How to Choose a Plating Kit

We know that choosing a suitable kit can be tricky, especially with so many options to choose from. The best way to decide on which product to purchase is to think about the types of things you would like to plate, the substrate that you are plating onto, and the quantity of items that you will be plating.

We offer a selection of high-quality kits that we have personally put together with different objectives and customers in mind. Our 5 Kit ranges offer different benefits and features and cater to all projects and budgets. From starter kits for light use on a limited range of metals, to larger production line kits that will plate all surfaces to a commercial standard, we have got it covered.

Here is a brief overview of the kit ranges that we offer, we recommend that you visit the individual range overviews and specific product pages for a more in-depth description of how the kits in each range may benefit you.

Electroplating – relates to plating over metal surfaces.

Electroforming – relates to plating over non-conductive surfaces such as plastic.

Tank plating – a form of plating whereby the object to be plated is fully submerged in plating solution inside a tank. Tanks are fitted with specific anodes which work in conjunction with the plating solution.

Mini tanking – a much smaller version of tank plating which is limited to coin/ring sized metal items only. Parts are plated in small pots or containers, generally using 50-100ml of plating solution.

Brush plating – a form of electroplating whereby plating solution is brushed over a surface using a brush plating wand.

Pen plating – a form of electroplating whereby plating solution is applied to an surface via a pen plating wand fitted with a plating nib. Pen plating is a similar concept to brush plating, but this technique only allows for the plating of very small areas. Great for detailed work or selective plating on small sections of an object.

Anodes - metal sheets or rods that are placed inside a plating tank. Metal sheets are used for full tank plating, rods are often used in smaller tanks such as when mini tanking. Anodes are electrodes that provide a positive electrical charge to the plating solution. 

The Prodigy Range contains our flagship plating kits suitable for all functions, allowing you to plate an endless range of non-conductive surfaces such as plastic, and all metals in gold or other precious metal finishes. These kits are available with different tank sizes and can be used for all types of plating applications – tank plating, brush plating and pen plating.

For those looking to generate income from plating, our G.S.P Prodigy Kits are designed with this in mind, allowing you to plate multiple items at the same time, saving you time and money. The set-up will enable you to take on practically any job and will allow you customise an almost limitless variety of everyday / household products to create something truly unique. If required, you will also receive comprehensive technical advice and support, which is tailored to your specific projects at no additional cost.

View the products in the G.S.P Prodigy Range.

The G.S.P Recruit Range kits are designed with expansion in mind. Perhaps you want to start off on small/medium sized jobs, but do not want to be limited by your equipment should you decide to branch out to larger and more technical tasks. Our Recruit BR1 / BR1 Deluxe kits allow you to brush plate with no size limit, pen plate to a high-standard, and provide the option to progress to tank plating. They are also capable of electroforming if the correct chemicals and accessories are added. Alternatively, if you are ready to dive in, you may wish to upgrade to our electroforming starter kit the G.S.P Recruit BR2 Brush Plating / Electroplating / Electroforming Kit.

If required, you will receive comprehensive technical advice and support with the purchase of all G.S.P Recruit kits, which is tailored to your specific projects at no additional cost.

View the products in the G.S.P Recruit Range.

Our G.S.P Troy range kits are suitable for brush plating items up to the size of a standard kettle, and mini tanking small objects. They come complete with our 2.25A Portable Plating Plug which allows for plating jobs to be completed on-site / at a customer's home if necessary. The equipment is lightweight, easy to use, and kits are available with different precious metal finishes.

If required, you will receive comprehensive technical advice and support with the purchase of all G.S.P Troy kits, which is tailored to your specific projects at no additional cost.

View the products in the G.S.P Troy Range.

The G.S.P Portal Range consists of our 2 budget kits with different purposes in mind – decoration and restoration.

Our G.S.P Portal Zinc Plating Kit is a great choice if you are looking to protect screws, bolts and other functional features of motorcycles, bikes, cars and boats from corrosion due to age or weather conditions, allowing you to retain as many original parts as possible.

Our G.S.P Portal Gold and Silver Pen Plating kit is designed for pen plating small items in a controlled and careful manner. Examples of this would include integrated features on handbags such as eyelets, zippers, badges, or other small attachments. You may also wish to use it to plate coins, buckles, or to patch up worn plating on jewellery items such as rings.

View the products in the G.S.P Portal Range.

Although the kits in all our ranges are capable of plating jewellery, the kits in this range are geared towards two main purposes.

The G.S.P Home Jeweller Kits are designed for those who wish to plate rings / small pieces of jewellery on a small scale. These kits allow you to re-plate worn white gold or yellow gold rings in a brilliant white rhodium or platinum finish, in 3 quick and easy steps, with no prior experience. 

If you would like to plate in an alternative finish such as rose gold, you will need only to purchase the additional solution. The G.S.P Home Jeweller cuts the cost of replating services at the jewellers dramatically and allows you to plate to the same standard.

View our Home Jeweller product information video to find out more.

Our G.S.P Belle Fleur Kit allows creative jewellers and crafters to electroform in copper on a small scale. It is popular with those wishing to incorporate natural elements within jewellery pieces - these may include leaves, stones, twigs, hand-made objects and crystals, to create unique designs. 

View the products in the G.S.P Jewellery Range.

Please note: for plating larger items of jewellery or large quantities of jewellery, we recommend choosing a kit from our G.S.P Prodigy or G.S.P Recruit ranges. 

All of our plating kits come with instruction manuals to help you get to grips with operating your equipment and performing the processes that will ensure great results. We also provide you with practice pieces and a written step by step tutorial with many of our kits, so that you can practice without fear of damaging the items that you would like to plate. Electroplating and electroforming is surprisingly easy and we are sure that you will be plating with confidence in a short amount of time.

If however, you require assistance with any job, have any questions or wish to run ideas past us before beginning a project, we offer our 5 Point Support Package free of charge with many of our kits.

We want you to be successful and trust in our products the way that we do, we pride ourselves on our customer service and offer an unrivalled customer experience.

We hope that this short guide to our products has helped you to decide which type of kit is best for you. If you are still unsure, simply give us a call and we will happily talk you through the options and guide you to the right product.

If you require a set-up which is not covered by a product in one of our ranges, such as a plating kit with tank sizes larger than 10 litres, or plating machines which are more powerful than 10 amps, we can most certainly offer a bespoke package that is suitable, please enquire with us for more details.