Nickel plating sounds like the kind of specialist task that requires complex, expensive equipment and professional expertise; however, if you have some nickel bars, you can make your own nickel acetate with common household substances.
Basic ingredients
Start with a bowl of concentrated vinegar. You can improve its conductivity by adding a small amount of salt and stirring it. You will also need a power source, such as a battery or mobile phone charger, and some pure nickel. This is what you need to electroplate your item.
Electroless nickel plating by surface engineering specialists such as poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/electroless-nickel-plating/ is entirely chemical-based. It does not require an external power source, but the chemicals used are not widely available.
Nickel acetate
To create nickel acetate using your vinegar and salt solution, attach your nickel to the positive and negative ends of your power source with the help of alligator leads. Submerge the nickel without touching the vinegar with the clips. If the chemicals are reacting correctly, there will be bubbling around the negative pole; after several hours, the solution should turn green.
It is important to be careful with nickel acetate, which can be poisonous. Keep it away from your eyes and mouth, keep it away from children, and clean the area thoroughly after use.
Electrolysis
You can now move the nickel bar to the positive side whilst you submerge the item to be plated on the negative side. It helps to clean the item to be plated first to remove grime and oxidation. Again, there should be bubbling to show the reaction is working. Rotate the item every 30 seconds or so and reposition the alligator clips every few rotations to ensure the item is evenly coated.
Final clean
After removing the object from the solution, you can clean it in some regular water and give it a light polish. The difference from a non-plated object should be clearly visible.
Vinegar, salt, and a mobile phone charger are all you need to turn your nickel into nickel acetate and electroplate your chosen item.
