Homemade nickeled brass

Retrieved: 12/17/2014
Last Post: 09/10/2009

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(it's still the biggest german-languaged gunforum)

A few days ago, I wrote the same post there:

(at some parts, I'm not sure about the translation, a little help from you would be nice... )

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We need:
Plastic gloves, nickel-elektrolyt, a nickel-anode, a DC power grid (the one on the pictures has 12V - 1A), a cutted cardboard (milk or any juice). acetone, a glass with a teethbrush (for degreasing), and a metal cone. (I use something we call "Körner" in german, I don't find any translation for that. You use it to punch little holes into metal before drilling)

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all put together
Nickel-anode: "-"
"Koerner": "+"

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The nickel-anode has to have contact with the electrolyth, the copper of the wire has NOT! (otherwise the electrolyt can get unusable)

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Put some acetone in the glass...

...pick up the (first) shell with the "Koerner"

(a little *tap* on the desk can be helpful to fix the contact between "Koerner" an shell)

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degrease it with brush and acetone

Alternative proceeding: take the shells with gloves on your hands out of the tumbler, so that they have no contact with your skin.

In most cases it works, I prefer a combinaton of both to get sure the brass is really grease-free.

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Seems to be o.k.

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Some acetone on the shell doesen't matter.

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Take notice of the bubbles

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Looks pretty good.

IMPORTANT: rotate the case during the procedure, otherwise the nickel-coating will not be steadily on the whole case.

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Originally vs. nickeld.

Notice: a power grid with a lower volt number could be more practical, with this one the nickel-coating takes about 10 seconds.

Extending the time won't improve the result, on the contrary, the case can become blotchy.

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Temporary result, some not-nickeld cases for comparsion between the nickeld cases.

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That's what happens if a shell fells from the "Körner" and is left in the electrolyth for 30 minutes

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Ready for reloading:

In spite to various gloomy predictions, calibrating the shells will not affect the nickel layer.

The first half of the shells was nickel-plated first and then calibrated, the second half of the shells was first calibrated and nickel-plated then.

The only difference is, that with the second variation also the ignition cap hole gets some nickel.

The thickness of the nickel layer is about an 1/1000 mm (0,00004 inch)

Before you you start, calculate a "decrease" of 5 to 10%.

With it I do not think that one or other shell resolves in air, but that - althoug careful work- also sometimes a shell is present with which the nickel layer is not steady 100%.

Over again edit: The shells must be absolutely shining and grease-free, before you nickel-plate.

3-5 hours in the tumbler is the minimum.

Put some drops of washing-up liquid in the tumbler, this improves the result of the tumbling in general and makes the shells grease-free.

If the shells should still have black-grayish places (also after the most intensive cleaning), forget about nickel plating it, the nickel does not cover such places.

There remains everything with the (physical-chemical) basic law: You can't make gold from sh..t.

Another Edit:

For tips with mistakes in the translation I would be grateful, I would like to improve my english...

raz-0
04 September 2009

Interesting. the Koerner looks like it is a center punch.

Skjold
04 September 2009

raz-0, on Sep 4 2009, said:
Interesting. the Koerner looks like it is a center punch.

Sounds suitable, that's exactly what it does.

The center punch has a cone of the point up to the shaft, and has the suitable gradient to hold the shell by friction.

(but don't forget about a little *tap* on the desk)

Skjold
04 September 2009

DyNo!, on Sep 4 2009, said:
How much does this equipment cost?

The electrolyt and the nickel anode about 20 Euros (~28$) without shipment.

I bought the acetone in a local hardware store, 5 Euros (~7$).

Both will reach approximate for more than 1000 cases.

Teeth brush: it's a used one.

The power grid belonged to an USB-IDE adapter which got broken, you also can use batteries or any other DC power grid.

Question: What is the correct name: brass, shell or case?

Heard all of this names until today...

Edit
that's the stuff I used:
22910-zink_electrolyt_250ml.htm
11395-rein_nickel_anode_114x37x-_5_mm_gewinkelt_99_nickel.htm

All together 24,95 Euros (35$).

But I could imagine this stuff is in USA a bit cheaper than the from EU-to-$ converted prices.

TIGwelder
08 September 2009

Caswell has all sorts of kits for plating and anodizing and they are located in New York.

http://www.caswellplating.com/index.html

Skjold
09 September 2009

larry cazes, on Sep 8 2009, said:
Nice tutorial... The obvious question, though, would be why bother? Is this just for appearance or is there a real advantage to plating my brass?

It is, actually, more for the appearance.

I got the idea because I use Winchester Failsafe bullets for hunting.

Earlier I have used factory cartridges, and there the black bullet with the

nickel-plated shell looked quite nice.

With a normal shell ("yellow") this does not look so good.

The manufacturers of nickel-plated shells often advertise with the argument

that the shells have a reduced pull-out opposition. Whether this is right, I do not know.

Anyway the shells are lighter and quicker to clean.

For IPSC shooters this would be, however, a possibility to find again own shells after the match.

Carlos
10 September 2009

Wonderful tutorial Skjold!

I too have noticed that many manufacturers of ammo for police (and for those with concealed-handgun permits) use nickel-plated brass cases.

Apparently, the manufacturers believe that there is a benefit to nickel- plating. I do not know if the benefit is: 1) less resistance in extracting the fired shell or 2) less resistance while stripping it from the magazine & feeding into the chamber or 3) maybe resistance to corrosion??

A 4th possibility might be: marketing.

In any event, I really enjoy such articles about how to "do-it-yourself".

Sean Gaines
10 September 2009

That's exactly why they use nickel, is for the corrosion factor. Back in the days of revolver was the standard issue gun. there were many officers who didn't shoot much and the gun stayed in thier holster for a long time. with humidity and the elements, their bullets would be green and sometimes stuck to the cylinder from the corrosion. try shooting one of those rounds. thus nickel cases were invented! corrosion free cases.