chromeing plastic

[william weir]

hi anyone help with or used a uk company for plastic chromeing as showen on u tube i need 2 small parts re done cant find a co. to do small orders in uk.

[rustandoil]

QPP
Shady Lane
Great Barr
Birmingham

Dont know if they do small quantities.....

[phillpot]

Many years ago I collected a "few" slot cars (Scalextric and similar to the un-educated), at the time there were people getting plastic car bodies "chromium" plated.
I believe the process involved hot oil and the body did not always survive!!!

things may have moved on since then?


Depending what you are looking to do could this be an option?

[mep12345]

I wonder whether Mikes suggested spray chrome could recover a front fog light reflector? Has anyone used this stuff, if so is it truly smooth and shiney enough to save me having to replace my original equipment fogs?

[phillpot]

It's certainly brighter than silver paint, I sprayed a dizzy cap just for fun it came out a kind of satin chrome finish. Tried a coat of clear lacquer to gloss it up but it turned it a sort of grey colour, in fact not far of the colour it was before I painted it!

A driving lamp reflector would probably "look" better, but doubt it would actually reflect particularly well? And it could be difficult getting a rusty, peeling, corroded reflector smooth enough unless you have a method for removing the remaining chrome finish

[Buzzlt]

Once upon a time I designed a chrome plating for plastic production line. Assuming it still works try DMS Plastics in google!

[v8s4me]

Didn't someone post up a process whereby a "film" was laid over the part in tank. It was some time ago now and I think the post related to wheels, but maybe a chrome finish could be achieved that way?

[phillpot]

v8s4me said:

process whereby a "film" was laid over the part in tank.

Like this ? No "chrome" finish listed

[Top Gear TVR]

spray adhesive and aluminium foil?

aluminium duct foil tape? http://www.screwfix.com/p/aluminium-foil-tape-silv...

[phillpot]

Top Gear TVR said:

spray adhesive and aluminium foil?

But it's self adhesive !


That stuff has its uses but is, in my experience, totally inflexible. Obviously you can wrap it around something like a coil but it will not stretch or "accomodate" the slightest double curvature e.g. trying to do instrument bezels.

[greymrj]

The very best (expensive!) 'chrome' paints are pretty good now. We recently used one to refinish a pair of Porsche 912 horn grills (mezac so they cannot be rechromed). The effect is good enough, but not the shiny reflective chrome you really want. And, as Philpott has found, it will not take lacquer without appearing dull. Nor will it take any polishing!
I do remember once doing a quite passable repair to a motorcycle headlamp (hardly noticed the different) by using chrome adhesive tape set radially out from the bulb. Obviously needs good clean steel first or it will be off in no time. A cheap repair however, and lasted a couple of years.

[blitzracing]

The way to plate plastic is to use a paint thats very rich in copper first off, so its conductive, then go through the normal chrome electro plating system. Apparently its what they used for the original Terminator Robots that where made in cast resin, then plated.

[phillpot]

That is quite possibly the correct way to do it but I think the vast majoriy of "chrome" plated plastic, the shiny bits in plastic kits for example, isn't chrome at all?


In fact, might be worth asking over on the Scale Models forum

[Top Gear TVR]

phillpot said:

Top Gear TVR said:

spray adhesive and aluminium foil?

But it's self adhesive !


That stuff has its uses but is, in my experience, totally inflexible. Obviously you can wrap it around something like a coil but it will not stretch or "accomodate" the slightest double curvature e.g. trying to do instrument bezels.

i meant spray adhesive and foil OR sticky aluminium tape....