A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921.
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ORDER VIII.—WORKERS IN PRECIOUS METALS AND ELECTRO PLATE

Sub-order 1.—Workers in Precious Metals and Electro Plate

282.—Electro Platers, Nickel Platers



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depositor
a plater q.v. who applies a coat of powdered blacklead, i.e., graphite, with a brush, to wax, plaster, wood or metal casts or models, and, by electro-deposition process, deposits a coating of copper, silver or other metal on casts or models so treated; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., copper depositor, electro depositor, silver depositor, depositor, electro plaque ; as for depositor.
gilder
a highly skilled plater q.v. who specialises in covering base metals with a coating of gold by (i) (electrodeposition process), cf. plater;
(ii) (mercurial amalgam or fire gilding process) prepares amalgam by pouring mercury on gold which has been heated to a certain temperature, and squeezing mixture through a filter bag of chamois leather until it is of correct consistency known as "gold butter"; paints article with amalgam, with a brush, and disperses mercury by heating in a furnace or over a charcoal burner.
gilder, best
a gilder q.v. who by fire gilding process, or more rarely by electro-deposition process, puts a thick coating of gold upon bettor class work, and gilds inlays and linings of silver ware and fine jewellery.
gilder, parcel
a gilder or plater q.v. who, by electro-deposition process, gilds articles, and sometimes plates with other metals, in such a way that only part of surface is covered, by "stopping-out," with brush and bitumastic paint or lacquer, parts not to be gilded or plated.
gilder and plater ; plater and gilder
combines functions of gilder and of plater q.v.
gold anode man ; gold machine man
assists gilder q.v. in electro-deposition process by attending to hand or automatic rocking of connection rods and anodes of plating bath.
gold changer (electrolysis) ; gold fitter
replenishes electrolytic bath with fresh electrolyte, and removes residues, etc., in electro gilding process.
gold fitter (electrolysis)
see gold changer.
gold machine man
see gold anode man.
gold painter
a gilder q.v. using the firing process.
nickel worker
a plater q.v. plating articles with nickel.
plater, electro-plater
covers articles of britannia metal, albata, nickel silver, white metal or other base metal, with a coating of other metal by (i) dipping them in coating solution, by hand, (ii) (more usually) electro-deposition process; mixes coating solutions himself or receives them ready mixed from storage vats; superintends work of scratch brushers (285), cleaners (299), scourers (299) q.v. or other operations preliminary to, or forming part of, plating process; sometimes performs these operations himself; suspends articles, after cleaning, by wires fastened on rods, in electrolytic bath or vats containing coating solution, i.e., acids and metallic salts, through which a current of electricity is passed, causing coating metal (in form of an anode plate, also suspended in solution) to disintegrate and to be deposited on articles to be plated; sometimes places large quantities of small articles in revolving drums containing coating solution, where they are similarly treated by electro-deposition process; operates switches to increase I or reduce amperage of electric current; in small or less well equipped plants, rocks bath containing articles to be plated or superintends rocking; recovers residues of precious metals from baths, vats or drums which are fitted with special apparatus for this purpose; puts fresh anode plates into bathe, vats or drums, as required; judges, by experience, length of time required for plating each type of article, amount of gold or other metal required in solution, amperage of current required, etc.; passes article, when plated, to finisher (287) q.v.; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., albata plater, lock plater, nickel plater, silver plater, white metal plater.
plater, edge tool
a plater q.v. who covers high class edge tools, e.g. surgical instruments, with a coating of nickel.
plater, potter's electro
a plater q.v. who specialises in the plating of fittings and mountings for pottery and porcelain, e.g., cruet stands, biscuit barrel tops, handles, hot water jug covers, etc.
plater, silver
see plater; cf. silver plater (harness) (278).
plater and gilder
see gilder and plater.
silverer
as for plater.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.