Model Railroading > Gold plating brass model??

Got an unpainted HO scale piece by Overland. Is it possible? Where to get it done? 24kt will never tarnish.

NWaction Wrote:
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> Got an unpainted HO scale piece by Overland. Is it
> possible? Where to get it done? 24kt will never
> tarnish.

Uhhhh... why??

J.

I like my model and want to preserve it in perfect condition. I will display it but also run it if I ever find a local club.

Sure, it is possible. There is a plating facility in Missoula, pop 50K which will layer gold on your bathroom fixtures and automobile door handles so anything is possible. The model will have to be completely disassembled and all electrical parts kept out of the plating chemicals. Once the plating is done it will have to be buffed to a sheen which may result in some of the more delicate parts being deformed and even knocked off. The gold finish might have to be buffed on a regular basis. The plating folks could talk with you about that. MR used to show photos of modelers who built their models out of gold sheet using gold solder back when gold was pegged at $32 per ounce.

I never could understand why someone wouldn't want to paint a brass model.

My Uncle's plating company can do that:

http://www.generalplating.com

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

It would be advisable to flash a layer of copper plating to the brass/soldered model first,
then the gold layer would go on nicely and look more uniform.

Make sure there is no clear coat left on any surfaces or "no" kind of plating will adhere.

P5r25
Gary
Hudson Plating Works, Inc.
Moorpark, Ca. 93021

P.S. We do not perform any type of decorative plating.

Reminds me of the movie "Tough Guys." Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas rob the last run of the Gold Coast Flyer, pulled by SP 4449. To commemorate the final run, there is a cake inside the train with a decorative gold model of a GS-4. Kirk Douglas sees the model and says, "Check it out. The Gold Coast Flyer. In gold." Then he grabs the model and sticks it in his pocket.

pullmanboss Wrote:
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> If there's any clear finish on the model, that
> will have to be removed.

Which, in the experience of many modelers, will tend to remove many detail parts that were glued to the model, rather than soldered.

I've heard horror stories from guys who tried to strip the clear finish, and ended up with a pan full of loose parts.

Value wise, plating the model will probably ruin any resale potential, other than for scrap.

bioyans Wrote:
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> pullmanboss Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If there's any clear finish on the model, that
> > will have to be removed.
>
> Which, in the experience of many modelers, will
> tend to remove many detail parts that were glued
> to the model, rather than soldered.
>
> I've heard horror stories from guys who tried to
> strip the clear finish, and ended up with a pan
> full of loose parts.
>
> Value wise, plating the model will probably ruin
> any resale potential, other than for scrap.

I haven't painted a brass model in, well, a couple of decades. In the past all details were soldered, but I guess I can't say I know that's the case on modern brass models. However, if so, it should be easy to remove the clear finish with a mild abrasive air gun. For the life of me, i dunno why anyone would want to gold plate a model instead of painting, even if it's a model of CB&Q 5632 in excusion service. But it's not my model, so hopefully all the info will be of help.

Elizabeth

I come from a long line of brassfounders and electroplaters in Birmingham, England. Without going into details, forget it. If you really want the details. . . .