3PO build

[Conqueror_Worm]

I have an idea for the eyes-


Brass tubing is really hard to find, but copper tubing is everywhere.  
I used to work at a science museum, and we did a demonstration called Gold Pennies. The basic idea is that you plate zinc onto a copper penny, then heat it so that the zinc combines with the copper to form brass plating.


So, can I scale this up, and use it to brass plate larger pieces of copper?
I don't have the chemicals that are usually used (ZnCL2, NaOH), so I tried to use electrolysis with an NaCl solution to plate the zinc on the copper-


but I didn't get a shiny silver part-

I heated it anyway, but no brass.  I tried a few more experiments with electrolysis, but no luck (see copper fitting in first image).  Next time I will try using oven cleaner as a source of NaOH, and try the more typical experiment.

In other news, I switched my 3D printer from a 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm nozzle, so I can print stronger parts faster.  That took a couple weeks of trouble shooting, but I'm getting decent prints now.

I did complete one very important piece of hardware-