Electroplating Britania metal at home - doable?

[Wawona59]

Hello all, number of kits (majority) in my stash have an abundance of cast Britania metal parts.  The kit instructions say to paint these parts; even for replicating brass or copper.  I can see this approach for black parts.  However, a couple of kits that I have require replicating nickel, brass and copper.  Instead of a painted coating, which is not my preference, I'd like to try electroplating these parts at home.  My understanding is that a solution of white vinegar and salt with diodes and anodes made out the metal to be plated could work using a 1 amp power supply.  Does anyone on MSW have any experience with electroplating Britania metal parts?  Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

 

I'd really like to experiment with this method without blowing up the house. LOL My Admiral would not be too happy with me if that happened.

 

 

Edited August 27, 2024 by Wawona59

[paul ron]

sounds like its time for experimenting.

 

take a look at whats available from amazon for electroplating kits n supplies...

 

https://www.amazon.com/electroplating-kit/s?k=electroplating+kit

 

as a kid we use to copper plate using a penny n lemon juice with a dry cell battery. 

 

 

 

 

[Wawona59]

I agree, experimenting is probably the best way to go.  I think Britania may be a decent base as I believe it was used for silver plating.  I'm going to give the copper plating with a clean penny a shot.  Thank you for your comments.

[Scottish Guy]

Hi John, I have done some brass plating and nickel in the past (not Britania parts but parts for typewriters and tripod restauration). AS a former car mechanic I even did some chrome plating with car parts. I use a power supply for laboratories from RS (RS PRO Digital Bench up to 3.2A three outputs) which I use regulary but you get some decent ones from Amazon or eBay for round about 50-100 Bucks. Be careful with the units about safety since you "play" with electricity.

Unfortunately there is no guide how to do it except experimenting since there are some factors applying to the process, thinckness of the material, grade of plating (thickness of the plating), size of the item you want to put the plating on.

 

I would try to get some "left overs" to do some experimental shots first, the Britania parts can be pricey sometimes so I wouldn´t sacrifice one of those with my first shot. But yeah, can be a challenging path to walk, I would write down the settings you used for specific parts so you can repeat the process for the next time with the same outcome (I do this for example with my tripod's mounting plate and hinges, which I most likely do in brass).

 

Micha

[Wawona59]

Thank you for your input Micha.  I have a couple of derelict kits (don't we all?)  with some Britania parts to experiment with.  It looks like a variety of metals can be used for electroplating over a base.  There are also different techniques I've found as well.  I'll be experimenting so I can get some repeatable results.

 

[grsjax]

You might want to take a look at brush plating.  Seems to be the simplest method to do small parts.  Caswell is the most common one but there are other sellers out there.

https://caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/brush-plating-products.html

[Dr PR]

Valeriy gave some tips on electroplating in his Varyag post several years ago. He is an expert at this sort of thing.

 

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/19333-varyag-1901-by-valeriy-v-finished-scale-175-russian-cruiser/?do=findComment&comment=590551

 

[wefalck]

It this seems that a lot of table-ware was made from silver-plated Britannia metal in the old days. So it may be worthwhile looking for Internet-resources on restoring such pieces.

 

Otherwise, jewel-makers use a lot of electroplating and 'tampon-plating' (meaning the electrolyte is held in a wet piece of felt with which the workpiece is touched, rather than immersing it in the electrolyte) for repair purposes. The respective supply houses offer hand-held kits for that purpose.

[Wawona59]

Thank you for your helpful comments Dr. PR and Wefalk.  I'm planning to build the Model Trailways Allerton Steam Pumper early next year as a gift for our local fire precinct.  The EMTs saved my wife's life a couple of years ago when her heat stopped beating.  This will be another gesture of thanks to them.  Instead of painting the brass parts with foil paint as called for in the instructions, I wanted to have a try with electroplating the brass and copper parts instead.  I'll be experimenting using left over Britania metal parts I have no intention of using.  Dr.PR, thank you for the link to Valerly's build log and his explanation of electoforming (electroplating).  His explanation was very informative as I had never heard of electroforming before.  Thanks again.

 

 

[Dr PR]

That makes two of us. And that is why it was so amazing to me!

[Rudolf]

4 hours ago, Wawona59 said:

Thank you for your helpful comments Dr. PR and Wefalk.  I'm planning to build the Model Trailways Allerton Steam Pumper early next year as a gift for our local fire precinct.  The EMTs saved my wife's life a couple of years ago when her heat stopped beating.  This will be another gesture of thanks to them.  Instead of painting the brass parts with foil paint as called for in the instructions, I wanted to have a try with electroplating the brass and copper parts instead.  I'll be experimenting using left over Britania metal parts I have no intention of using.  Dr.PR, thank you for the link to Valerly's build log and his explanation of electoforming (electroplating).  His explanation was very informative as I had never heard of electroforming before.  Thanks again.

 

 

Good Morning,

while electroplating with copper or nickel seems quite common, I wonder if it can be done with brass, as this an alloy of copper, tin, bismuth...

any information on that would be very much appreciated.

Greetings, Rudolf

[wefalck]

Yes, alloys can be deposited galvanically. It’s regularly done for objects such as furniture or lamp fitting. The electrode should be brass of the copper to zinc ratio that you want on the final product, which determines the colour, ranging from reddish (high Cu) to yellowish (high Zn).

[Rudolf]

Thanks a lot wefalck!

[Wawona59]

Thank you for the information and explanation. Welfalk.  Experimentation is the order of the day now.  I've decided to go with the electroplating wand.  I'll probably get a starter set from Casewell Plating.com.  They are USA based so international shipping will not be an issue.  They seem to have a wide range of electroplating wands for the hobbyist through professional.  They also offer electroplating equipment as well as solutions for brass, copper, nickel and gold.  The gold is a bit pricey for my needs though.  If my experiments are successful, I'm probably done painting metal parts for my models.  Thank you all for your help, insight and suggestions.   I'm looking forward to my electroplating kit to arrive so I can start the experimenting.

[g8rfan]

Hi John

 

I just came across this post and was wondering how your experiments turned out. I've been trying to plate some Brittania parts myself with little success. If it worked for you then I'm wondering what I'm doing/not doing that is causing me problems

 

 

[Mark Pearse]

This topic is now fairly old, but for what it's worth, tinning solution has been amazing for replicating stainless steel, recommended to me by Wefalck. No electricity required!

 

From this:

 

To this:

 

Some notes: 

If you want polished SS finish, then polish the brass before immersion in the tinning solution. You then also polish after tinning, I use a metal polishing paste.

I have been doing 10 minutes in the solution, after doing some tests.

If the brass is a brushed finish, you'll possibly get more like a zinc colour with the plating.

Yes, it is an easy process, if it gives you the finish you want.

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:18 PM by Mark Pearse

[g8rfan]

Nice results. What brand of tinning solution did you use?

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Frank, it was manufactured by MG Chemicals, possibly an American company.

[paul ron]

On 1/27/2026 at 4:17 PM, Mark Pearse said:

This topic is now fairly old, but for what it's worth, tinning solution has been amazing for replicating stainless steel, recommended to me by Wefalck. No electricity required!

 

From this:

 

To this:

 

Some notes: 

If you want polished SS finish, then polish the brass before immersion in the tinning solution. You then also polish after tinning, I use a metal polishing paste.

I have been doing 10 minutes in the solution, after doing some tests.

If the brass is a brushed finish, you'll possibly get more like a zinc colour with the plating.

Yes, it is an easy process, if it gives you the finish you want.

 

how was it done without electricity? can you tell us more about the processes you used? where did you get the liquid for it... links?

 

this looks great and would be a huge help for alot of us.

[wefalck]

Dou you want to have some chemical formula that describes the reaction?

 

Basically, an acid solution of divalent tin ion (Sn+2) is reduced on the surface of brass or copper to tin metal (Sn0). The copper and zinc are at the same time oxidised, so that a slight metal loss occurs. As soon as all the surface is covered by metallic tin, the reaction stops. With this method one can achieve only very thin plating, leaving the parts longer in solution does not increase the thickness of the plating (unlike in electroplating).

 

The tinning agent is sold as either ready-made solution or as a powder to make your own solution by disolving it in deionised water. The availability may be quite different in different countries. In Germany, for instance, one model supply house sells ready-made solutions. Another source are electronic supply houses, as these tinning solutions are also used to tin (home-made) printing circuit boards, which facilitates the soldering-in of components. I got a supply from such source in the UK a while ago.

 

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Paul,

 

Further what what Wefalck noted, I got it from a chemicals supply company - they called it "liquid tin" - in 125 or 250ml containers. 125 will likely do far more than you need. An internet search "tinning solution", "liquid tin", or "tinning agent" should turn up something.

[druxey]

I learn so much from such conversations on this site! 

[paul ron]

this or that or the other?

 

https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Liquid-Plating-Solution/dp/B09TWY4YQW/ref=sr_1_2?adgrpid=1332608664150482&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tQiAfUs9XEiDqHb1OE3Zz_dl95Z1TpqymtzXy6DL_JjFT9FyDHBQSh6FJBHJ4o1Kr5pSVFoOlVwUuMkHlaqjHENTRmzt-s5fxXWzZW2A5HbNQpJQEmMXkvM4UO1CXOqviL2k1USL4ZsjTfatXoy-jRwT_4iDFB8g2FrOB2753U2EqlN75pQ7T6SY4PI-e-TejPGuAAjxTzXr_-VxsAGT3GX271tF_bhle8WGYrqBcNc.ZR8oa8w4AYwJ5UNGVOJQjombrDdCO6U10qkkIHAkPy8&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83288280849751&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=97353&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83288398020524%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=21041_13324017&keywords=liquid+tin&mcid=0f52561cdf8c36baa2e34841fb9498ac&msclkid=f446d4e0a8e01ae86552bd9b7589c5ce&qid=1769725295&sr=8-2

 

https://caswellplating.com/caswell-tinning-solution-1-quart.html

 

https://www.amazon.com/Nushine-Silver-Plating-Solution-1-7/dp/B00D5TCYBG/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?adgrpid=1331511122456913&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PYyFSZiH1kPqt_po4HxwFrY2Asw-QB1psrTNRC2G4X18MxQRin3jr53Wyo_SXjOsLEapjBR2GDCW7f-2ufONcRxqJ3I9nkyqK-MaIZmJ-nJ5VRXwlWYkkR_7RmkBsf2ijXqUjpqhtbk1oXtjpK_Z6qCeDTwt2kSEI9u-fPGgZ6pA0wKb4Yd8P9KBbFF2Wv3jKdrmqxMJ9C1iCwDybGebWA.3bBHYUa_4uQfcLZTuvkb2DIMwMIqi4CR_rxJb0gGW-Y&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83219724428629&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=98109&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83220633035319%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=28339_14518125&keywords=tinning+fluid&mcid=a9f6a5673a233e869423995fb17a309e&msclkid=c214162b8f10152d706b7f50532b465a&qid=1769725000&sr=8-20-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGY&psc=1

 

the mg sounds great n the other but they are expensive. the $35 one sounds similar but at that price, you think it will work well enough for what we do?

 

Edited Thursday at 10:33 PM by paul ron

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Paul

 

The MG Chemicals is the one I used, same brand etc. 

 

I'm not sure what the silver plating liquid is, but silver tarnishes quite quickly - so possibly not a good choice.

[Nirvana]

On 1/27/2026 at 7:05 PM, Mark Pearse said:

Hi Frank, it was manufactured by MG Chemicals, possibly an American company.

It is a Canadian company but on the right continent.

[g8rfan]

Thanks to all for all the info. I have been trying for some time to electroplate brittania with limited success. This may be a good solution, using the tinning to first "plate" the brittania giving a very clean surface that can then be more easily electroplated. We'll see.

[paul ron]

i hope you follow up so we can see how well it works out?

 

i like the idea of doing this dip method. it makes electroplating that much more effective.

 

 

[wefalck]

Actually, I wonder why you would want to tin the surface of Britannia-metal, which is already largely tin? To copper-plate it afterwards?

 

And, btw, the tinning from the liquid doesn't work, if the metal surface is not absolutely 'clean' and free from oxidation products.