broken zorki repaint?

[tr0x]

Hi, i've got a broken zorki and some time ago i've tried to remove the chrome (first by using acid and then by reverse electrolysis... yeah, i was quite brutal...), but unfortunately i hadn't succeeded completely 😀
Now it seems that it's made of copper... boh...
Can you suggest me something to speed up the chrome removal?
This is the only part of the camera that will be repainted other parts just stay chromed 🙂
Thanks,

 

[nobbylon]

what acid did you use and did you use a piece of copper for the reversing process?

 

[tr0x]

iirc, i've used some bleach (Sodium hypochlorite) first and then some muriatic acid...
and yes there was copper, a copper from an electric wire

 

[nobbylon]

ok well I used this method to de chrome my M2. Firstly you prob did as I did and had the wires the wrong way around and actually started to plate your top cover with copper!
Just dilute your muriatic acid and reconnect properly. Apply current from a battery charger on low amp setting for no more than 1 min at a time. Check and redo until chrome is off but remember this process works line of sight so you have to turn the area to be dechromed toward your anode ie copper pipe while the current is flowing.
PLEASE WEAR GOGGLES, A MASK and do in a well VENTILATED AREA, preferably OUTSIDE. good luck j

 

[nobbylon]

here's my original post on this method,
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78898

 

[Frontman]

You don't need a car battery or battery charger for this process, a couple of D size flashlight batteries and a pair of wire leads is adequate. The chemicals are noxious, but the process is scarcely more dangerous than putting gasoline in your car. Most households have more dangerous chemicals in the cabinets under their kitchen sinks, so don't be too afraid to attempt a project like this.

If you would rather re plate your items after stripping the old plating off, you can get chemical plating solutions which will allow you to add a gold, silver, or nickel finish to your camera or camera parts.

Portable plating kits are also available, and allow you to plate over worn areas on your camera without disassembling it. Just attach the leads to the outside of the camera, and apply the solution to the worn area with a q-tip. Of course, you'll want to remove any batteries which might be in the camera before running a current through it. Car details use this process to gold-plate car emblems and door handles.

 

[tr0x]

Just a question... i wonder why almost all of the black-paint-projects *don't* actually paint all the knobs of the camera. I think it would be nice to have an all-black camera... or not?
Are there any cons in painting the knobs too?

 

[tr0x]

I've got a problem...
While it seems that i've succeeded in removing the chrome, i had problems in removing my previous "error": the partial copper plating 🙁

As you can see the copper is still there!!!
How can i remove it?

 

[Dez]

Unwanted copper

Unwanted copper

I would leave it alone. Assuming your intention is to paint it, and the surface is smooth enough (no nasty pits from the electrolysis) it would be so thin as to make no difference. It the surface is rough you will need to sand it anyway, and that would remove the thin plating. Don't make the surface too smooth though; it's nice to have a bit of a tooth in the surface for better adhesion of the paint.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[tr0x]

I've tried to remove the copper with sandpaper, but i've not succeeded completely... is there something wrong if i paint over the copper?
I mean: will it turn into a verdigris mess someday?
:bang: