There are allot of misconceptions out there as far as chrome plating
goes there is really only 2 types of chrome plating. Hard Chroming is
used to build up hard bearing surfaces such as on crank shafts, and
Bright chroming which requires a minimum of a nickel plate followed by a
chrome plate. Triple or show chrome is a variation of bright chrome
plating instead of just nickel and chrome, the process involve a strike
plate of nickel followed by a heavier plate of copper then the part is
buffed to to show shine, plated with another layer of nickel buffed
again, and finally finished with the chrome plate. The copper functions
as a filler coat that is easier to buff perfectly smooth. The difference
between triple chrome and regular chrome is like the difference between
some one painting your car from bare metal and shooting it with primer
and paint with no other prep work or shooting it with epoxy primer, then
primer surfacer wet sanding it until all the imperfections are gone and
then putting the finish coat on.
When shopping for plating shops be aware that the buffing steps are
where most shops can destroy your parts. A highly recommended( Harley &
Hot Rod ) plating shop destroyed my door handles and hood scoop molding
for my 63 Fiat Cabriolet these parts had some pitting on the pot metal
parts. The shop ground away all the pitting instead of bead blasting the
pitting so the parts are no longer the original shape, all the detail
lines are gone, and they don't fit on the car now, but they do have a
beautiful triple chrome finish. The sad part is only 5,000 of these cars
where built and of the parts they damaged the only thing I can get a
repro of is the door handles they are the same as a Ferrari 250 so I
can't afford the repro parts either.
Most plating shops can do good work on bumpers and other steel parts but
if you have any cast parts be very careful who you trst them to get some
books on the subject(http://www.caswellplating.com/nsindex.htm) so you
know what to ask before you give them your parts.
Doug Hamilton
1960 Triumph TR3A
1963 Fiat Cabriolet
>When asking for prices or just general info on rechroming it
>> should be known
>> if you are going concours and want triple plating, or a everyday
>> driver and
>> just in need of rechrome, makes for a wide range of differing
>> prices between
>> the two. just my .000002 "FT"
>
>
>While I agree about the difference in pricing, IMO triple plating is the
>only way to go. Chrome simply will not stick directly to steel (triple
>plating consists of copper, nickel, then chrome), trying to take shortcuts
>here results in chrome that will start peeling off in just a few years.
>
>Also, chrome will not stick to chrome, so if a piece has already been
>chromed, the only way to rechrome it is to strip off the old chrome.
>
>If you're not going to do it right, then just buff up what you have and keep
>it waxed or clearcoated.
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