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Chrome Plating Fibreglass

Started by dattoman , Jun 02 2014 12:55 PM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 dattoman

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Name:Neil
Location:Perth Western Australia
Car:LX SS , 76 Cadillac , 3 x dattos
Joined: 04-February 07

Posted 02 June 2014 - 12:55 PM

Stealing this from a closed hotrod forum so can't link directly

I found this quite fascinating and could be helpful for some

Also answers questions in this thread http://www.gmh-toran...rglass-bumpers/

have just been thru the process of chrome plating fiberglass parts , heres how it was done , firstly ive always wanted my window garnish moulds chromed , so i searched the net and found out where to get the copper conductive paint , from caswell plating in melb , its called silvaspray,
, a pure siver paint which is highly conductive and very expensive this can be applied to any non metalic item and then you can get it copper plated
, first up was to prep my garnish moulds bog / sand prime sand and finish in 800 wet n dry ,

026 (2).jpg 62.42K 10 downloads

once ready they were sprayed with silver spray all over making sure every mm was covered front and back , this paint is very thin almont transperent , i gave it a few coats to be sure

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once painted and dry , a thin copper wire was wrapped around the outer edge a few time so it can be hanged in the tanks , also so the electric current can pass thru it, then it was wired up ready to hang in the baths

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first stage was to go thru the cleaning 4 tanks , they were dipped briefly to make sure no residue was left on them

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next they went into the acid copper tank for 1 hour , this gives the copper coating

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was done i gave the moulds a light rub with 800 wet and dry to smooth any little imperfections , this process was done twice as to get a thicker copper coat to fill up any little markes / scratches

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next was to go into the nickel tank for 20 min ,

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after the nickel tank it get washed in water tanks before going into the chrome tank for a few minutes ,

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have the finished product

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all the plating process was done by Vinci Chrome in Perth big thanks to Charlie and Mike

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#2 _LS1 Hatch_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 01:04 PM

More on similar stuff here...

http://www.tested.co...0-endoskeleton/

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#3 _LXSS350_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 02:41 PM

Excellent stuff.

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#4 _LS1 Hatch_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 02:57 PM

Carbon fiber bumpers that are chrome plated....Hmmmmm... (Of course painted bars look better, but still...)

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#5 _LXSS350_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 03:43 PM

I had looked at many versions of the chrome paint but the UV kills it for bumpers with direct sunlight. I am a chrome no rubber guy (on bumpers) even though from new the SS had painted bars the A9X however had chrome. I just relate chrome bumpers to the 70's and earlier style. Spent a lot of time polishing chrome.

Edited by LXSS350, 02 June 2014 - 03:45 PM.

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#6 _Viper_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 08:44 PM

There is also the option of Spectra-Chrome

http://www.sprayonchrome.com/

I noticed my steel bumpers that I had "professionally" rechromed about 4 years ago have started peeling and rusting in places! so fibreglass bumpers and spectra chrome might be on the cars for me soon.

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#7 dattoman

Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?

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Name:Neil
Location:Perth Western Australia
Car:LX SS , 76 Cadillac , 3 x dattos
Joined: 04-February 07

Posted 02 June 2014 - 10:15 PM

Will you be buying the equipment and gearing up to do this Clint ?

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#8 _LXSS350_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 11:04 PM

Dave at Gas 78 Industries in Malaga has an expensive set-up for spray chrome but like everyone I have seen its fine if you keep your car in the dark and out of the sun ........ or else you have to re-do them often.

After bumpers get new spray on chrome.

Once they get 6 months of sun the above bar ends up like this with chrome paint.

I have looked at all the Chrome paint systems in the world and this stuff doesn't like prolonged sunlight which is why they use Vinyl Wrap for those Chrome Cars like the Lexus LFA they did in QLD.

Edited by LXSS350, 02 June 2014 - 11:06 PM.

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#9 _Viper_

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 11:09 PM

Dave's actually in Wangara and im pretty sure he is using Spectra-Chrome, Nah had not thought about getting the gear for it Neil... too much on our plate already. If thats really how it looks after 6months in the sun tho (as in the above pics) I think ill be avoiding it.

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#10 N/A-PWR

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Name:Dave I
Location:Wooroloo, 65km's East of Perth
Car:'1969' LC RAT TORANA
Joined: 08-December 12

Posted 02 June 2014 - 11:10 PM

Nice,

also in WA, there is no regulation of paint types or reflectiveness, because I checked.

may have changed since.

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#11 _LXSS350_

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Posted 03 June 2014 - 12:49 AM

Sorry Wangarra, its the only Gas78 in perth as far as I know (he had a black torana a while back) I thought it was Mirra Chrome equipment he had ?..... but it was a while ago. Whichever system it was he told me it cost some silly amount to buy the set-up from the USA.

I am in the same boat as everyone else (with chrome bumpers) its silly expensive and the 2014 process is flawed. Chrome plating is certainly not done well like we used to be able to get in Perth back in the 70's. I have long been dubious of claims about the second coming of Christ ..... and thus about Chrome Paint systems as seen at SEMA and on flashy You tube video's. Sure it had me curious but full of questions and doubt. I have done all the emails, put questions on USA forums and done the phone around, its pretty well back to real chrome plating and for carbon-fibre bumpers the above process at Vinci's.

I like Datto's above solution and for our new superior composite parts its the most ideal of solutions on exposed car parts.