silver plating

[malch]

I am making up two probe tips 1mm x 4mm out of brass rod and would like to silver plate them.
Any DIY ways without sending these to the States to get done?

[Alex Eisenhut]

I am making up two probe tips 1mm x 4mm out of brass rod and would like to silver plate them.
Any DIY ways without sending these to the States to get done?

Try a music shop, a good one, they silver plate brass instruments.

[Rory]

You can try this. They sell in small quantities, but is not cheap.

http://www.cool-amp.com/cool_amp.html

[Teledog]

Lacy West (Downtown Vancouver) has silver plating solution (and 1 MM sterling silver wire)
http://www.lacywest.com/
Or you could make your own plating solution with silver nitrate, etc., etc.

[malch]

'Or you could make your own plating solution with silver nitrate, etc., etc.'
That's  what I was asking!!

[IanB]

I think metal plating is difficult to accomplish successfully. It's easy enough to get silver to deposit out of solution, but much harder to get a smooth, uniform and durable coat on the base metal. I think you would have to experiment a lot to get the process right, and silver nitrate is expensive.

[Teledog]

"The Electroplater's Handbook" has  ~6 pages on making your own silver plate solution. starting with silver metal, converting to silver nitrate, converting to silver chloride, etc.
The "etc." also means you need several other chemicals, including nitric acid, sodium & potassium cyanide - good luck with that!
Much easier to buy a quart of pre-made solution for 30 bucks:  http://lacywest.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41_85_470_472&products_id=1421
Or even easier, buy an inch of 1mm silver wire!   

[nanofrog]

Any proper jewelers in your area (those that do custom designs and repairs)?

They typically have the equipment and supplies necessary. 

[IconicPCB]

Forget plating. It will be too thin and not robust enough.

Visit Your local welding supplies and ask for silver filler rod ( welding rod ) alternatively go to a Jeweller's and ask them to silver plate the bits.

[tautech]

I am making up two probe tips 1mm x 4mm out of brass rod and would like to silver plate them.
Any DIY ways without sending these to the States to get done?

I guess this is for your Tek differential probe repair?
First thing that comes to mind is why would you bother?

Sure it would look nice, but is it really necessary?
Silver is softer than brass, but not as conductive, but is that an issue for a probe where the currents might be in the uA region?

[malch]

Rory and Teledog,  I'll look into it. Lacy looks promising.
nanofrog, jewelers is on the list.

 The probe body is 1.43mm and the tip is .78mm.[1/16" x 1/32"]
The body OD has to be cut down .006" [.15mm] to fit the probe holder.

tautech yes it is the TEK probe replacements and they were silver plated.
I could tin them with solder. tricky- the tinning job has to be very thin.
The idea is to reduce the corrosion by plating- and cosmetics.
Thank you all for your ideas. 

[SeanB]

If you are making probes silver is about the worst thing to coat them with, as it oxidises so easily.  However silver brazing rods are easy enough to get, and are a pretty hard alloy, and will work well here. Best though is to make them then get them gold plated.

[malch]

The grounding collar is gold plated.

[Nerull]

Silver is one of the worst metals in common use for corrosion resistance. Are you sure the originals are silver plated?

[G7PSK]

Platinum plating would be better you can do this yourself.
http://youtu.be/q9kfswSo9aY

[malch]

Yup it's silver, turns black.The good news is silver corrosion is conductive.

[malch]

 G7PSK that video is questionable. I got lots of hard drive disks.
 Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide,disks and a low voltage PSU.   
 edit:  "immersion silver deposition" doesnt work - too thin and rubs off.

[G7PSK]

Well how about doing it properly with some of this.

http://www.goldn.co.uk/platinum-plating-solution/

or this

http://www.goldn.co.uk/platinum-brush-plating-solution/

The thing about platinum is it wears well as it is hard.