Early hub plating question

[IRON]

Hello everyone - Happy Holidays,

Should I protect the bearing surface inside a hub before electroless nickel plating?

I have an early teens Eclipse hub to re-finish and I've seen a hub or two that
appear to have the nickel plating inside and out. Wondering if it hurts or doesn't matter.

As usual, thanks much for the help.

Ride Free,
IRon

[Chris Haynes]

Most plating shops have wax they put on things that shouldn't get plating on them.

[silentgreyfello]

If you are having it plated with electroless, then NO, you don't have to do anything. Electroless is usually about 0.0004" thick. That is not enough to mess up even the finest threads. However, the Eclipse hubs were not originally dull nickle finish, they were bright nickel. If you do bright nickel, then cover the threads, or tell them to go light on the application. The plater will know what to do.

[IRON]

Thank you very much for the help!

I will trust that the plater will know what to do. Just for my own curiosity, is the bright nickel also electroless?

IRon

[Chris Haynes]

Thank you very much for the help!

I will trust that the plater will know what to do. Just for my own curiosity, is the bright nickel also electroless?

IRon

It is electroplating.

[silentgreyfello]

No, bright nickel is different than electroless. Bright nickel typically is applied over a highly polished surface (usually a coat of copper dip / polished). The electroless is a newer process, but looks similar to the "dull" nickel that you would see on early cylinders. It is very inexpensive in comparison to bright.