Topic: Chrome deplating

[Retro Rocket]

There are 2 threads like this running side by side at the moment on this subject , one guy tried coke and it is working, not touching the copper but its removing the chrome. If you use acid, {I use hydrochloric acid every week at work} just do it in a well ventilated place, either acid is safe if you know what you are doing..

[fendersrule]

Ogden Chrome quoted me $150-$300 a fender. Yea, come on!!


The best commercial blaster in my area quoted me $25 a fender. "Yea, that's something we do."

I think the choice is clear.

[mardimus]

I heard back from Ogden and they will not de-plate/strip chrome.  I should say that they choose not to unless you want to plate new chrome.  So that is a bummer.  I did talk to another sand blast shop, local, and they will blast it for cheap but are a little weary of the bare aluminum already showing through in areas.  They are afraid it will scuff to much compared to the rest.  I think I will have them test a few pieces first, some old ones.  Any thoughts on the nitric acid bath? 

[KJ790]

Nitric will work for the chrome, but not the underplates. Before you do anything make sure you have everything lined up from a safety standpoint. Make sure you have a place to dispose of it properly when you are done. Make sure that you know what you are doing when it comes to mixing it (always add acid to water, never add water to acid). Make sure you have proper safety equipment and proper ventilation. Nitric acid can be pretty nasty stuff and will burn like mad if it gets on you.

[SF]

if you go the blast method polish before paint

[fendersrule]

Went to the commercial blaster. After he saw my fenders, he told me the complete opposite. ONLY a chroming place can strip ALL the plating materials.

So now I'm asking for visual proof that a sandblasted can take off chrome, Nickel, and copper.

Going to northwest plating today. They quoted me $30 for a complete strip to bare steel.

[mardimus]

Using a chemical strip?  Let me know how it goes, I may ship them my items and pay for the shipment to come back if they are pretty good.  Ogden was a joke to work with in regards to stripping.  I talked to them four times and nothing was sorted out.  A local sand blast shop quoted me $50 for 6 pieces.  But again I am hesitant as they are talking about roughing it up enough to paint, but again my issue is the flakey pieces.  Let me know how yours turns out if you get it stripped, either way.  I am very interested. 

Went to the commercial blaster. After he saw my fenders, he told me the complete opposite. ONLY a chroming place can strip ALL the plating materials.

So now I'm asking for visual proof that a sandblasted can take off chrome, Nickel, and copper.

Going to northwest plating today. They quoted me $30 for a complete strip to bare steel.

[mardimus]

thanks, this is why I am giving this type of project some time.  I want to make sure I get all the steps sorted out.  Thanks.

Nitric will work for the chrome, but not the underplates. Before you do anything make sure you have everything lined up from a safety standpoint. Make sure you have a place to dispose of it properly when you are done. Make sure that you know what you are doing when it comes to mixing it (always add acid to water, never add water to acid). Make sure you have proper safety equipment and proper ventilation. Nitric acid can be pretty nasty stuff and will burn like mad if it gets on you.

[mardimus]

Ill check out the other link.  If the guy removed the chrome, he should be able to sandblast the copper off, maybe its glass bead that takes it off a little better than the sand with out the rough surface post blasting.  Not sure.  Also, everything I read/experienced was  a no go on hydrochloric on aluminum. Steel sure, but last I checked the chemical reaction of HCL with Aluminum will eat that metal very fast.  There is a layer of aluminum oxide that protects the metal but in a diluted solution of HCL the layers reaction with H20 and HCL will increase the time it breaks down the aluminum oxide and then it gets real nasty.  I guess the copper layer would protect the aluminum, but again we want to remove that.  All my parts have a lot of bare aluminum that would react with HCL (muriatic acid).  Nitric acid will get it all off without the harm of aluminum.  Maybe I will try coke on one small extra piece I have and then hit it with my blaster to see what it will do.  Any idea how long the part was soaked in Coca-Cola?

There are 2 threads like this running side by side at the moment on this subject , one guy tried coke and it is working, not touching the copper but its removing the chrome. If you use acid, {I use hydrochloric acid every week at work} just do it in a well ventilated place, either acid is safe if you know what you are doing..

[mardimus]

I cannot find a link or post for anyone soaking chrome pieces in coca-cola to remove the chrome from aluminum. Someone please post it if they see it as I would like to view it.  I did a search of Coca-Cola and found a lot of rust removal posts.  The more I read, the less I think I will ever drink coke again. 

I found a few videos, and post on how to remove the chrome from plastic but nothing about it removing chrome from metal.  Any thoughts on this?

[DGA]

Sorry I did not read the whole thread, so if this has been mentioned please disregard.

There is actually an easier method of removing chrome; you'd just need water, some baking soda (I think and will confirm this), iron (bar, mesh, or whatever made of bare steel) and a battery charger.  My coworker did this with his old chrome boat parts and it works like a charm.  Only downside is that you are left with a heavy metal (chrominum) solution to dispose of afterward.  More or less dilute the baking soda in water in a tub, insert the steel mesh, and hang the parts you want to dechrome in the solution and make sure it's not touching the steel.  Connect the battery charger, one lead to the iron (negative I think, will confirm this cause polarity matters) and the other lead to the piece you want to remove chrome from.  Plug in the charger, flip it on and let it go to work.  As the chrome is pulled off the piece and attracted to the iron, the amperage output from the charger will slowly drop.  Few hours later you will have a chrome less piece with everything else intact, except for any rust that was present.  Did I mention this removes rust really well too?

[mardimus]

I have seen this process used to strip rust, etc.  But not chrome.  Can you verify the baking soda?  I am interested and would give this a go.  However, when I researched this method online I did not see anyone who had success with chrome and aluminum parts.  I am interested if someone can verify that this works. 

Sorry I did not read the whole thread, so if this has been mentioned please disregard.

There is actually an easier method of removing chrome; you'd just need water, some baking soda (I think and will confirm this), iron (bar, mesh, or whatever made of bare steel) and a battery charger.  My coworker did this with his old chrome boat parts and it works like a charm.  Only downside is that you are left with a heavy metal (chrominum) solution to dispose of afterward.  More or less dilute the baking soda in water in a tub, insert the steel mesh, and hang the parts you want to dechrome in the solution and make sure it's not touching the steel.  Connect the battery charger, one lead to the iron (negative I think, will confirm this cause polarity matters) and the other lead to the piece you want to remove chrome from.  Plug in the charger, flip it on and let it go to work.  As the chrome is pulled off the piece and attracted to the iron, the amperage output from the charger will slowly drop.  Few hours later you will have a chrome less piece with everything else intact, except for any rust that was present.  Did I mention this removes rust really well too?

[mardimus]

This is the latest email I received from a local shop in regards to chemical stripping....

"we'll do them for 150.00 plus 50.00 if you want them bead blasted, If you're going to coat them with something, then I highly recommend it be done, as corrosion is trapped in the casting, and deionized hot water rinsing is simply not enough.

The parts have value to them, and you'd be wise to send them off to somebody who knows the value of your items, and cares about performing the work properly. That somebody is us.

We will still need to charge the 6.5% hazmat fee, but it doesn't add up to much.

Thank you for taking an interest in our company."

[DGA]

My coworker still has pictures of this I'll email him and report back.

[Irukandji]

  You are probably one, of the many, that ask for help on something and wait for an appropriate amount of time to weigh the responces. Lots of others have run off to do the first answer offered, and regreted it later.

thanks, this is why I am giving this type of project some time.  I want to make sure I get all the steps sorted out.  Thanks.

Nitric will work for the chrome, but not the underplates. Before you do anything make sure you have everything lined up from a safety standpoint. Make sure you have a place to dispose of it properly when you are done. Make sure that you know what you are doing when it comes to mixing it (always add acid to water, never add water to acid). Make sure you have proper safety equipment and proper ventilation. Nitric acid can be pretty nasty stuff and will burn like mad if it gets on you.

[DGA]

Here is how my friend did it:

I got a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a snap on lid and drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the center of the lid.  I put a large cotter pin through the hole, so I have the head underneath and the “legs” on the top. Folded over so I can clip the charger lead to it.  I made a few hooks out of steel and copper wire to hang things from the cotter pin.

I took some steel fence material, like 4-inch welded wire material, and bent it in a circle to create a sort of liner around the perimeter inside the bucket.  I connected one piece of the mesh and bent it up so I can connect a wire to it for the charger.  I ran the wire up and over the lip of the bucket so I could more or less still get the lid on.

I put about 3-1/2 to 4 gallons of water in the bucket, then mixed in about 1/3 of a box of baking soda.

Once something is hanging in the water, positive lead went to the object and negative to the grid.  Either polarity will make the mixture bubble, but if the polarity is reversed, it just transfers rust from the steel to the chrome instead of pulling the chrome off.

With my 6 amp charger, it would pull 4 amps at first with a fist-sized piece.  Once it started getting most of the chrome off, the current would fall off, eventually getting down to ½-1 amp.  That was 2-4 hours, but a couple of the items took more like 6 hours to get done.

[RAFster122s]

Electrolysis rust removal uses Washing Soda ( like Arm & Hammer clothing washing soap) instead of baking soda.
Baking soda will do nothing with the electrical charge.

I have seen this process used to strip rust, etc.  But not chrome.  Can you verify the baking soda?  I am interested and would give this a go.  However, when I researched this method online I did not see anyone who had success with chrome and aluminum parts.  I am interested if someone can verify that this works. 

Sorry I did not read the whole thread, so if this has been mentioned please disregard.

There is actually an easier method of removing chrome; you'd just need water, some baking soda (I think and will confirm this), iron (bar, mesh, or whatever made of bare steel) and a battery charger.  My coworker did this with his old chrome boat parts and it works like a charm.  Only downside is that you are left with a heavy metal (chrominum) solution to dispose of afterward.  More or less dilute the baking soda in water in a tub, insert the steel mesh, and hang the parts you want to dechrome in the solution and make sure it's not touching the steel.  Connect the battery charger, one lead to the iron (negative I think, will confirm this cause polarity matters) and the other lead to the piece you want to remove chrome from.  Plug in the charger, flip it on and let it go to work.  As the chrome is pulled off the piece and attracted to the iron, the amperage output from the charger will slowly drop.  Few hours later you will have a chrome less piece with everything else intact, except for any rust that was present.  Did I mention this removes rust really well too?

[mardimus]

This is great info. Thank you for getting the details.  I think I will try it with one piece this weekend and report back.  Amazing. 

Here is how my friend did it:

I got a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a snap on lid and drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the center of the lid.  I put a large cotter pin through the hole, so I have the head underneath and the “legs” on the top. Folded over so I can clip the charger lead to it.  I made a few hooks out of steel and copper wire to hang things from the cotter pin.

I took some steel fence material, like 4-inch welded wire material, and bent it in a circle to create a sort of liner around the perimeter inside the bucket.  I connected one piece of the mesh and bent it up so I can connect a wire to it for the charger.  I ran the wire up and over the lip of the bucket so I could more or less still get the lid on.

I put about 3-1/2 to 4 gallons of water in the bucket, then mixed in about 1/3 of a box of baking soda.

Once something is hanging in the water, positive lead went to the object and negative to the grid.  Either polarity will make the mixture bubble, but if the polarity is reversed, it just transfers rust from the steel to the chrome instead of pulling the chrome off.

With my 6 amp charger, it would pull 4 amps at first with a fist-sized piece.  Once it started getting most of the chrome off, the current would fall off, eventually getting down to ½-1 amp.  That was 2-4 hours, but a couple of the items took more like 6 hours to get done.

[mardimus]

I also sent a few of the extra chrome pieces I had laying around to a local sand blast shop to see what it would look like when they hit it and to see how well it took off the chrome.  I get them back after the weekend.  We shall see.  I post pics and pricing when I get them back. 

[fendersrule]

I still really, highly, doubt that blasting is going to remove chrome/nickel. It's going to scuff the crap out of it....

I just got a call that my fenders are ready for pickup. $80 total for the stripping of both fenders, including the brackets. No problem.

[mardimus]

I just got my covers back from the sand blaster.  $45 dollars and they are amazing looking.  Not rough but rough enough to either sand and polish or paint to adhere too.  I am amazed.  Here are the pics. 

[fendersrule]

I stand corrected if those are bare steel. Did they remove the chrome and nickel?

[Stev-o]

I stand corrected if those are bare steel.

They are aluminum [from a Z1]

[fendersrule]

Ahh... blasting aluminum is probably in a separate league than steel.

Good catch.

[Retro Rocket]

Ahh... blasting aluminum is probably in a separate league than steel.

Good catch.

Makes no difference, its the outer coating that's being removed, chrome is chrome....