Man, finishing is a touchy thing, isn't it? You gotta catch the eye before the ear will listen sometimes. I have been doing my own finishing until lately, when I discovered that the guy who refinished my bathtub also does other work. First off, I like his superior equipment compared to mine, but I still have to watch/look at the finished product carefully. One drip, and whats the point? Now, I haven't tried plating in any of my projects, but I think that it would be great to have some copper plating done here and there. For now, just paint.