Saddam's P.38

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I wonder if this is really true?
Saddam's P.38

[Herb]

Don't know, but for such an extensive engraving and finishing job it sure is in a really cheap case.

[G.T.]

the lusterless nickle looks nice... but, I didn't know they could plate plastic grips?? best to all, til...lat'r...GT

[Edward Tinker]

Tac, now, take your medicine, George didn't really cut down the tree, that was his cousin...



ed

[Ron Smith]

Ed, I think Tac is correct. He cut down the cherry tree for the grips. And several spare sets of teeth. I remember reading that someplace. Maybe I read it hear? I don't remember remembering where I remembered it from, but it's possible! I think.......

[Ron Wood]

I figured there was a Lipschitz involved...who knew it would be Moishe! Whatta guy!

[ViggoG]

Yes, GT, for at least 60 or so years they have been plating anything solid that will withstand a trip through a high vacuum.
There are two processes, It is possible that both are called "Sputtering", One, where the metal is deposited from a small arc using electrodes of the plating material. And in the other method the metal is deposited by explosive decomposition of the metal by blowing a small fuse of the material with a high voltage electrical current.
Similar processes plate many parts of our Spacecraft.
I believe that the metallic coated parts of model kits are treated in a similar fashion.
Viggo

[G.T.]

Hi Viggo! Nice to hear from you! I can understand the process...but not the reason... It would seem to me that a custom set would have been more desirable... on the plated plastic..how durable is the coating.. equal to coated metal parts??? I enjoyed reading your post on the 1900 era machine shops.. I learned on some of this type of equipment even as late as the early 70's!!! But in a nice environment!! Best to you Viggo! til...lat'r...GT <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />

[Edward Tinker]

Viggo, I dropped you a line, but the e-mail bounced! Wanted to know how you were?

Ed

[GunCat]

Saddam had a lot of guns...

I sometimes wonder if he actually ever fired one.

[ViggoG]

GT and All,
I wish I could speak with more than knowledge that it "just was done", But it was a secret process at the time I was working at NASA.
I do know that there was some work done with the "titanium nitride" tool coating process.
It must have shown some evidence of sucess as one of our NASA Researchers obtained a government patent on the process of "Ti N" tool coating for tool wear resistance.
With 25 years having passed I am not sure that the same processes are now in use for mass production tool manufacture.
viggo

[Dean]

ViggoG,

I seem to recall another proccess for plating plastic that used some sort of Indium compound in solution. This was applied electolessly, followed by a regular copper plating.

Anyhow, with regard to the plated grips on that P38, perhaps someone made them out of metal.

[ViggoG]

Dean,
I have no doubght that there have been many processes that have been developed in the past 25 years that I would have no knowledge of.
I tried to keep up for a few years while I was doing private research to develope my patents.
however with the passing of my patents into the public realm I have no reason to follow all of the technological developments that interested me in the past.
Just gettin old I guess!
By the way read your PM on "spring tools", If you feel need of more "in depth" information, I'm happy to be at your disposal.
ViggoG

[Herb]

Go to this link then on the left side scroll down to Plating on plastic and select that choice
http://www.4gsp.com/pages/home.html

[Hugh]

Viggo,

TiN coating on drill bits for extended wear is common industry practice nowadays. They are priced between the "tool steel" bits and the "carbide bits".