Topic: Chrome Removal (engine covers).

[BenelliSEI]

LASH has a chrome plated generator cover and it’s that last one we had, between us. It was very rough. I took it to the guy that does my polishing. He sand blasted (?) all the chrome off it and went to work. It was very deeply pitted, so not perfect, but a huge improvement! Greg’s Metal Polishing in Oshawa, Ontario.

[M 750K6]

May not look perfect, but it looks good and authentic, too. 👍

[Flyin900]

That's the way to do it. I used to use him when he was working out of his basement at home. It was too long of a trip so I decided to invest in my own buffing machines and bead blasting cabinet and never looked back.
Dirty job though. 
You can get those pits out if your OCD and willing to carefully Dremel sand those surfaces. lol.

[Floshenbarnical]

Now you’re really rubbing it in, after I dissolved my last chromed cover lol

Good to know that blasting works

[BenelliSEI]

That's the way to do it. I used to use him when he was working out of his basement at home. It was too long of a trip so I decided to invest in my own buffing machines and bead blasting cabinet and never looked back.
Dirty job though. 
You can get those pits out if your OCD and willing to carefully Dremel sand those surfaces. lol.

David…… Greg’s only about 1/2 and hour from me, and we drive by when heading to Toronto Family. He’s so well priced I just can’t resist. He’s graduated to a garden shed!

[BenelliSEI]

Now you’re really rubbing it in, after I dissolved my last chromed cover lol

Good to know that blasting works

I’m curious what he blasted with. I’ll ask him when I next visit.

[newday777]

I'm interested too John as I have a few chrome covers that are in sad condition needing the chrome removed to give them a good polished aluminum renewal to life.

[BenelliSEI]

Stu….. I’ll see him next week and get the details.

[Flyin900]

That's the way to do it. I used to use him when he was working out of his basement at home. It was too long of a trip so I decided to invest in my own buffing machines and bead blasting cabinet and never looked back.
Dirty job though. 
You can get those pits out if your OCD and willing to carefully Dremel sand those surfaces. lol.

David…… Greg’s only about 1/2 and hour from me, and we drive by when heading to Toronto Family. He’s so well priced I just can’t resist. He’s graduated to a garden shed!

+1  John he was very reasonable price wise and it is the least favourite job in the scheme for restoration work. I just wanted to expand my skill set and garage tool count. Princess Auto is your friend for the buffing machines and glass bead for the blaster.

It would be interesting to see what he uses material wise to blast the surface, as their are lots of media choices these days.

[BenelliSEI]

I’ll be sure to ask what he blasted with and will post his answer here.

[kerryb]

I blasted chrome covers with black beauty media, I think the grit was “100” and the air pressure was 90psi.  After 20 minutes there was so little progress that I gave up.

[HondaMan]

I'd be interested, too: I think I have 2 chromed (and in poor shape) alternator covers.

[Don R]

 I had some pieces stripped at a chrome shop, $20 each and a minimum of 5 pieces. They came out really nice. This was about 10 years ago though, I've heard it is harder to find anyone to do it lately because of waste disposal costs. I had a transmission cover that I was able to hand peel once, that was awesome.
 The shop also offered to polish said parts, he tries to discourage plating motorcycle aluminum but is happy to do it.

 My gs1100 has a clutch cover that has worn off chrome where the riders shoe rubbed on it, I'd love to find an easy fix for that. Maybe I can rub the rest of it with a shoe.

[lash]

Maybe it’s just me but I view these pieces with the pits and scratches as parts that have lived a real life. They acquired them from a lot of miles and hopefully happy riders. To totally remove them takes away their soul. They are like the age lines in your wife’s face, would you trade that for Botox and plastic, or see the real person there?
I always leave some of the life in the part and feel good about it. Much more enjoyable to me than a perfect better than factory shine!

[Tracksnblades1]

A commercial (hospital) grade ultrasonic cleaner will remove decorative chrome. Usually used with a strong solution mixture..

[MauiK3]

I would not have thought of ultrasonic, good move. Have to be careful to not damage the aluminum with the cleaner.
I never understood why folks chromed the covers, any of them, it never stays on.

[newday777]

A commercial (hospital) grade ultrasonic cleaner will remove decorative chrome. Usually used with a strong solution mixture..

I'll give it a try

[BenelliSEI]

All the bits are ready. I’ll ask him what he blasted with.

[newday777]

A commercial (hospital) grade ultrasonic cleaner will remove decorative chrome. Usually used with a strong solution mixture..

I'll give it a try

Well it didn't work with my 30L ultrasonic cleaner.

[MauiK3]

I wonder if it could be unplated using electrolysis?

[BenelliSEI]

Picked up my Sandcast engine covers and a box of stuff for LASH today, including the generator cover that was scabby chrome covered. Greg said he took it to work and used “medium grit sand at low pressure”. He also said it “took a while”……

[denward17]

^Wow, just wow, those look great John.

[newday777]

😎👍

[BenelliSEI]

^Wow, just wow, those look great John.

I’m sure Dwayne (LASH) will put them to good use!

[lash]

Compare the finished pics with these originals. The crap on the alternator cover is not dirt, it is corroded off chrome.