From:Doug Strange e-mail:AMCAdoug@aol.com
Subject:RE: RE: RE: Tool box latch finish Date:Sun Dec 28 19:49:24 2014
Response to:5471
Nickel plating was dirt cheap and used on most metal items
to protect them from corrosion. It didn't matter that
companies painted over the plating. In some manufacturing
processes, to paint over plating was merely less expensive.
As in my Ace and Indian wheels of that period, the rims
would be laced up and the entire assembly painted. It was
quicker and cheaper than painting the rims separately then
assembling them. Think of the scratches in the plant by
workers who probably didn't care that much. Expediency and
costs over attractiveness.
ACEdoug

----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS -----
Schwinn was a good business man. The latches, like many
other small parts were a proprietary item , in this case
purchased from the Corbin Manufacturing company. The latches
were undoubtedly an off the shelf item and would have been
plated somehow, surely they wouldn't sell a bare steel latch
as it would rust in short order. I have some that are
stamped CORBIN and they are nickle plated. I also have 2
latches that are identical except they are not stamped and
are brass plated. Anyway, they bought what was available
and integrated it into their product.

Other examples of this on the X were spokes and wheel hubs.
These were purchased from Corbin, or other vendors and I
would assume were nickle plated by the manufacturer. The
wheels were assembled, then the hub, spokes and rim were
painted as an assembly. I know this continued even after
they started making some of their own wheel hubs in 1915.

----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS -----
I thought Schwinn was a good businessman just like old
Henry. Why would he
pay for nickel plating and then paint over it?

----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS -----
OK, here is the question of the day: The tool box latches
used on Super X and
Henderson were Corbin latches, nickle plated. Were they
riveted on after the box
was painted, or before and then painted with the box? The
only real way to
know would be a nice original paint machine, anyone have one
that can answer
this question?