Got some "original" mirrors for my truck, but the pot metal is very pitted and the chrome ****s. I'd like to have them rechromed, but I bet I could buy new ones for that cost.... In the meantime, anyone know of a way I can strip the chrome off the potmetal and maybe paint them?
DON'T DO IT! If you plan on getting them rechromed you will be a million % letting the chrome plating company strip off the old chrome using reverse electrolysis. They then copper plate the pot metal and sand it until smooth and all the pits are filled. Then it's nickel plated. Then it's chrome plated. Most platers won't touch your pot metal unless they do the entire process. Also, you won't save any money by stripping it yourself. It's a delicate process as pot metal tends to dissentigrate from the inside out.
I wont be getting these rechromed... I'll buy new ones. I highly doubt anywhere would rechrome these for less than what new ones will cost. Just want to strip them down so I can paint them for now.
If it is true pot metal you can sand off chrome and then take a buffing wheel and aluminum polish and buff them to look just like chrome and then put shark hide protectant on them to protect them.
I stripped the chrome off an old pot metal column mount using scotch bright rolox pads with good success. If you're painting them you have nothing to lose.
If painting you could just sandblast them. How much would new ones cost? Custom Metal Finishing-IN LLC (aka ChromeplaterJosh) could give an estimate on cost to rechrome for reference.
You don't need to strip chrome to paint them. Light rub with Scotchbrite and 2 or 3 coats of thinned primer.
Depending on how bad they are or are not you can take a fine grade file and file the pits down and re- polish it. Pot metal will last for awhile before the pits start to reoccur without the chrome. good luck with whatever you choose to try.
Pot metal is a non ferrous metal which is yesterdays answer to the plastic parts made today. It was basically cheap s**** metal's that the automotive company's used to cast parts.some of the metals were zinc,cadmium,tin and aluminum,,and several other s**** metals. Just sand the mirrors smooth and prime with XIM primer,,clear or white,,then spread any Bondo you might need to fill in any pits,,prime and paint. The reason I suggested the XIM is that it is formulated to bond to non ferrous metals. HRP
Do Not try Muriatic Acid to remove the Chrome. You will come back to remove them from the acid dip and they will no longer be there........... Jeff
19 Fordy is correct, I worked in a chrome plating shop for 5 years, they will not want to know if you mess with them yourself. If you are going to paint them I would use 80 grit wet/dry to get old chrome off, (might take a while!) Then use a polishing wheel,then de-grease before applying primer. Good luck !
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