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Q&As since 1989
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Filling rust pitted area on metal before chroming
Q. I get a "maybe possible but we will not guarantee" answer from most chroming firms on following question. Is it possible to fill light rust pitted areas on a motorcycle petrol tank and have it rechromed. I heard brazing was possible but this will need t=o much heat to apply (= warping). Is it possible to fill with lead tin or should I have it coppered before filling the pits with tin or with another material which can be applied without the risk of deforming the metal? Thanks in advance you for your reply.
Greetings,
Huybrechts Werner- Belgium
A. Brazing or welding are good possibilities from a finishing standpoint; whether they will cause warping I don't now. Soldering would only compound the problem.
If the pits are small, the standard procedure is to do a heavy copper plating and then "mush buff" to drive copper into the pit areas. Then the item is nickel-chrome plated. But this is not foolproof, especially if the pits are large, so it is understandable that a shop may not want to guarantee that it will work. But if it is a quality shop with experienced buffers, and the price you are paying allows mush buffing, I think the chances are very good that the plating job will meet with your satisfaction.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Pitted chrome repair in non-visible area
March 6, 2016Q. I have pitting problems on the back side and in the tire bead of chrome plated steel wheels on a 2001 F-150 Harley Davidson edition truck. The front of the wheels are in perfect condition so complete chrome plating seems to be excessive.
My goal is to clean up the oxidation problem and protect the wheels from further corrosion.
I've done nickel plating in the past. From the results I've had, simple nickel plating seems to be a good solution for the mostly unseen surfaces on the wheel.
My concern is the tire bead area that needs some filling so the tires can make a good seal again.
I should clarify these pictures are after a quick wire brushing to expose the pitting and I realize they are not ready filling or plating.
What should I be filling the pitting with? If it weren't for the chrome, I'd braze it and plate it, but I don't want to damage the existing chrome.
Any suggestions?
Car restorer - Bridgeton, Missouri, USA
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