TOPIC: Chrome

Anyone have experience with getting bright work re-chromed? I'm looking at some options and getting a quote from a shop in Texas. Got 16 small pieces total that are well pitted. Guy I spoke to on the phone says they take the parts down to bare metal and then do the process. Told him I was on a budget if that helped any:laugh:

Don't know this answer, but as an alternative...I have seen all of those exact style parts available at Tomahawk (except the windshield parts). Maybe compare pricing and you could maybe buy replacements cheaper that re-plating...but I would not know the re-plating costs...then you might do just a few? I wish I would have purchased to polish stuff at Iola car show...saw it removing rust of chrome moons and I was surprised...maybe wouldn't work on yours, but I still wish I would have bought some for the garage shelf. In the 70's, the Bike shop would send our cases to Brown's in Kentucky for Chroming...not even sure if I remember that right or if they are in business any longer...that was 40 plus years ago. Good luck and keep us posted.

mine was about 1K FOR WHATS PICTURED....

Chrome Quote:
1 - Stern light - $200
2 - L pieces - $100 each
2 - D shape pieces - $100 each
1 - Stern light base - $100
2 - Small plane rope chocks - $100 each
1 - Large plane rope chock - $125
2 - Small rope chocks - $70 each
4 - Small piece - $45 each
1 - Misc. U shape piece - $100

Total for all 16 piece - $1445. (We are currently running a 4 – 6 week turnaround time.)
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Wake up call for me... glad my stuff was still shiny. Never knew how much just that fact would save on the build.

4 to 6 weeks is a good turn around,the epa has help this stuff make a big jump in the last few years,but I think your stuff is so pitted they have more work to fix than need to be,it isn't cheap by no means but the pitted repair runs it up good luck Bill

Ya, the EPA put the kabosh on a chrome company in DePere about 30 years ago and put the site on the superfund cleanup.
The pitting is bad so I'm "sperimentin" with some options. Going to try and do the plating myself. All the chemicals and nickel plates are on Amazon. I started this afternoon just for a fluke because I do have copper sulfate and the equip needed to get the base copper coating. Had an old chunk of pitted chrome mirror mount that I tried and it started coating right away so I used some 350 grit on one of the windshield braces to take down the pitting, washed with vinegar, rinsed and then set up a solution of copper sulfate, connected a 9 volt power supply and clipped one (+) to a short section of copper pipe, and the other (-) to the brace. Started plating within a minute. Left it in there for a few hours and built up enough copper to somewhat smooth the pitted surfaces. Now I'll let it sit over night to and see what it looks like tomorrow. If it's good to go I'll order the nickel sulfide(?) and nickel plate. So far it cost me nothing. The other chems and plate are around $30. Nothing to lose, if it doesn't work I'll just be at square one again.

Cool!!!!!!! Cal one of the Century guys owns Proctor's in Mi Adam Leigh with Lucky Debonair Sabre, in case it doesn't work out. Can't seem to find the one in Richmond VA.

Bob

Doing some online research and finding out that the old pot metal is about the most difficult stuff to re-plate because it starts out as junk and is full of adverse metals. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Bob. I pm'd you about those silicon bronze screws that I have, did you get it?

No not yet. you did it through here or Facebook?

Bob

Did it here. Wanted to know if you want those NOS bronze screws, free, I can send them to you.

Hey brother yeah I'll take them. I sent you an E-mail from one of the old ones I had. Not sure why the PM didn't come through from the website. I'll have to ask Ken.

Bob

63 Sabre wrote: Doing some online research and finding out that the old pot metal is about the most difficult stuff to re-plate because it starts out as junk and is full of adverse metals. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Well......Nothing gained. A lesson in futility. Best to leave it to the professional. The power clip coated beautiful but the pot metal is just awful.
Still a good way to remove rust from old parts though

Was that a DeLoreon parked in the corner covered with your Lab coat? Maybe a flux capacitor will do the trick. Cheers to you Cal for checking out that experiment...I was quite interested in what you were doing.

that bow light is a atwood. if you look thay can be found nos on ebay or on the web for around $200 to $250 hope that this helps Bob

Sorry it didn't work for ya Cal, but yep worth a shot.

Bob

i hear ya on the plating i had a bow light like the one shown my handle was broke , i found one on ebay but i wasn't any better just not broken i checked alot of places and really didnt' want to send my stuff out of state , anything go wrong i am out pieces i might be able to find and lo and behold southern bumper exchange about 15 minutes from the house had a 6 week turn around, which was ok i was about 6 years on the turn around on the boat i had ten pieces , two large cleats a rope ballard 2 name badges, 2 step rings the bow light the bulb cover and the lense bracket 750.00 they were bad and he unwrapped them i was shocked looked brand new better than brand new no pits and a real good shine. if this time lasts fifty years it was worth it. a few pictures

That's great!
A friend of mine who restored a '56 Tbird recommended them also. We have a bumper exchange about 25 miles from me that is part of that chain.
Thanks for the info and confirmation. Right now I'm not in a hurry. I'm cleaning up the parts with steel wool and they are acceptable but plans are to have a few pieces plated at a time so it's not such a big bite out of the pocketbook.

Hi, I have a brand new NOS bow light like you have pictured. No pitting and perfect chrome. $150 usd plus shipping if interested. I can take pictures if you are interested... Brad

Brad. Could you PM me? I'm considering other options at this time. I do have several other bow lights on the shelf that I'm thinking of using but the offer is tempting.
Cal

NOS would be a good way to go. Old pits in zinc die cast, re-plated, can open up again exposed to moisture and age, any good finishing shop would tell you this. 30 years in the metal finishing industry here. I acquired a similar NOS just like that, well worth the asking price. I think someone mentioned replate would be $200.

Communicating with Brad. Making arrangements. Never thought that the old pit marks would make their way back through new plating.
It's actually a win/win for both of us with the exchange rate of US/Canada.

I've got a nos stern light base that looks an awful lot like the one in your pic. Let ya have it for $50 if interested.
Glenn

Thanks for the offer but not now. Appreciate it though.

You're quite welcome.
I was lucky enough to replace most everything on the Dorsett with NOS searching online, but it took about three years!
If you change your mind, you can have it for 20 bucks. I don't need it, and probably won't be building another anytime soon.
Best regards,
Glenn

late to the party but I have those cleats NOS
60 bucks each shipped to lower US