Ideas for organizing parts sent out for plating.

I took pics next to labeled bags and it worked out for me, when I got them back from plater it was easy to look at photos on laptop and put them back into the already labeled baggies.
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Photos are the key and dealing with a plater who really understands and is sensative to rare, fragile hard to replace parts. I have found those who specialize in motorcycle plating pretty understanding of that and easy to deal with.

 

Wish I had thought of that when I sent in a bunch of Dino parts to be chromed in the 70s. They lost the chrome lamp surround on the rear of the trunk. Luckily, FAF had a whole new lamp assembly for $34. Those were the days.

 

Alternatively, for small parts like that, you can indeed purchase a home plating kit and do it yourself. That way, at least you can jumble it up and loose it in your own shed.

 

I take pictures, put parts in numbered bags that are labeled with what they have in them and what plating is to be done, and send a detailed typed list of parts and what bag they are in. This actually saved me when I had a batch come back plated wrong. The owner called and said it was difficult to know sometimes when I send so many parts. I explained that I had emailed a detailed list of bags, contents, and plating needs, the different plating was in separate boxes and everything was clearly labeled. I asked what I could do to make it easier, he said he understood and apologized, clearly he was not aware of my efforts. He re-plated the parts with no charge and I use them still today.