Youngs Demonstrative Translation of Scientific Secrets | Page 3

to any other method ever
discovered, and will eventually take the place of all.
8. ELECTRO GOLD PLATING--USUAL METHOD
Take a $2 50c. piece of gold, and put it into a mixture of 1 ounce of
nitric and 4 ounces of muriatic acids, (glass vessels only are to be used
in this work,) when it is all cut dissolve 1/2 an ounce of sulphate of
potash in one pint of pure rain water, and mix the gold solution, stirring
well; then let stand and the gold will be thrown down; then pour off the

acid fluid, and wash the gold in two or three waters, or until no acid is
tasted by touching the tongue to the gold. Now dissolve one ounce of
cyanuret of potassium in one pint of pure rain water, to which add the
gold, and it is ready to use. Clear the article to be plated from all dirt
and grease with whiting and a good brush; if there are cracks it may be
necessary to put the article in a solution of caustic potash. At all events
every particle of dirt and grease must be removed; then suspend the
article in the cyanuret of gold solution, with a small strip of zinc cut
about the width of a common knitting needle, hooking the top over a
stick which will reach across the top of the vessel or bottle holding the
solution. If the zinc is too large the deposit will be made so fast that it
will scale off. The slower the plating goes on the better, and this is
arranged by the size if the zinc used. When not using the plating fluid
keep it well corked and it is always ready to use, bearing in mind that it
is poison as arsenic, and must be put high out of the way of children,
and labelled poison, although you need have no fear using it; yet
accidents might arise if its nature were not known.
9. ELECTRO SILVERING--USUAL METHOD
This is done every way the same as gold plating (using coin) except
that rock salt is used instead of the cyanuret of potassium to hold the
silver in solution for use, and when it is of the proper strength of salt it
has a thick curdy appearance, or you can add salt until the silver will
deposit on the article to be plated, which is all that is required. No
hesitation need be felt in trying these receipts, as they are obtained from
a genuine source, and are in every day use.
10. GOLD PLATING FLUID
Warm six ounces of pure rain water, and dissolve in it 2 ounces of
cyanide of potassium, then add a 1/4 ounce oxide of gold; the solution
will at first be yellowish, but will soon subside to white; then half fill a
bottle with whiting, fill it up with this solution and shake it well; you
may now take a piece of old cotton, wet it with the solution, rub it well
over brass, copper, &c., and it is nicely washed with gold.
11. SILVER PLATING FLUID
Dissolve one ounce of nitrate of silver, in crystal, in 12 ounces of soft
water; then dissolve in the water two ounces of cyanuret of potash;
shake the whole together and let it stand until it becomes clear. Have
ready some 1/2 ounce vials, and fill them half full of whiting, then fill

up the bottles and it is ready for use. The whiting does not increase the
coating powder--it only helps to clear the articles and save the silver
fluid by half filling the bottles. The above quantity of materials will
cost about $1.62c., so that the fluid will be about 3 cents a bottle. It is
used in the same way as the gold plating fluid.
12. QUICKSILVER PLATING FLUID
Take of quicksilver one ounce, one ounce nitric acid, one ten cent piece,
rain water 1/2 pint to a pint, put the three first articles into a tumbler
together; let them stand until dissolved, occasionally stirring, then add
the water, and it is ready for use. This is used in the same way as the
silver and gold plating fluid.
13. TO GILD STEEL
Pour some of the ethereal solution of gold into a wine-glass, and dip
into it the blade of a new penknife, lancet, razor, &c., withdraw the
instrument and allow the ether to evaporate, the blade will then be
found to be covered with a beautiful coat of gold; the blade may be
moistened with a clean rag or a small piece of very dry sponge dipped
into the ether, and the same effect will be produced.
14. TO GILD COPPER, BRASS, &c.--BY AN AMALGAM
The gilding of these inferior metals and alloys of them is effected by