painting chome plated plastic

did a search, didn't find what i was looking for..................

i've painted chrome plated metal before without any issues. what i'm wondering is would the same process work on the plated plastic? on the chomed metal, i used a red scuff pad to scratch up the surface, a coat or two of etch primer, base coat, clear coat, done. it worked out fine. is there a difference in the 2 platings (metal-plastic)? i don't want to use the same process if it's gonna cause problems for myself. the chromed palstic definately doesn't seem as hard as chromed metal. it seems to scuff much easier.

what i'm working on now is an olds dash cluster. some stays chrome, some gets painted satin silver, some get painted satin black. i'm kinda worried about the adhesion with all of the taping that'll be involved. i don't want to be pulling off the paint while i'm unmasking it after i've gone through the hassle of masking it all up in the first palce.

any insight would be appreciated.

 

I really don't know if this applies, but the chrome on plastic model car parts
(styrene) can be stripped by an overnight soak in straight bleach.

 

you probably need to scuff it and then paint it with a plastic adhesion promoter

 

I found a special plastic primer, at of all places, Menard's and gave it a try. It worked a bunch better than the common etching primer I had used in the past.

 

+1 on the bleach.I have used it a lot for stripping chrome from plastic.

 

I also used the plastic primer,but it hasn't held up. I sanded the part(s),sprayed and waited probably a week at least then sprayed my color coat,waited another week,then sprayed some clear. Granted,this is all rattle-can stuff,but the paint does show that it's for exterior use(like lawn chairs,something that will get worn/use). My parts make up my grill for my daily driver and after 1.5 yrs the paint is wrinkling. So I have to start all over Or did I do something stupid?

 

adhesion promoter. try to find klean-strip bulldog. avail. in qts or in spray bomb. gr8 stuff.

 

I have used the bleach method for the chrome on my non-HAMB car. Soaked the pieces for a few days till all the converted chrome and copper came off (cheap bleach works best) then sanded it to my liking before I prepped for paint at normal.

**After re-reading your post, this might not work for you if you are keeping some parts chrome still. sorry

 

Bulldog is the best.... If you scuff the surface and spray a lite coat of Bulldog on it you'll bae able to paint it with anything you want..... It WONT peal.

I've found it at Walmart before in spray cans, which is the only way I use it. It's usually available anywhere you buy automotive paint and supplies.

Rich

 

yeah toss it in a cup of bleach or pool acid, and paint it like straight plastic.

 

ya, bleach is not an option for this application, since alot of the insert need to stay chrome.

i'll look into that bulldog stuff. thanks, guys.

 

Bulldog it.

 

it doesnt work in every situation. it may stick, but adhesion can be lacking. ie. paint chips easy.