Topic: RE: Strip Chrome from Fenders

[chewbacca5000]

Does anyone know of an industrial chrome plater that will strip the chrome off from fenders?  The chrome shop here won't do it and says the industrial plater who has an immersion tank won't accept my business as I am too small.

[toolguy]

OK, why do you want to strip them?   If it's because you want to paint them, take them to a powder coater and have them sandblasted and powdered in primer, then sand and paint to your color. .

[chewbacca5000]

OK, why do you want to strip them?   If it's because you want to paint them, take them to a powder coater and have them sandblasted and powdered in primer, then sand and paint to your color. .

I have the equipment to do powder myself, but sandblasting does not always work out so good.  It takes 2 to 3 coats or more to get good results.  Bare metal works much better than pitted chrome.

Good chrome you can just scuff and coat.  So to answer your question it is alot more work to deal with nasty chrome.  If I could get a plater to drop it into an immersion tank the chrome and nasty plating diisapears leaving me with bare metal.

As a rule of thumb parts with alot of surface are like fenders need to be near perfect to get good results.

Things like kick, brake and shift levers usually come out great no matter what.

[grcamna2]

Kyle,
I have a front rim I bought w/ rusted chrome and the powder coater blasted all the chrome off of it before PC;would your local PC guy be able to use their aggressive sandblasting equip. to remove the chrome only for you and then you could finish the job yourself ? Those guys really do have Heavy Duty sandblasting equip. & they do LOT's of it all day,I'm just not sure if they'd do just that$ alone for you? I'm going to ask my local PC guy if he will because they're right down the road here.

[chewbacca5000]

Industrial blasting is labour intensive and bills out at $100 per hour so I want to avoid that.  An immersion tank takes almost zero labor.  They rack and drop into tank and chrome goes away leaving bare metal.

I talked to my zinc guy and he said he could do it for small parts and have them zinced up.  Not sure what his reaction would be to a fender, or rim.

Gonna test the waters and see what happens.  Really looking for a back up plan if this one fails.

[edwardmorris]

I can PM you info of my plater here in Chicago, if you aren't looking for a local guy...

[chewbacca5000]

I can PM you info of my plater here in Chicago, if you aren't looking for a local guy...

That would be great.  Much appreciated.  It is looking like I might have to send it out anyway.

[Lostboy Steve]

I wanted to have my 20" avalanche rims stripped but its more expensive than new rims. Instead, I had most of the loose stuff blasted off and powdered over the remaining chrome. Problem is, 5 years later and more chrome is peeling under the powder. Time for a re-do I guess.

[Garage_guy_chris]

A few years ago i stripped a fender with a combination of a sanding disc for a die grinder, muriatic acid (the stuff for pools)  and sandblasting (home setup)
i seem to remember
1. use sanding disc to rough up the chrome
2. apply muriatic acid to strip chrome (may have to do multiple times)
3. finish the zinc and copper coat with sandblasting

My sandblaster wouldn't remove the chrome it was too hard

http://www.ehow.com/way_6332204_muriatic-acid-chrome-removal.html

[Lostboy Steve]

A few years ago i stripped a fender with a combination of a sanding disc for a die grinder, muriatic acid (the stuff for pools)  and sandblasting (home setup)
i seem to remember
1. use sanding disc to rough up the chrome
2. apply muriatic acid to strip chrome (may have to do multiple times)
3. finish the zinc and copper coat with sandblasting

My sandblaster wouldn't remove the chrome it was too hard

http://www.ehow.com/way_6332204_muriatic-acid-chrome-removal.html

I have thought about doing this, but I'm worried that it will eat through the aluminium as well. On the steel fender it will work well!

[chewbacca5000]

I wanted to have my 20" avalanche rims stripped but its more expensive than new rims. Instead, I had most of the loose stuff blasted off and powdered over the remaining chrome. Problem is, 5 years later and more chrome is peeling under the powder. Time for a re-do I guess.

The powder failing is definitely a concern for me as well.  On new chrome it is not an issue as the chrome is stuck on pretty good.  As soon as it starts to fail forget about it.

I have a grab rail which is not easily replaceable and the chrome is peeling on that.  I would like to powdercoat, but with peeling chrome it won't come out right.

[Don R]

  I don't know what part of the world you are in, but The Chrome Shop in Rock Island Illinois stripped some engine parts for me last winter. About $20 each. It was a test to see if they could remove the chrome from my sandcast parts without damage. They did well.

[chewbacca5000]

  I don't know what part of the world you are in, but The Chrome Shop in Rock Island Illinois stripped some engine parts for me last winter. About $20 each. It was a test to see if they could remove the chrome from my sandcast parts without damage. They did well.

Not sure if to take that as a compliment or insult.  Either way it does not bother me sometimes Syracuse seems like a 3rd world country.  O wait I just insulted alot of the world.

Thanks for posting good to know.  If I could get a load of stuff stripped for a reasonable cost that would be great.

[chewbacca5000]

I should have added there is only once chrome shop in Syracuse and he won't do anything without fat stacks of cash.

[grcamna2]

Kyle,
I have a front rim I bought w/ rusted chrome and the powder coater blasted all the chrome off of it before PC;would your local PC guy be able to use their aggressive sandblasting equip. to remove the chrome only for you and then you could finish the job yourself ? Those guys really do have Heavy Duty sandblasting equip. & they do LOT's of it all day,I'm just not sure if they'd do just that$ alone for you? I'm going to ask my local PC guy if he will because they're right down the road here.

He only charged me $40 to strip the entire rim of chrome and PC it.

[chewbacca5000]

Kyle,
I have a front rim I bought w/ rusted chrome and the powder coater blasted all the chrome off of it before PC;would your local PC guy be able to use their aggressive sandblasting equip. to remove the chrome only for you and then you could finish the job yourself ? Those guys really do have Heavy Duty sandblasting equip. & they do LOT's of it all day,I'm just not sure if they'd do just that$ alone for you? I'm going to ask my local PC guy if he will because they're right down the road here.

He only charged me $40 to strip the entire rim of chrome and PC it.

That is cheap. They are usually $75 to $80 for a front fender.

[Don R]

 I didn't mean to insult any area, I just didn't see a location on your post. Shipping can be an issue.

[chewbacca5000]

Good eyes Don!  I checked my profile and have my location listed.  Doesn't look like anyones location is showing.

[Stev-o]

Good eyes Don!  I checked my profile and have my location listed.  Doesn't look like anyones location is showing.

You can add your location in your profile under personal text like I did.

Only 1 plater in Austin, he wanted over $200 to re-chrome a fender for me. I bought a good used one for cheaper.

[grcamna2]

Good eyes Don!  I checked my profile and have my location listed.  Doesn't look like anyones location is showing.

They used to be there under the forum user names,must be web issue.

[Trav-i]

The Works toilet bowl cleaner will strip chrome nicely.  I had a family member strip a set of rims for his 750 by placing them in a heavy trash bag, and adding the cleaner.  His only mistake was forgetting about them, by the time he checked on them they were totally stripped but they were also so pitted that he was unable to use them for his purpose.  So long as you keep tabs on them I see no issue with using "The Works".

[chewbacca5000]

Thanks  Trav-i,

I know acid will remove it, but it also frees the nasty chromate up.  It is extremely cancer causing.  Using battery acid and reverse electrosis you can remove the chrome almost instantly.  Problem is you know have a toxic solution to get rid of.

[Lostboy Steve]

Thanks  Trav-i,

I know acid will remove it, but it also frees the nasty chromate up.  It is extremely cancer causing.  Using battery acid and reverse electrosis you can remove the chrome almost instantly.  Problem is you know have a toxic solution to get rid of.

Nothing a storm drain can't fix. j/k what do you do with a solution like that?

[78 k550]

  I don't know what part of the world you are in, but The Chrome Shop in Rock Island Illinois stripped some engine parts for me last winter. About $20 each. It was a test to see if they could remove the chrome from my sandcast parts without damage. They did well.

Not sure if to take that as a compliment or insult.  Either way it does not bother me sometimes Syracuse seems like a 3rd world country.  O wait I just insulted alot of the world.

Thanks for posting good to know.  If I could get a load of stuff stripped for a reasonable cost that would be great.

compliment or insult?
I don't understand that.

Paul

Paul

[chewbacca5000]

Paul that was just me joking around with Don.  Syracuse is a mid sized city and we don't have equal access to everything.  Got alot, but not everything.