Mirror Polishing Copper For Electroplating

This is my improved method for polishing copper plates for electroplating. The plates will be electroplated with pure silver and once plated, the silvered plates will be used for making daguerreotypes. Daguerreotypes require a perfect mirror polished silver surface. Getting a very good polish on the copper base is the best way to achieve the best possible silver surface from the electroplating bath and one that will require the least amount of additional surfacing and polishing. The primary benefit of this method is that all of the surfacing steps with polishing papers are done dry as opposed to wet polishing with a cutting oil. I like this method because it’s less mess, less cleanup, and overall seems more efficient than the wet polishing methods I was using. This same method could be performed with wet polishing simply by using a quality cutting oil with the polishing paper steps but this dry method is currently my preference for my purposes.

Total polishing time was 45 minutes.

Materials used:
3M Tri-M-Ite polishing papers (15, 9, 3, and 1 micron)
Nuvite NuShine IIC polishing compound
Nuvite NuShine IIS polishing compound
Bosch RS014 synthetic/wool buffing pads
CarPro suede microfiber cloth

----------
Instagram: www.instagram.com/francescofragomeni

___________________________________________

Statement on disabled comments as of 8/2024:
In an effort to focus more on my work with reduced distractions, I have limited my social media usage and disabled engagement features where possible -- this includes commenting across all social media that I use. When I share content, I'm doing so mostly as a record for myself and to share with those who follow my work in a bulletin board type fashion. While I appreciate the responses of my viewers, the nature of how these platforms work means that I am frequently inundated with one word comments, emojis, and spam. I spend very little time online and since I am not creating content to chase engagement, I have found that the best way for me to respond to meaningful questions and discussion is directly via email. I prefer 1:1 communication and this helps me further reduce time online, make more meaningful connections, and increase time spent in the studio. Those who follow my work understand how important this is to me. So, if you have questions or would like to share something with me, please feel free to email me through my website. Thank you.