chrome plating

[julian64]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a place in the south east which is reasonable for chrome plating some bits and bobs.

I have a luggage rack and some rear indicators covers off a car that need stripping back and chrome plating and so far either people refuse on the basis that its too small a job, or want to charge industrial prices which are far more that the stuff costs brand new.

[Renovation]

As an indication to chrome plate an old AA badge costs circa £15-20 so I'd expect a luggage rack to be circa £80-120

[E30M3SE]

In the same boat as the OP. Been quoted £2.50+VAT each to plate some M7 bolts 40mm in length, I have 134 of them......

[vixen1700]

I've heard good things about these people: http://www.hockleyenterprises.co.uk/

Haven't used them yet, but will need a couple of door handles done in due course.

[swisstoni]

If you can buy brand new that has to be cheaper. Chroming is expensive because stuff has to be stripped and re-polished to a mirror finish before even going near new chrome.

[archie456]

I used these guys for a load of bike bits a few years back and they did a very nice job without breaking the bank.

Wooburn Metal Polishing & Plating Ltd
Unit 8/9
Soho Mills
Wooburn Green
Buckinghamshire
HP10 0PF
Contact: Dylan Thomas
Telephone: [phone]

[julian64]

Renovation said:

As an indication to chrome plate an old AA badge costs circa £15-20 so I'd expect a luggage rack to be circa £80-120

multiply that figure by 3 and you'll be closer. The luggage rack is quite difficult to match to the car and fairly difficult to buy new.
The places I rang suggest they aren't really interested in a single low value item so they quote me accordingly. I'll try the suggestions given. Thanks

[northwest monkey]

It sounds daft, but on an episode of Wheeler Dealers they had some bits & bobs chrome plated. Maybe the show has a list of suppliers they've used or you could email them & ask?

[E30M3SE]

That is this place,

http://www.chromeplaters.co.uk/

[jagracer]

You could try these, if you haven't already. http://www.douglasmf.com/ I've never used them but was going to give them a call to see if it'll be cheaper to replate all the chrome on one of my cars or buy new.

[E30M3SE]

OP, you may want to contact,

http://www.londonchroming.co.uk/

I have received an acceptable quote for my bolts, can't comment on quality as yet as have had it done but I got their contact details from a bodyshop we use at work who do a very high qulaity job.

[droopsnoot]

I had wheelnuts refinished at Nuneaton Fine Finishing several years ago and they've lasted pretty well.

[thebraketester]

Lamberts in Watford. They are theee people to take plating work to. They do all the high end plating on private jets etc etc.

[julian64]

E30M3SE said:

OP, you may want to contact,

http://www.londonchroming.co.uk/

I have received an acceptable quote for my bolts, can't comment on quality as yet as have had it done but I got their contact details from a bodyshop we use at work who do a very high qulaity job.

I think this is a website front for ashford chroming. I'm sure they're good but they were the company who quoted high for me.

[Mr2Mike]

julian64 said:

I think this is a website front for ashford chroming. I'm sure they're good but they were the company who quoted high for me.

You might want to read the comments about a company located in that area on this bike restoration thread. Search for "Maple-Vauxhall"

[julian64]

Mr2Mike said:

julian64 said:

I think this is a website front for ashford chroming. I'm sure they're good but they were the company who quoted high for me.

You might want to read the comments about a company located in that area on this bike restoration thread. Search for "Maple-Vauxhall"

I was being tactful to avoid the wrath of the moderators

[E30M3SE]

One to possibly avoid then........

[jagracer]

Mr2Mike said:

You might want to read the comments about a company located in that area on this bike restoration thread. Search for "Maple-Vauxhall"

Give us a clue, there's 34 pages on there.

[E30M3SE]

jagracer said:

Mr2Mike said:

You might want to read the comments about a company located in that area on this bike restoration thread. Search for "Maple-Vauxhall"

Give us a clue, there's 34 pages on there.

bike resto thread said:

evil len said:

This is a story of two re-chromers ... one called Derby Plating in the Midlands, and the other called ... um, well, lets call them "Maple-Vauxhall Chroming" in the garden of England.

If you recall, back at the start of the year I split my chrome 50/50 between these two chromers, going for best quoted price on each item. The parts were sent off to each company at the same time.


Derby Plating

Quoted 6 weeks.
Returned my items in 4 weeks.
Was the same price as their quote.
Had superb quality chrome.

So ... Len was a pretty happy bunny at that ...


Maple-Vauxhall

Quoted 6 weeks.
Went silent.
At 10 weeks Len emailed them.
2 weeks later they finally replied saying "Sorry, we've marked it as urgent, will do them soon"
Another 3 weeks went by.
Cue a long series of excuses, unreplied to emails, and promises broken.
At 16 weeks they finally returned my parts, and charge me £45 more than the quote.
Also I'd told them twice to send the parts to my wife's work address, they sent them home where no-one was in.
But wait ... oh no ... what's this, they've only returned 2/3rds of the parts.
Some parts were missing.
Contact them again.
They've lost my parts.
They find my parts.
They say "Sorry, we've marked it as urgent, will do them soon"
I tell them to send them to my wife's work address.
Time moves on.
Emails are exchanged.
Emails are ignored.
Promises are made.
Promises are broken.
Finally after 21.5 weeks in total, I get the last of my parts ...
... sent again to the wrong address.
... thrown over the fence by the postman, and discovered by accident.
Oh, and compared to Derby Plating, the quality of the chrome is "okay" at best.


So in conclusion ... I would highly recommend Derby Plating !

Maple-Vauxhall can go fk themselves.

[NigelStn]

I had all the chrome for my car done by Derby Platers, not the cheapest, but they do a fantastic job. They will even do a limited amount of straightening of trim pieces.
A lot of high end restoration companies use them.