pitted stainless

I didn't think stainless could pit.... But oh yeah, pot metal can get pretty bad. I actually used FINE steel wool on a chromed pot metal grille and it cleaned up pretty nice. Not show quality of course, but it looked much better.

 

ok, I didn't count the ones in the fenders as grills. what was the reason for them?

 

It's called Stainless Steel for a reason, and that's because it's mainly steel. Now how do you go make steel non-magnetic?

 

Let me see. If stainless means it stains less. Does a homeless person just have less of a home? A flightless bird can fly sometimes? A sightless person can really see? Perhaps then, some folks aren't as clueless as they might appear. Regards, Ron

 

Does it stain less or is it stainless?

 

True, except that nickel is yellowish in color, and chromium is NOT transparent at all, even in millionths of an inch thickness as seen on decorative chrome plating.

In 52-53 model American cars, much of the brightwork was without nickel, meaning the chrome went directly over ther copper, yet it was still the same chromium color. Not as durable, but still the same color.

I don'y don't know about Devcon, but I do have a conductive coating I use for the worst rotten pot metal.

Now if the original poster wants to have shiny grills without rechroming, the pot metal itself will shine up very bright with sanding and buffing; once the old plating and pitting is sanded off. You will have to get pretty aggresive with abrasives to clean it up properly.

The only catch is that it tarnishes quickly, so you either polish it up every week, or clear it and lose some of its shine. This work also gives a head start for the plater if you should decide to get it plated (***uming you do it well although many platers won't admit it.


And regarding stainless, yes it pits, especially on automotive grade exterior trim stainless. The good news is that even pitted stainless shines up beautifully and the pits aren't that noticeable.

 

Hey Josh, Can you expound on the conductive coating, or is it a trade secret?

 

Wow, so i make medical implants (ie knee's) at my regular job out of ****py stainless????

It isnt the grade, it is the content that makes it magnetic, i belive it is something along the line of if it has nickel or chromium in it

 

Don't you use ***anium? All replacement joints are ***anium over here in the UK?

Oh dear - I've just gone waayyyyy OT.

 

The bone plates i belive are all ***anium, but the knee stuff we are making is 17-4 SS, i'm just a machinest so i dont know the particulars.

 

It's our secret; and the results of 10 years of our own experimentations and epic failures. I've got a chromed gord in our office that sparks conversations. I don't even know what other shops use, unless they have invested in a palladium process (or similar) for custom plating $$$$$

 

On the Trucks show on Spike TV they built a gl*** 37 style truck to give away & they had Advance Plating chrome the fibergl*** dash. They used the conductive paint that baby shoe bronze platers use. I presume they put it directly in the acid copper & lots of hand sanding to smooth before nickel. I did some walnut shells once using a hand mixed bronze powder in lacquer and chromed them.