My dad worked at Cerro Metals for 35 years and he would nickel plate various objects for me when I was a kid. Coins , railroad spikes, etc. He even plated the bolt on my Marlin 22. He passed away along time ago, but the good memories stick. Thanks for the video Mr. Pete.

Congrats on 49 years, and good luck explaining to Mrs Pete how the wedding present got broken. I think plating the body and bluing the screw is the best combination.

I prefer the 'blued' one but regarding the plated screwed part if you are going to make a new part use a split die and close it in a little more. Typically a commercial plate part would have around 3 microns on it but the crest of the thread will attract a greater thickness than a flat part. If you want to see more of the plating action up the voltage give a car battery a go the one nickel plating plant I worked on had a no load voltage of 12v.

Mr. Pete, I tend to fancy the nickel plated tap wrench, but the blued one looks mighty nice too. Like 5 Pins says, You got a heap of splaining to do to Mrs. Pete. Looks to me like you get in about as much trouble as I do. Thanks for all your video's, I love them. Gary, 74-year-old Home Shop Machinist.

Mr Pete I love your videos. Especially that making stuff never gets old. It never gets old for me I challenge myself to learn lots of different processes the reward is always satisfying. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 😘

I think the nickel with the blue screw would be the prettiest combo. I started this yesterday, and hope to finish up with the body today. Thanks Professor Pete!! Great series. I was waiting with baited breath.

Thank you for another fine video Mr. Pete! Excellent work as always.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the broken glass. Your comment had me laughing prior "even if I break this she'll be down to 11, so what." Your humor along with your shared knowledge are awesome. Thank you for the great videos!

Diversion is the spice of life. Good thinking on your part Lyle !!! Thanks a ton, Cliff

I agree with Bill Todd, but I also really like how the blued one turned out, thank you for spending time teaching us mr. pete

I like all the different finishes for different reasons. I love these videos Mr Pete, keep them up.

I plan on making several of these tap wrenches. I purchased some stainless steel from Hobby Metal Kits. I will polish them. Thanks for another great video series.

Both came out great. Like both of them.

Very nice wrap to this series..I enjoyed them all. Thanks, Mr. Pete!

Thankank you sir. This series was entertaining and informative. The nickel came out beautiful and the bluing as well. I have a Tip for YOU! I was watching your Shop Tips #295 on a lathe chip tray... recently and it brought to mind what I did for a chip pan: I have a Dalton Lathe of 1922 manufacture. Like yours it sits sort of on Wood, I do NOT have the base for it. I had a base for an old Dewalt table saw, added plywood and a metal cover which works great but I still needed a chip pan. Well, I went to a restaurant supply house and purchased 2 of the REALLY HUGE used baking pans they had for very cheap. these are like for cooking dinner rolls for 200 guests. It is very heavy gauge aluminum with lips all around but alas too long for the table. I used a table saw to cut off one side about 3/4 way then filed the rough end to take off burrs. the remaining lip sits to the front and when you dump just pour the side with no lip. Works a champ. Dirt cheap, and easy. PS where were YOU when I took shop. I would have LOVED you as a teacher!

I would accept either finish as they both look great. Well I hope you wife didn't miss that cut glass tumbler that you robbed from her china cabinet while she ran that diversionary trip for the simple green. Returning it to the cabinet in its current state would not be unnoticed. Great series Mr. Pete, I am happy I found it and watched all four parts.

I like them both. They sure did turn out pretty as you said!

lol - the glass is hysterical! thank you for the great videos!!

The nickel looks great Mr. Pete. I would think it should hold up well. As for the glass, it didn't seem to fare as well as the tap wrench!!! Another great project. Thank You!

Thanks Mr Pete! I like the Nickel plated one.

Thanks for the great video series, it was well done as usual and fun to watch.

When you make the new screw for the plated part, make the threads undersized to allow for the plating. I think you used a round die which can be adjusted down to allow for the plating.

Really like all three, I have all three types in my own tools so when I grab tools I pick them accordingly to the job at hand as well as how I feel doing the work.

Both look great! Thanks for sharing, Mr. Pete! Black to Brass!

Whenever I had my Harley parts plated over the years, they told me if I didn't want the threads plated to cover them with tape. It works, no chrome, just a little rust from acid, easily removed with a wire brush....Russ

awesome video series, as usual... I havent used the nickel plated stuff, but as a result of this series, i am going to try it.. thank you!

They both look good.. Thanks for sharing sir....

Thanks for another very useful class Mrpete. I go for the plated version. Plated tools seem to be better when working with clocks.

there are all great looking finishes

I like the Blue, myself. The nickel looks good too.

Nice job mr Pete! I'm certainly going to make a larger version of these. Custom sized to swing comfortably in my lathe I think. Nickel plating is novel, bluing is classy but common. Next we want color case hardening!

You made it user friendly thank you sir...

As always a great video. Not to change the subject, but I spotted that drill bit holder in the background. If I remember that was made by the Standard drill bit company. I had three at one time. All the same except what they were made of. The first and oldest was cast iron, The second one was made of aluminum and the third and newest was plastic. The lure of eBay and quick cash got the best of me ,so I sold them.

I can hardly wait for that question from Mrs Pete at breakfast when she asks, "Oh by the way dear, do you know what happened to that set of glasses " Hope you have your change the subject answer ready or just fess up :-) . Again another great video.

Amazing that the thread wouldn't work after re-tapping and running the die over the screw - a demonstration of how fine the clearances are with threads.

I like the blue finish for appearance but I think the plating will be more durable. Splendid video series and thanx for sharing!

As always, fine teaching.

great video series Thanks Mr Pete

Very thorough thanks! Going to try this with some tools

great project as always!

I may get me that nickle plating kit and try it myself. I like the blue and since I have trouble with using chemicals and dont like the smell I typically do the poor mans bluing I use the torch to create the blue color and then drop it in oil while still hot to seal the deal. I have had great luck with that trick.

I like the nickel plating. The blueing reminds me of an off shore brand, but still has a nice finish to it. It's either nickel plated or raw surface finish for me

Beautiful job.

Great video, with Mrs. Pete's broken glass adding a bit of comic relief. Plating can be very tricky, especially on threaded parts. .001 thickness of both thread flanks results in .002 per side or .004 interference fit with internal threads. If internal threads are also plated interference is doubled to .008, which means "it just ain't gonna go!" This is why threaded parts prepared for plating always have very loose and sloppy fits.

Thanks for a great project. I am making a couple of different sizes out of 316 stainless so they can become part of my marine tool kit,

mix 'n' match ; nickel for the body and blue for the screw ;-)

Perhaps you can reverse the polarity and put the screw back in the nickle plating solution and remove the plating from the threads.

If you'd read the MSDS, you'd find out what was in the solution... :) Thanks for your videos. I'm learning a lot.

Better not get into quarrels with the boss lady. Very nice wrenches!

THANK YOU...for sharing. Nickel and a new glass for your most understanding wife.

Mr. Pete, i watched many of your videos and enjoyed them very much, thought I share something with your viewers; I sometimes wondered where the the name tubalcain came from, and to my surprise, I am in a hotel and they have a Bible in the drawer and started reading it... Genesis 4, 22" Zillah also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. You certainly fit the description! thanks!

To cut an outside thread for plating, use an adjustable die and crank it in an extra 2 to 5 thousands small to allow for the plating thickness. The best way is to insert a gauge pin into the die that is 2 to 5 thousands smaller than the standard minor diameter, then crank the die adjustment screw down until you can just work the gauge pin out.

I recomend trying Spray Nine Degreaser Mr. Pete. Its better than Simple Nine. Also You are supposed to lightly polish the metal pieces with 0000 steel wool before adding oil to the parts. You can't miss that step. I do want to get the plating kit, thats cool stuff. Thank you for the videos!

Great video as usual. I think I like the blue better, but I wonder if it will wear off more easily. I was thinking the locktight may have insulated the screw tip from the circuit. Thank you.

Thank you.

you broke the glass!!!!!

Blued finish is my favorite. Hope you can find a replacement glass

I like all the finishes, but kind of favor raw. Has Mrs. Pete realized one of her treasured wedding present glasses is broken? Good thing the weather is better, you may be in dog house for a day or two! Super video as always.

Another top-notch video .... A burning question: As you pointed out the Starrett #1620 can be used by 1) Mechanics, 2) Homeowners, 3) Sportsmen ... Can one be a member of all three groups?

Be interesting to see the Roughness gauge readouts before and after plating -- do they fool the meter at all? Or if real smoothness is added then how much?

I believe most firearms are copper plated then nickel plated for better finish. Great project!

Nickel can also be plated without brighteners to get that satin finish you like so much. Even black nickel is possible with the right electrolyte. Who knows, maybe this will get you started on your second career as a chemistry teacher!

I like the looks of the blued one better but I suspect the plated one will be more resistant to rusting. Have you looked into Parkerizing (manganese phosphate treatment)?

I was wondering about the loc-tite in both solutions. Perhaps do that step post these surface finish process. I was making an aluminum part assembly with loc-tite, local anodizer warned against that and I went to press fit. Not sure if it was parts falling apart or messing up their tank solutions. Interference fit was better part just needed push to figure it out.

Great video as usual Mr Pete. Tell Mrs. Pete I broke the glass. I'd cover for you any day buddy. Mike

What a great video -want to nickel coat som antique woodworking tools-it has however made me very anxious though at the thought of having witnessed the great wedding gift incident at the Peterson House-that was a broken cut glass glass in the blueing phase -please go easy on him Mrs Peterson..

Pretty nice tap handle however the black is black oxide rust. The black coming off is because it will not penetrate the surface of the metal so it comes off when oils applied. If you need a cold blue work's the best to my knowledge is Van's cold blue and will penetrate the surface of the metal. There's a few videos on KZfaq on this product. Works very well. Thanks Derryl Massingill Tex's Gun Shop Cleveland, TX

Although I'm a year younger than you, have no fear, momma still yelling at me cause I dropped and smashed her favorite coffee cup. Good job I learned something although I prefer gun blueing...sam ps way better than watching TV

I don't know maybe somebody mentioned it but I read somewhere that blueing need some time to do it's magic after getting out of solution like 24 hour, so it won't come off easilly. Thanks for the video.

Do you have any oversize taps? General purpose is H3 but if you have an H7 or bigger, it should open up the threads enough. We use them not only as pre-plate taps but also for things like soft plastic.

Nice looking tap wrenches. I was expecting you would have trouble with the threads after the plating. Now if you can just sneak that glass back into the cupboard without getting caught you will be home free.

Opps how did the glass break?

I like the nickel. Nice work. How about making a really big tap wrench?

There both awesome but I'm leaning toward the blue

It's been said before, but I think a nickel body and black screw would be my choice. Thanks for another interesting set of videos.

I like both , but think they would look better with the blued screw in the plated wrench. and plated screw in the blued wrench

I see you did end up braking your wife's wedding glass anniversary china you had from your last video. I had to laugh at that because I am always getting into trouble for using my wife's kitchen stuff when I need to grab something quick to plate my metals from my Jewelry Studio or Machine Shop. Hhahahahahhahhah Love your videos you remind me of my Grandfather so much its crazy. Miss him a ton bless his soul. Cheers my friend.

Perhaps you could thin the plating on the threads with a powered wire brush or with a split nut and valve grinding compound. You could also use a split die and clamp it to get the right clearance.

I have a GE clock just like that. Would like to have another.

Do you suppose it (chemically) makes a difference, if you use tap water versus distilled water, for rinsing purposes? Tap water contains, at the very least, chlorine (and, possibly, other chemicals).

Excessive bubbling in the nickel bath can result in pits in the plating. Best to go slow.

I am betting we had a glassware swap somewhere in that vid. Mr Pete brought on a stunt double for the rinse.

It would have been cool if you got an exact measurement before and after plating to see how thick the nickel is.

I guess I like the natural steel finish the best. Hope you get that glass hidden before you wife see it.

Both are nice, but in my opinion, nothings more attractive than polished bare metal with a clear coat finish. But probably not for threaded parts.

That black residue that came off is essentially rust scale Your supposed to card that off. Especially between coats to get a good uniform finish I use old blue jean pieces

Hi there, I saw that you had an issue with the thread being plated. The way to get round this is to paint the parts you don't want plated with nail varnish, once the plating is complete remove the varnish. Barry.

The LocTite may have insulated the tip from the body of the screw. That would prevent the electroplating from taking place on the tip, since there would be no electrical connection from the body of the screw to the tip. Silver soldering might let the electroplating current get to the tip.

Looks like the glass suffered a fatal injury. I see you in the doghouse with Mrs. Pete soon. FYI, i'm a mechanic, homeowner and sportsman, worldwide, and I don't use Starretts tool and instrument oil, so please feel free to send me a free sample.

I like them both. I'll nickel plate the handle and blue the screw of mine. if I can

Thank you, quite honestly I prefer the gun blue. I often use poor mans blue as guns are not allowed where I live and nobody has heard of gun blue.

I'm sure that you are aware of this, but another way, to get the threads, to fit, would to use a split die, just make the o.d. a bit smaller, on your screw. Thanks for the good videos

The Nickle is pretty and the bluing gives the other one that Military Tactical look

Great video just like always!-I think I lean more towards the blued one for this project-two thumbs up! -btw I was suprized you did not comment on how the glass broke lol- Thanks for posting I can't get enough of your videos!

.005 allowance for plating on thread sir

You better make that glass disappear Lyle ;-)

Would this work with Salt instead of Caswell's solution?

I wonder if nickel silver is any harder than nickel. Are there any tool steels that are rust resistant? Interesting to see nickel plating, but what a pain.

Simple Green is great stuff. Be careful using it at undiluted 100% strength though - it will strip paint.

Could you have over tightened an adjustable die and threaded the screw? That might have given you the smaller diameter.