Featured Technical CHROME PLATING AN OIL PAN

Chrome would look real nice on a finish like that. As a electroplater I did a lot of grinding and polishing between plating runs and learned to respect the pros in the shop who could whip stuff like that pan out in no time at all. I stuck to small parts because you had to have the skill to take a pan like yours and go to town with the wheels and cutting/polishing compounds without getting ****ed into the work or repeatedly launching it into the wall.

To really impress you the top dog in the shop could whip out an oil pan in less than an hour, easy. He did my 8 inch housing in less time than it took me to prep it for the plating run (about 45 minutes). It's a skill you have to pay well for, that's for sure. I coughed up a free weekend of overtime at the shop to get my housing done and it was well worth it!

 

Great job Bill!! Glad you got that old pan looking so good! I got another if you want to do another one.

 

As far as painting the inside of a block or engine parts , all of the ***mins Diesels I have touched were painted and I have not located one flake of paint anywhere even inside of the oil pan . Not sure what they use or the process to get it to stick but looks like it’s been figured out some where . I worked where gylptal was used daily , so every engine I ever was deep inside of was coated . We had huge ovens to burn coatings off pipe and copper wire . When ever I rebuild any engine I would cook all the gunk out of the castings before coating them .

 

There usually is one of those "launch it into the wall" moments but so far so good. The old pan is oil impregnated and that makes welding a chore. I got some porosity in a spot and they don't sand out. Just pin holes, maybe some copper will cure it. I have a lot of hours in this but I enjoy it. Listened to tunes in my new DeWalt Bluetooth ear muffs yesterday. Much more peaceful. Next up, a padded mat to stand on. My feet hurt.

One maybe enough for me! We'll see how this comes out. Thanks for the offer though!

I think it all about the prep and application not unlike any paint job. I have heard stories of filters being cut open after initial run in and finding glyptal in there. I think that this pan will be so smooth on the inside rust would dare look at it no less try to get attached.

 

Lookin' good!

 

You definitely have the Last Scratch Fever
Dan

 

I would think that masking tape the inside would work.

 

Much appreciated.

I don't know about that, but I do have arthritis and once the Advil kicks in I will get back out there.

I have been reading about that, and they have a tape that can be used. I want to tape off the gasket surface if possible, as well.

Ordered up a cute little drain plug with a magnet built in, stainless steel so that will get a polish. I need that to do a proper leak test. I don't want to fill my pan with water though. Maybe I'll scoop a few quarts out of the parts sink.

 

It didn't leak before I sent it. I solvent checked it for leaks, didn't want to send a bum pan. But yes, I would leak check it before plating, you have done a lot of grinding and polishing on it!

 

Gotta check the welds. Better safe than sorry with an expensive paper weight.

 

Spent a few more hours in the shop today.

it’s as smooth as a babies tuchus

starting to get hard to take pictures of so it must be about ready.

the only dents are the factory spot welds. A could minor scratches but I think the copper will fill everything at this point.

I want to spend an hour or so on the inside, knock it down to 600 or so. Just a light polish while I have the chance to do so. I hope to be running by the chrome shop to pick up some parts soon, I’ll be ready to drop this off when I do.

 

Are chrome plating shops illegal in Warshington? You know, with all the "save the earth" types 'round there.

 

Don't give the left coast any ideas. California wants to ban tires, Washington has the highest gas price in the US and Oregon? They already did away with chrome shops (other than industrial hard chrome) and they are working on banning strip clubs of all things! All those poor girls with no steady income stream. Sad.

How do you like Idaho? My sister lives up in the pan handle on a lake, about half hour from Canadia. Thinking about going for a visit and doing some recon.

 

I would of never thought that pan good look that good! And it's not chrome yet! From this to that! I know I can't keep up with Bill's polishing!

 

How will they ever finish college?

 

I worked at Tripleplate Chrome in Spokane, known since 2016 as Restoration Plating at E. 2302 Trent Avenue. They have a web site and are still in business last I heard. The plating process used is one of the better processes (high purity aerated copper & nickel acid baths) that gives excellent results but ain't cheap. As far as metal cleaning I would have to dig up my books again for the actual components but we called our metal cleaner tank the Drano tank as it had a heated (about 130 degree F) buffered sodium hydroxide bath that stripped metal clean for working, welding and plating after rinsing in a sodium hypoflouride. We would 'throw' forward DC current into the part in the Drano bath, scrub the **** out of it and then rinse in the SHF bath followed by a water rinse.

It had to be cleaned thoroughly as you could screw up the plating process dragging **** into it.

 

Idaho is Great !... Finally living here permanently since I retired. Bought a house and property in a dinky town. Its inexpensive to live here. Dont have to pay for bags at the grocery store etc etc. Vehicle registration is cheap. No stupid laws, fees or taxes.....

I used to live in Sandpoint 20 years ago. Maybe thats where you Sister lives

Last stuff I got chrome plated was Orange County plating in Orange Ca. decades ago. Gone now

 

Holy
Moly

that ****ers shiney!

 

That’s the only way to have mole.

 

Now that's commitment! Nice work @Bandit Billy.

 

Chrome wasn’t gilt in a day.