Removing chrome plating

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I am getting close to having my grill pieces rechromed. The cores are in good shape and I would like to save a little money by doing the prep myself. The question is how is the original chrome removed, blasting and with what media, Buffing and with what type of wheel and compound, or does it have to be electrolysis?

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I would be very care-full blasting . It needs to be chemically striped not distort the metal . Most platers would prefer you don't touch it . I am not sure you would save all that much in cost and could cost you more in the long run . This is my chrome man his name is John . He dose most of the chrome for our local chapter . If you call him he will gladly advice you on the right way to do it . #386-569-9631 Hudson Dave
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    I concur, DON'T bead blast chrome! Some of the people doing the work are, let's say, "heavy handed" & use air pressures that are too high & can damage & even warp thin or small pieces as the blasting process can/will heat the metal.

    Also bead blasting will make, even tho microscopic, pits in the metal which have to be filled & smoothed so as Hudson Dave said, just let the platers chemically strip off the old chrome in their tanks.

    Be sure to use a reputable shop that's been in business a long time & is financially sound. I've read of guys going to get their parts months later & the shop had gone out of business, contents of business sold for scrap & JUNKED when building emptied. Another guy took in parts for his CORD & got back parts for a ford!

    If you want good work, that will last, it should be copper, nickle, then chrome plated - make sure the shop does all 3.

    Another interesting tip I got: if not sure who to use, find out who the local bikers use as they, generally speaking, only want/will use top quality chrome work on their bikes (esp. Harley owners). Some of these small chrome shops however only cater to bikers & won't have tanks big enough for things like bumpers.
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    Another tip, if not sure about a shop, take them an insignificant part to plate as a test case.

    I did this with the bumpers on my '33 T8 as MOST carefully about having the radiator shell damaged/lost!

    It's getting hard to find good shops too. I know in Calif. a lot of them just closed down due to strict EPA laws & enforcements. Same with painters - in Calif. it became a requirement to have spray booths that cost $40,000! The little guys just closed their doors & the big ones who were able to afford them & stay in business of course raised their prices!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    oldhudsons wrote:
    Another tip, if not sure about a shop, take them an insignificant part to plate as a test case.
    I did this with the bumpers on my '33 T8 as MOST carefully about having the radiator shell damaged/lost!
    It's getting hard to find good shops too. I know in Calif. a lot of them just closed down due to strict EPA laws & enforcements. Same with painters - in Calif. it became a requirement to have spray booths that cost $40,000! The little guys just closed their doors & the big ones who were able to afford them & stay in business of course raised their prices!

    I did this with one shop and was not happy with the results, I knew better but forgot to ask about his process and I think he used some type of copy chrome. I have the name of a shop other Hudson owners use, but it is a fair distance from me. I have the names of some other shops close by that I will check out, I know one is top quality with the work but also is top with the price. I don't mind paying the price for top quality work, but what I am looking for is good driver quality not necessarily top show quality.

    Thanks for the suggestions.
  • essexcoupe3131
    essexcoupe3131 Senior Contributor
    Down under we call it triple coating , but a good chromer will use more copper, this will take out any pitting etc, I know 1 of the grills I had it had had 5 coats of copper put on it just to remove pitting and these are all polished between each coat.Once the copper is right and the all the imperfections are gone,the chrome can go 1 process more, the altimate coating is when they come to nickling they will use a dull nickle and a bright nickle. I dont know many shops down this way that does that but 1 and you have to have a good bank balance, but the results are amazing in the depth of chrome speaks for its self

    Mike
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    The finished part will be no better than the copper plate. There are no more buffing or finishing operations after the copper. Just nickle and chrome. If there are scrathes, nicks, pits etc. in the copper, they WILL be in the finished chrome. From what I've read on the above posts, it would be wise to have the chrome shop call you AFTER the copper plate. If the part looks perfect except that it's copper rather than chrome, give them to "go ahead' to finsh the process. This won't work well with the mail order businesses. Several years ago I bought a Copper plate kit from Caswell. My plan was, to do that portion of the pot metal parts myself. Then just submit it for the nickle chrome. Once you have copper on the part, you can solder small imperfections. Of course you will have to re-plate with copper. I have not used the kit, because I haven't come up with a way to remove the old chrome from pot metal.. any suggestions are welcome.
  • dave s
    dave s Senior Contributor, Moderator
    SuperDave wrote:
    The finished part will be no better than the copper plate. There are no more buffing or finishing operations after the copper. Just nickle and chrome. If there are scrathes, nicks, pits etc. in the copper, they WILL be in the finished chrome. From what I've read on the above posts, it would be wise to have the chrome shop call you AFTER the copper plate. If the part looks perfect except that it's copper rather than chrome, give them to "go ahead' to finsh the process. This won't work well with the mail order businesses. Several years ago I bought a Copper plate kit from Caswell. My plan was, to do that portion of the pot metal parts myself. Then just submit it for the nickle chrome. Once you have copper on the part, you can solder small imperfections. Of course you will have to re-plate with copper. I have not used the kit, because I haven't come up with a way to remove the old chrome from pot metal.. any suggestions are welcome.



    I use a 2" Scotchbright wheel in die grinder to remove chrome. Once chrome is removed, file, sand and buff on sisal wheel on bench grinder.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories

In this Discussion