[hobobot]

Hey guys,
Any tips for getting a nice even surface when electroplating? I have a lot of sharp edges on my object and it tends to accumulate there.
I'm plating onto steel using CuSO4

[enahs]

The sharp edges on your object are going to be a big problem.

[Maverick]

try using a copper anode with whatever u wanted as the cathode in vineger with 5-10 mL of concentrated H2SO4, i used a penny anode to plate out a quarter, it will take a while with a 6 volt battery around 30 minutes

[hobobot]

Vinegar eh? Thanks I'll try that out.
6 Volts wasn't too much?

[Maverick]

Nah then again my battery was pretty used up. Crap I dont have a voltage meter. Play around with the volts. Make an experiment out of it see which works best. 

[Eudoxus]

I've done it with the salt and vinegar method with a 9V battery. One thing you can do is move your anode around so that the copper is dissolving directly adjacent to the bit you want to plate. You'll still get more accumulation at the edges, but not as much as if you just left it stationary.

You can't have too much voltage (until it starts sparking at least), the issue is that too much current will heat up your electrodes and cause them to oxidize. However, too little current and you won't get any electroplating at all. It's a fine balance. I've found that a typical 9V alkaline battery works perfectly.