Nickel Electroplating at Home

In this video I nickel electroplating a brass euro coin, a copper coin and a brass ingot with engravings. I add a thin layer of nickel onto this metal objects.

I use vinegar, salt, nickel bars and a mobile charger.

First I produce nickel acetate and then I nickel plate.

You can homemade it.

Step 1: Fill a Bowl With Concentrated Vinegar

Fill a bowl with concentrated vinegar

Step 2: Add Salt to the Vinegar

Add salt to the vinegar to increase the conductivity and stir it

Step 3: Make Nickel Acetate

Use a mobile charger of 5 volts and ~1 amp. Clamp it to nickel sticks to the positive and the negative using alligators. Do electrolysis for hours with nickel sticks util the solution get dark green, nickel bar in each pole do not have to touch. You can check reaction is working if you see negative pole bubbling. Doing this you will get nickel acetate.

Step 4: Do Electrolysis With Your Object

Replace the nickel bar in the negative and place the object you want to nickel-plate. Do not submerge a different material in the solution.

Nickel bar in the positive, the object to be nickel-plate in the negative.

The object should bubble when the electrolysis is working.

Step 5: Keep Rotating and Moving the Object

Keep rotating and moving the object to get an homogeneous result

Step 6: Clean It and Compare

Clean the object with water and compare