of the salt, trace amounts of chlorine gas can also be released.

Notably, within the first 30 minutes at the lower voltage, the solution began transitioning from clear to a faint, cloudy blue—an early indicator that the reaction was progressing as expected.

After running the system at 13 V for about an hour, the solution developed a distinct bluish color.

What’s especially interesting is that this same process can be used to create copper and zinc solutions. Copper results in a green-colored solution, whereas zinc does not impart a color but causes the solution to become cloudy as the reaction progresses.

After approximately two hours, the solution reached an acceptable nickel acetate hue. Removing the sacrificial anode, it was clear that it had been significantly consumed.

At this point, I filtered the solution through a coffee filter to remove any black flakes that formed during the nickel acetate process.

My first test piece was a dummy 5.56 round that I planned to turn into a keychain.

I cleaned it thoroughly with 99% isopropyl alcohol, wrapped the rim area with a coil of copper wire, and submerged the round in the solution.

After approximately 20 minutes, I was left with a decent nickel coating. The round felt noticeably heavier. In hindsight, I should have weighed it before and after plating, but this was strictly a proof-of-concept test.

Next, I’ll be cleaning and prepping some 3D-printed parts, applying conductive graphite paint, and attempting to electroplate those as well.

Below is my Amazon shopping list, along with a link to the bench power supply I already own. 

Skytop Power PS305H bench power supply - $50ish 
https://tinyurl.com/rtkpsu

Magnetic Stirrer - $20
https://a.co/d/5frdIQU

Pure Nickel Rods - $13 each

https://a.co/d/4U7akA2

Conductive graphite spray paint - $22

https://tinyurl.com/rtkpaint

You can use any jar or container you like, but I preferred a heavy-duty glass jar with a lid. I also picked up extra nickel anodes for future use.

Pure Nickel sheets, pack of 8 - $30

https://tinyurl.com/rtkanode