Metal Plating Resin - Why the problems?!

I'm trying to source a metal plater to plate some resin components and I am finding that I'm coming up against a brick-wall?

It appears that resin is difficult to plate and many of the companies I'm speaking to say it can't be done?!?!?!

I'm being told that it's highly specialised and I'll struggle to find someone here in the UK!

I could use high metal paint or metal fillers in the resin, but I'm being asked for actual metal plating by my client.

Is there any truth in what I'm being told - or are they passing the buck because it's just a one-off commission (however, if I find the right plater, I'll stay with them for future commissions!)?

What are your experiences of getting stuff plated?

Draven

is it actual electroplating that is required?

if so the item need to be conductive. i very much doubt a metal filled resin would be suitable.

i do know conductive paint is available but how that would make the finish look i dont know.

then there is the vacume method which does coat the item in aluminium.

whats the piece needing the plate?

z

http://www.vmclimited.co.uk/services.asp
I heard these guys are pretty good, they did a one off mask for a theatre production I worked on .
There are a few processes available, but most of them involve somebody getting a hold of your piece and laquering it. Its then sometimes baked a little so they can work faster, and then its plated and worked on.
Trouble comes if the person spraying it can be arsed to do a good job-paint runs etc, or crap in the paint, or blisters, and if they bake it off, if the heat causes 'islands' to appear in the finish as different layers shrink/absorb the paint. Sometimes they wont do it its 'cos they are just basically scared itll go wrong and look ****e if its not over something more 'handlable' like metal. . ;-(
I made the master forced perspective tublar bell form for the re-release of Tublar bells, which we had silver plated to avoid these problems in Hatton Garden (££££), but I have also seen resin copies of dewalt power drills done in vaccum metallising with no problems.
Dan.

Do it yourself
http://www.caswellplating.com/
Paint here Silvaspray
They have conductive paint (ain't cheap!) that you can paint on most anything and then copper plate, nickel plate then chrome plate or most any other metal.
I have also read where you can spray an item with clear paint then drop it into powdered graphite and plate that. I haven't tried either but I know the 1st method works.

why can't do vacuum metalizing? Thats what tk409 did on his 3po and it came out pretty slick

Both Chrome Plating and Vacuum Metalizing can be done on Plastics, but it's not always cheap and you get what you pay for...

I only know of two places and they both are here in Southern California, I have not heard of anyone outside of the USA that does it for Plastics but you may get lucky...

The company that did the work for Terminator 2 (and 3) does this (and they're here in California). I believe they plate the item with copper first, then apply the chrome or gold.

Yes - it is rare to find a facility that will do this, and it is expensive.