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Base Metal Prep for Rechroming




I'm preparing to have a variety of motorcycle parts (steel) re-chromed. I will have a professional plating shop do the stripping and re-plating, but I will do the time consuming base metal prep (straightening, polishing, etc.) myself.

My questions are:

1. Will the plater, through normal stripping and plating processes, put the part through a process that will remove all traces of rust that I can't easily remove mechanically (in pitted, and hidden areas)?

2. One particular part has a stamped manufacturers logo. So as not to reduce the crispness of this stamp, I don't want to remove the metal it would take to eliminate the pits in the area. Can I fill the pits with something like silver solder and not upset the nickel/chrome plating process? Thanks for the info.

Will Bedell
- Springville, Iowa U.S.A.
2000



2000

1). The plater will completely remove all traces of rust, through acid dipping. However, severely rusted parts will have pits (the rust came from converting some of the steel to iron oxides). What he will probably have to do is copper plate the parts, and mush buff them to try to fill the pits with copper, then plate them again. If you can't reach those areas to buff them, he probably can't either though.

2). I'm not sure I understand the question. This is a stamped logo, but the whole item including the stamped area is nickel-chrome plated? The nickel plating will reduce the crispness too, as it will tend to level the embossed area. The thing to fill the pits with, as mentioned, is copper plating.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I'm doing the prep work on my steering arms before chrome plating. How do I handle the grease and grease fittings?
Also, should I unbolt the linkage and chrome plate the male and female threads or leave the parts assembled?
Thanks,

Chuck Reed
Car restorer - Huntington Beach, California
May 30, 2012


A. Hi Chuck.

Remember that steering linkage is probably hardened steel, and chrome plating can embrittle it, turning it into glass if not properly baked -- so make sure you are using a legitimate chrome plating shop.

The grease fittings should be removed, and any grease that you can remove with paper towels should be removed. I think you should disassemble everything that you can, and ask the plating shop to mask threads that shouldn't be plated. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May , 2012




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