Is the fume hood in the science area a filter or vent type?
Why I’m asking: I’m doing some small scale electroplating using a gallon of nickel acetate and some pure nickel electrodes. The process liberates small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen. I’ve been doing it outside at home, but the weather isn’t expected to cooperate for at least the next week. I’d like to make some progress.
I’m assuming nickel acetate isn’t a problem substance for the area.
We have a laminar flow hood (biology only) that is currently working, but you’d want the chemical fume hood for what you’re doing, and although we do have one, it’s not hooked up yet because the city is dragging their feet on approval. With that being said, you should be okay with the hydrogen and oxygen emission as long as the area is well ventilated, and though I won’t speak on his behalf (@jbrown885), my first thought would be to use the hoods in blacksmithing on a quiet day; obviously you wouldn’t want to be producing hydrogen while the forges are going, but ventilation is pretty good in that area.
If you do it at the Makerspace I would love to shoulder jockey/be your assistant - want to learn
Thanks
Max
The hoods in blacksmithing are intended to vent the CO that comes from the forges. They are also pretty high above the forges and although the draft is strong I’d be suspicious of any gases other than the intended CO gas the city approved them for. There are no tables in blacksmithing to do any sort of metal plating either. .Furthermore, there are tons of contaminates floating around from grinding, scale from hammering and general dust from other machine use. I wouldn’t do my plating there.
The propane forges aren’t the only source of ignition in the blacksmithing area either. The induction forge could possibly be a risk. II suspect the amount of combustible gases is pretty small I know though.
Having said that if @jbrown885 approves go for it.
Too many issues. I’m going to look for another option. Probably just wait for the right weather conditions.
No sure I’m the right sensei. I’ve done it off an on, but these are pretty decent starters:
There are a host of issues he doesn’t discuss, like the chemistry you use to plate copper on steel needs to be alkali based - and the most effective chemistries use cyanide 
but you can use an acid based nickel chemistry to flash a lyer of nickel on the steel and then copper plate with copper acetate.
All I need right now is nickel on steel.
There’s also some pretty good fora at https://forum.caswellplating.com/
Thanks
Sam/Science Comm are working on a training class but was going to watch.
Good luck on your project
Max
We’re still working on getting the permit from the city to begin installation of the roof mounted fan for the fume hood in Science. So it’ll probably be a few months before the fume hood is operational.