28/29 rear tail light switch rebuilding-Cad plating

[VS81Splicer]

I've carefully bent bent back the four cover retaining clips on one of my my tail light drum switches and I'm in the process of making a fixture to push and hold the 7/32" diameter actuating shaft about 1/2" off the switch base rear frame wall. On opposite end of the shaft, I have a claw that should compress the spring so that I can gain access to the 7/32" XRC314 (eXternal Ring Clip) that prevents removal of the actuating shaft. I'm doing this in an attempt to completely disassemble and rebuild a slightly rusted switch assembly by bead blasting the three required (base, cover & actuating rod) components so they can be cadmium plated, as defined in the Joint Judging Standards. Has anybody else tried to cadmium plate their switch? If so, were you successful?


Bob

 

[rotorwrench]

Some of the original stop light switches I've seen, have one of the cover ends pinched to a double sided retainer opening to fit the ear on one end of the switch frame. This prevents ear movement under extremes and helps the plunger push the contact plate spring down. If yours is a different type but traceable to OEM then by all means get it re-plated. If it's not OEM then it would be less cost to use a reproduction switch. I use some aircraft sources for cadmium plating so I don't do my own in that case. I just avoid the gold cad.

This temporary link is an example.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2767047948...xANOAJRdQJ6ddQXpvvHHzJlFWD75TpVPe__20uaNgbu2k

 

[Joe K]

Caswell offers "copy cad" which is a zinc based process (actually superior to cadmium plate for corrosion protection) but the bath is treated with "brightener" to make the deposit look like cadmium.

Its a little expensive, but goes a long way once you're past the entry cost.

https://caswellplating.com/electrop...seFijYnZIdGNlnPtrrf8YGaj2JYcEp4tfCdHK-l5wZbqx

Joe K

 

[rackops]

I've cad plated about a dozen, as well as later switches and RHD stoplight switches. The biggest trick is to slightly bend out one of the ears so you can get the rod out of the hole. I typically do the ear on the straight end, but either will work.

 

[rackops]

Also...it might be more of a headache than you're interested in, but with really rusty and pitted ones, I've polished them and then copper plated them to fill in the pits. They come out really nice when they're cad plated.