Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-01
Photography
"GALVANIT"

In a paper by Augustus Rosen-
berg, read at the Royal Society of Arts
a week or so ago, a new and very re-
markable invention was introduced to
the public, which invention is likely to
have far-reaching, not to say revolu-
tiunary, effects. This Introduction was
"Galvanit," which is the name of
material with which eleetroplating can
be effected in the simplest possible
manner We need only buy a shilling
tin of silver, tin, nickel, or cadmium
"Galvanit' powder and may then
straightway proceed to electroplate any
metallic article we like with the aid of
nothing beyond a soft cloth and some
water. A little powder is put on
piece of clean paper touched with the
cloth which has been moistened with
the water, then the article is rubLed
and the plating effected. We tried
some tin "Galvanit" on an old cheap
stop-watch which, from long carrying
in the pocket among cash and keys
and other sundries, had long lost It's
nickel plate, and was naked to its
shameless brass foundation. In less
than five minutes the watch not only
looked as good as new, but rather bet
ter, for tin plating is more effective
than nickel, and very difficult to dis
tinguish from silver. The coating was
hard and thick enough to stand Wig
orous polishing with rouge. We also
tried the effect of plating some brass
divided scales, which were so dirty and
soiled as to be almost unreadable. Gal
Vanit' is cleanser as we'll as platter,
and in a few minutes our scales were
as bright as silver, with every division
showing up sharply and clearly. Ev-
ery fresh application of 'GalVanltf
adds more metal, and so few treat
ments result in a thick coating that
will stand plenty of hard wear, and
also be a perfect preservative. 1t does
not take long for steel to rust ana
brass to tarnish in Photographic
workshop, which is invariably damp in
the neighborhod of the sink, but silver
plated taps, scale pans, plate racks,
etc, immune from rust and PROOF
against most chemicals, need not now
be unattainable luxuries, since the ex-
pendture of one shilling and about
half an hour of time will produce them:
One of the uses for which "GalVanlt
is recommended is that of plating cop
per process blocks, and for this it
should be eminently useful. The prln-
ciple of "Galvanit' is simple enough.
The powder contains the essential met
al. a dry electrolyte which becomes ac-
tice on the addition of moisture, ana
another metal, which appears usually
to be magnesium, and acts as an anode'
The secondary products formed from
the electrolyte (alkalies, acids, etc.
help to clean the metal, while chalk or
soapstone, which may be added, helps
toward the same result. The effect is
almost instantaneous when the metal
is clean, but somewhat slower on dirty
metal. Grease, varnish, lacquer, or
rust are, of course, serious obstacles to
the plating process. and should be re-
moved first, even though we find By
practical test that "Galvanit" alone
will dispose of them in course of time
This, however, involves a waste of plat
ing material and also of time. From
what we have said, it will be evident
that "Galvanit" is an introduction or
very real Importance and value All
kinds of plating metals will in time be
available, and the cheaper ones, such
as zinc and tin. will doubtless ma
numberless uses. The address of the
CaIvanit Manufacturing company is
and George street, Hanover Square,
w, London.-"British Journal of Pho-
tography."