Indiana Jones Gun

[pinsanity]

Honestly, you would be hard up to tell the difference between gold and brass plating when they are both polished like that. It is not much more than acting as a selling point to say yes it is genuine gold plated, but that seems to be what the market wants (something to differentiate over and above the standard).

The only major difference is that pure 24k has a slightly more yellow colour to it. Once you introduce "impurities" to strengthen the gold and bring it down to say 22k or 18k it looks exactly the same as brass so I would just go with brass.

RE: The legs
A soft cloth with Brasso every once in a while takes care of any dullness, but generally they hold up well.

[Boots]

Honestly, you would be hard up to tell the difference between gold and brass plating when they are both polished like that. It is not much more than acting as a selling point to say yes it is genuine gold plated, but that seems to be what the market wants (something to differentiate over and above the standard).

The only major difference is that pure 24k has a slightly more yellow colour to it. Once you introduce "impurities" to strengthen the gold and bring it down to say 22k or 18k it looks exactly the same as brass so I would just go with brass.

RE: The legs
A soft cloth with Brasso every once in a while takes care of any dullness, but generally they hold up well.

Brass would have to be clear coated otherwise it very quickly starts to tarnish and darken.
When you clear coat brass it does go a slightly darker colour.

I have had several plaques gold plated but at one stage I was just polishing the brass and clearcoating it, the gold looks 100% brighter and overall better product because no clearcoat is required.

Two drawbacks to gold:
1. The price has gone up over the last couple of years.
2. It is soft and will wear off with time

[DSB]

Thanks for the advise guys. Gives me something to think about.

[Dluth]

Am considering restoring my IJ cabinet also, just need to get a block of time free from the wife and kids!
Does anyone know a good powder coated in Melbourne? Am thinking of doing the legs, side rails and lockdown bar...orange.

[Dluth]

I've started a full cabinet restore and decals.

Was actually going to ask, from pictures the gun seems to be finished anything from black, chrome or gold.

By the way, how did you go getting the rails off? Putty knife and hair dryer? Damage them or able to re use?

[DSB]

By the way, how did you go getting the rails off? Putty knife and hair dryer? Damage them or able to re use?

I used a heat gun and a stanley knife with the long blade on another machine. Cleaned them up, regrained them and reused them. 

[pinsanity]

75mm wide flat paint scraper and heat gun.

Put a cloth between the cabinet and the scraper for protection if you are keeping the original cab art.

Then just heat up the paint scraper/siderail whilst pushing upwards against the lower section of the rail.

You will know it is hot enough as the scraper will drive upwards and cut through the siderail adhesive like a hot knife through butter.