This is a big subject- but basically, electropolishing can be thought of as like plating, only in reverse.
A power supply is hooked up, backwards from what you would use for plating, and the flow of electricity strips away the top layer of the stainless, rather than adding a layer as in plating.
Small units are made to clean up welds in stainless steel, like the one from Walter-
http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/servlet/NewProdDetail?item=54D213
Walter also makes a variety of citric and other acid products that clean stainless without electricity.
Commercially, electropolishing is done in tanks with dilute phosphoric acid, and large power supplies.
I send mine out to a commercial polisher that has a 4 foot by 4 foot by 8 foot tank, and a 1000 amp power supply. It makes short work of mill scale, even on heavily forged pieces.
Electropolishing, like plating, only takes what you start with and makes it look shiny- so whatever finish you start with, be it mirror polish or rough hammer texture, will still be that finish, just shinier.
It makes graffiti cleanup very easy- since there is no finish whatsoever on the stainless, virtually any cleaner can be used, as long as its nonabrasive. Simple Green will take off most graffiti from pens, and sometimes even spray paint.
I think electropolished stainless is one of the best finishes in a high vandalism environment.
I find that polishing costs me about what powdercoating would- but it will never peel, fade, or need repainting.
This is dependant, of course, on having a commercial polisher available, and they are rare. Many plating companies do small scale polishing, and they usually know who does it if they dont, so I would start to look by calling your local plater.
These guys are big, and expensive-
http://www.electromatic.com/
This is a big subject- but
This is a big subject- but basically, electropolishing can be thought of as like plating, only in reverse.
A power supply is hooked up, backwards from what you would use for plating, and the flow of electricity strips away the top layer of the stainless, rather than adding a layer as in plating.
Small units are made to clean up welds in stainless steel, like the one from Walter-
http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/servlet/NewProdDetail?item=54D213
Walter also makes a variety of citric and other acid products that clean stainless without electricity.
Commercially, electropolishing is done in tanks with dilute phosphoric acid, and large power supplies.
I send mine out to a commercial polisher that has a 4 foot by 4 foot by 8 foot tank, and a 1000 amp power supply. It makes short work of mill scale, even on heavily forged pieces.
Electropolishing, like plating, only takes what you start with and makes it look shiny- so whatever finish you start with, be it mirror polish or rough hammer texture, will still be that finish, just shinier.
It makes graffiti cleanup very easy- since there is no finish whatsoever on the stainless, virtually any cleaner can be used, as long as its nonabrasive. Simple Green will take off most graffiti from pens, and sometimes even spray paint.
I think electropolished stainless is one of the best finishes in a high vandalism environment.
I find that polishing costs me about what powdercoating would- but it will never peel, fade, or need repainting.
This is dependant, of course, on having a commercial polisher available, and they are rare. Many plating companies do small scale polishing, and they usually know who does it if they dont, so I would start to look by calling your local plater.
These guys are big, and expensive-
http://www.electromatic.com/