Any of you seen this before? A way to DIY what looks like beautiful chrome from one of Leno's wizards. Any of you metallurgists know what this is? Will it last?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-1cT...ature=youtu.be
cheers
Adam912.Out.
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Any of you seen this before? A way to DIY what looks like beautiful chrome from one of Leno's wizards. Any of you metallurgists know what this is? Will it last?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-1cT...ature=youtu.be
cheers
Adam912.Out.
Been around for a few years now and we have a local paint shop that is fully equipped to carry out the work.
So far I have not seen any parts that shine as well as those shown on the above clip but this could be due to the pre-preparation.
I have to say that this clip looks a bit like the Home Shopping Network:)
I think that the solutions involved are based on Silver Nitrate and Tin Compounds and to call them environmentally safe and non-hazardous is a bit of a stretch and some care is needed.
Here are the MSDS Sheets for the two chemicals that produce the effect.
http://www.alsacorp.com/msds.tds/Chr...0Activator.pdf
http://www.alsacorp.com/msds.tds/Chr...omeFX%20AB.pdf
Basically the coating is precipitated colloidal silver. The particles are extremely small and develop a very shiny surface.
Silver, will of course, tarnish quite quickly and is extremely soft, hence the lacquer coating.
If the lacquer is porous the shine will be lost in a relatively short time.
There are plenty of US based manufacturers and suppliers.
The cost of the solutions I have been quoted is extremely high and by the time the dual nozzle gun has been purchased it will be very expensive.
I can see a couple of issues.
Painting previously chromed surfaces is notoriously difficult and it could be a problem stripping the old chrome as I don't really think scratching the surface and covering with 'Bondo' will be very durable.
The lacquer that is used to cover the 'chrome' is clealry waterbased and is not very hard wearing and will scratch and mark just like modern car paint so for parts that will be handled on a regular basis I don't think it will last too long.
Obviously they won't show old used parts.
I think I would still re-chrome - at least here in UK there are still plenty of platers -
If I had a badly pitted part I may give it a go but when I last looked the cost was around $1000 to set up.
The alternative would be to vacuum metallise and this also works on surfaces that have been painted and on plastic parts.
Vaccum metallising uses Aluminium for the reflective surface and still needs to be lacquered before use.
Might be a good way to restore turn signal housings.
I had a pair of bumpers done by this method a few years back on another car of mine. I really wasn't happy with the outcome. Lower shine than chrome and it was not as durable either. Even 0000 Steel Wool would scratch it very easily when trying to shine the finish up. It just wasn't up to the task. I would never use it again, if given the choice.