I am looking for the secret to nice silver paint that, well, looks like chrome. I know many of you are rolling your eyes. I don't mean that stuff from Krylon that has sparkles in it and looks good only while drying (don't think they still make it anyways). The Peterbuilts and Kenworth dump bodies have this really rich hightone silver paints that are stone worthy and tolerant. The finish almost looks like polished aluminum. What product is this? Anyone got success stories with trying to "make chrome" with good results and pics to boot.? I am looking for actual product names and pics. Pleaaa***e! Pork
Pork I just recently went to work in a industral coating plant doing paint setup. Not my profession but need the work. Weve been painting some OEM parts with a water base paint thats baked for 45 min at 475 degrees. Its painted on bare steel and has that bright aluminum finish and hard as nails. It in 55. gal drums I only know it as DACS but will do some checking on manufacture and availability. Will post info soon Ron
If its dump bodies that have it why not get in touch with the maker of the bodies,but sounds like you are looking at an aluminum body,could be stainless but doubtful.Why don"t you post pictures of these bodies.never seen a stone proof paint on heavy equipment
Eastwood sells a "chrome" paint, I've never tried it so I can't say it's good or bad but every other Eastwood product I've used has been good.
Check out these people. I don't know how involved with spray on chrome you want to get, but this is quite interesting. http://www.spectrachrome.ca/index.php
You may also want try looking for ALSA Corp in California. They make a paint called Mirror Chrome. You wet sand up to 800 grit, paint it flat black, then clear coat it, wet sand to 2500 grit, buff it out, spray mirror chrome with a detail gun, and then clear coat it. Its alot of work but it comes out pretty good for the price. Here are some pics of a Full Size Clay Peterbilt Truck, the Radiator, Headlight Buckets, and Bumper are painted in Mirror Chrome. Like I said it is alot of work to make it look good.
WoW, a full size clay model of a big rig... Brings new meaning to the term "Mock Up" The drivers side edge of the bumper in the 2nd pic looks like a real good finish..
I have mixed feelings on spray chrome. I used to know people at Valley Chrome Plating, and I like a bit of chrome and polished metal on a ride, but it always has been expensive, and handling the toxic materials and importing the chrome (it is a strategic metal) as well as the copper and nickel isn't getting any cheaper to deal with, (especially in California, don't get me started) These spray on processes like Spectra-Chrome and Mirra-Chrome from Alsa, and a powder coat process seem to be the way to go. A person seems to be able to do it at home in some cases, probably w/o any permit who/ha. I was just checking out the Spectra-chrome "New Chrome Process" website and it looks pretty cool plus durable. Saw a video where Winfield was painting the top of a Badillac for Billy F. Gibbons' lady. He had never used the Alsa before and I guess you dust on 6 or 8 coats over a cleared bc/cc black, and he seemed a bit dubious about putting on that many coats, but it looked good on TV.
Yeah, FJ, I don't know if I would wanna go into that much of a process; maybe for smaller pieces, but I am looking to do my front axle and bones, so it would have to be pretty durable. I know I have even seen some factory bumper paints that has some depth and kind of look like a deep grey alum. I will keep all this info. in mind and keep on a searchin. I can also contact Montone or other truck body manufacturers and find our their secrets Pork
The paint stuff is supposed to be durable, that's what they use for those car dealership signs that look like chrome, freak'in Nissan or Lexus...or whatever
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