Is chrome plating really that difficult/expensive?
Discussion
^ Yes, that'll be some sort of paint finish - if the item won't conduct then surely it can't be "normal" chrome as that requires current to deposit the plating onto it.
I've tried some of the "chrome" paints in aerosol form and they're usually rubbish - I'd be happy if the finish was anything like the finish on the cap, but it never is, it's just a bright silver finish. And if you lacquer it, it turns dull grey. I looked into some of the spray-on chrome finishes that actually look like chrome, and it doesn't look that difficult if you can spray paint. I was hoping to find someone locally that does it. Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
I've tried some of the "chrome" paints in aerosol form and they're usually rubbish - I'd be happy if the finish was anything like the finish on the cap, but it never is, it's just a bright silver finish. And if you lacquer it, it turns dull grey. I looked into some of the spray-on chrome finishes that actually look like chrome, and it doesn't look that difficult if you can spray paint. I was hoping to find someone locally that does it. Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
rob07 said:
I agree it's probably done abroad but surely a lot of Chrome like finishes are not normal chrome. For example women's beauty products come in packaging/bottles etc which have the chrome or gold finish on card or plastic.
That's Vacuum Plating (or PVD - Physical Vacuum Deposition). It's cleaner than real chrome plating but much thinner. It doesn't provide the protection that old school chrome provides. Proper chrome plating uses a lot of energy and nasty chemicals.
Sadly, I learnt last week that one of the countries quality plating services, Derby Plating Services, has closed. I was told they'd got fed up of chasing the latest environmental rules,
GadgeS3C said:
Sadly, I learnt last week that one of the countries quality plating services, Derby Plating Services, has closed. I was told they'd got fed up of chasing the latest environmental rules,
That's sad news, they were not far from me and I was intending to take my Riley's rear bumper in. There can't be many alternatives in the UK now.Riley Blue said:
GadgeS3C said:
Sadly, I learnt last week that one of the countries quality plating services, Derby Plating Services, has closed. I was told they'd got fed up of chasing the latest environmental rules,
That's sad news, they were not far from me and I was intending to take my Riley's rear bumper in. There can't be many alternatives in the UK now.About 30 years ago I use to use a chap on the old RAF base at Staughton Moor, St Neots for all my chroming. He was brilliant and would turn stuff around in a week. All these tanks with various chemicals in them when I went to see him. Not long after my last visit, him along with loads of other chromers went out of business due to the license increasing substantially. Once this happened getting chroming done became very expensive.
GadgeS3C said:
Agreed - they weren't cheap, but quality never is.
Quality has different meanings, cars never had what people call show chrome back in the day. Not restoring any more, it doesn't make sense, but for chrome I used an industrial plating company in Essex, mainly did stuff for buildings, the finish was akin to when new, but even all over, not just on the showing bits, far thicker, and boy did it last.
Price was very reasonable at the time.
Riley Blue said:
GadgeS3C said:
Sadly, I learnt last week that one of the countries quality plating services, Derby Plating Services, has closed. I was told they'd got fed up of chasing the latest environmental rules,
That's sad news, they were not far from me and I was intending to take my Riley's rear bumper in. There can't be many alternatives in the UK now.rob07 said:
I need my lotus Europa bumper chromed and as said above it's become much more expensive and harder to find a chromer,which is why I was looking for alternatives.
Is the chrome finish on modern car plastic trim the same as on steel parts, because it looks just the same.
No - see my previous post. Is the chrome finish on modern car plastic trim the same as on steel parts, because it looks just the same.
I switched from chrome to stainless steel for my bunpers. Unless you have near perfect bumpers to start with (as opposed to dented, rust holed ones like mine/all second hand ones for sale I looked at) they work out cheaper overall and while not as shiny as freshly polished show queen chrome hard to tell from chrome ones on a daily driver - and will last more or less forever, unlike even the best rechromed ones (on a daily driver).
droopsnoot said:
Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
Yes, that's why they could'nt re-chrome the Volvo badge, as it was made of that material, that is essentially a once only chrome finish.Remember to have something re-chrome, you need to remove the chrome, which means reversing the chrome on, by reverse charging the item when dipped in the tank so the chrome 'falls off' the item.
The items needs to then go back through the coppering, nickel and chrome adding method again, so this soft alloy metal (can't recall what its called) won't last that process, which is why they resorted to the painted system.
aeropilot said:
droopsnoot said:
Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
Yes, that's why they could'nt re-chrome the Volvo badge, as it was made of that material, that is essentially a once only chrome finish.Remember to have something re-chrome, you need to remove the chrome, which means reversing the chrome on, by reverse charging the item when dipped in the tank so the chrome 'falls off' the item.
The items needs to then go back through the coppering, nickel and chrome adding method again, so this soft alloy metal (can't recall what its called) won't last that process, which is why they resorted to the painted system.
I've only ever had one item chromed, a petrol tank for my BSA chopper back in the early 1980s. It was done, very nicely, by Tuckers in Bristol (if I remember correctly), but even then I was warned that the finish etc. wouldn't be the same as the original due to ever tightening restrictions.
spoodler said:
aeropilot said:
droopsnoot said:
Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
Yes, that's why they could'nt re-chrome the Volvo badge, as it was made of that material, that is essentially a once only chrome finish.Remember to have something re-chrome, you need to remove the chrome, which means reversing the chrome on, by reverse charging the item when dipped in the tank so the chrome 'falls off' the item.
The items needs to then go back through the coppering, nickel and chrome adding method again, so this soft alloy metal (can't recall what its called) won't last that process, which is why they resorted to the painted system.
You win a cookie
I spent 15 mins trying to google that, and drew a bloody blank. I knew someone would know the name of it
//j17 said:
I switched from chrome to stainless steel for my bunpers. Unless you have near perfect bumpers to start with (as opposed to dented, rust holed ones like mine/all second hand ones for sale I looked at) they work out cheaper overall and while not as shiny as freshly polished show queen chrome hard to tell from chrome ones on a daily driver - and will last more or less forever, unlike even the best rechromed ones (on a daily driver).
I restored my Norton Commando a few years ago. A lot of parts are now available in stainless rather than painted. Things like battery boxes and brackets. Given a stainless part doesn't need any corrosion protection, so no extra cosmetic steps, they are very cost effective. It doesn't work for everything, but it does replace a lot of fasteners and sheet/fabricated components. I'm far more bothered about functional than the n th degree of shininess. 
aeropilot said:
spoodler said:
aeropilot said:
droopsnoot said:
Drew Pritchard had a part for a Volvo done in that finish on one of his programmes, and I recall thinking it wasn't much cheaper than if they'd done a proper chrome plating job on it. Sometimes the base metal is affected when they strip the old finish, so maybe that's why they did it that way.
Yes, that's why they could'nt re-chrome the Volvo badge, as it was made of that material, that is essentially a once only chrome finish.Remember to have something re-chrome, you need to remove the chrome, which means reversing the chrome on, by reverse charging the item when dipped in the tank so the chrome 'falls off' the item.
The items needs to then go back through the coppering, nickel and chrome adding method again, so this soft alloy metal (can't recall what its called) won't last that process, which is why they resorted to the painted system.
You win a cookie
I spent 15 mins trying to google that, and drew a bloody blank. I knew someone would know the name of it
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