What the h*ll is Leno talking about...Pour-on-Chrome?

Paint is paint, chrome is chrome. I think it needs to be kept in mind here is that this is a chrome "LOOK" paint process. It will not hold up like chrome. That is not its purpose. This is meant to be a decorative "CHROME LOOK" paint finish. Kind of like 22 guage diamond plate. Its pretty, but it wont protect anything!

 

the description on these series of videos says it's a two part chemical process that silver coats the pieces. if that is correct, anyone else besides me have memories of trying to keep mom's good silverware shiny after being kept neatly tucked away and only used like twice a year....

 

I saw that episode too. I was impressed/let down because I know enough to know that it sounds too good to be true. I have fiberglass parts I'd really like chrome.
The BASF sign in the background kinda had "sellout" written all over it.

 

Doesn't anyone believe in "Old School" Chrome anymore.

 

Sure,Old chrome seems to be the Best anyways.
but the today prices ain't old school.

I don't know how or if the technology changed but I have some late 60s early 70s chrome on an old Harley that always shines up, never pits, and looks a hell of alot better than my '01 thats pitted to hell and my '07 that looks like fake chrome. I had some Pontiac valve covers from 68 that had perfect chrome on them for 40 years.


I had a 76 hd original piece rechromed , cost me 300 for a bumper guard. About 1 year now and its showing pits. And it hasn't been on the road. It was a perfect specimen to rechrome just flaking.

Where do you get the old school chrome ?
Might as well try the fake chrome if today's real chrome isn't going to last or look like crap.

 

Chrome plating is still the same process that was used on your originally plated parts. The problem is that the nickel and chrome layers on the rechromed guard you had done was no where near the original thickness if it is deteriorating already.
It is always best to make sure the plater has a good warranty on the parts so you know they are doing a good job. May cost more than the other shop but will last for more than a year.
Prices have jumped for several reasons.
1: Have you looked at the prices for scrap! Plating is all about putting metals on your parts and those metals cost a lot more than they used to!
2: Enviromental costs are always there. Meeting new regulations and higher disposal costs every time you think you got it squared away.
3: Wages and health care. Mainly health insurance is high high high! If you got guys working around dangerous chemicals and working on high speed cutting wheels then the cost to insure them is going to be higher than if they were sitting at a desk.
Chrome plating was the first industry to be regulated by the EPA and they never stopped. Driving the cost higher and higher everytime they make new guidelines and regulations.

 

they did a whole car on inside west coast custom s tv show
iffy but has its uses

 

Thanks Jimmy, so if I may boil down what you saying, for just a few dollars more in actual metal cost they could have applied more metal and my 300 dollar rechrome would last 40 years plus. Because stripping is the same, zero repairs would remain the same, and prep would be the same, cut and polishing the same. They scimped on the easiest part ? Now That's kinda stupid, I'm already spending a large some of money , couple bucks more would surely be acceptable.

Is there some layman's way to measure the plating thickness?

 

Ain't it the truth! That dude lives in 65 degrees, hell-I can't get my Lone Star down to that in ice! Mine is in the garage waiting for paint-for a month now.

 

Not necessarily true. Most shops had to switch form Hexavalent to trivalent chrome due to EPA pressure. The articleexplains the differences in appearance and corrosion resistance:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_plating

I don't think scrap metal prices are to blame...

 

I prefer chrome over this new stuff any day. And some places I've looked into that do this spray on chrome is actually almost as expensive if nit more than the real deal.
It's an interesting concept but until it's a quarter of the price of real chrome. Then I would say it's not worth it, but that's my opinion.

 

There is Trivalent and hexavalent chrome. Old school is Hexavalent which is still widely used in the custom chrome plating area. Most platers using Trivalent are primarily productions shops (high volume)
Metal prices are much higher than they used to be. Nickel is a majority of the plating that goes onto the part. Its also what determines most of the corrosion resistance. Platers could always count on it being around $4 a lb in the 90s and early 2000s. Now? Its been as high as $25lb in 08 and currently its around $13 which is actually considered a good price right now. When you have to buy 500lbs of this stuff at a time a couple of bucks a pound will make an impact. Copper is also used a lot and it used to be bought for $2lb and now its around $8lb. These prices are for plating quality metals.

Plating thickness is what determines the durability of the part. Its both the nickel plating thickness as well as the chrome. One reason they may have scimped is that cutting a few minutes here and there will equal to not only material savings but also getting more parts run through in a day. Its about quanity before quality. If shops offer a warranty against rusting and peeling then they are the ones likely to be putting on a generous dose of nickel and chrome on the part. To measure thickness it takes very expensive equipment that is constantly calibrated. Also plating thickness will vary on the part as its an electro process. Outside areas will have more than the inside areas. Short answer is that there isn't an easy way to measure it. Just make sure the shop is willing to make good if there is a problem. Have you asked them if they would redo the guard since it is already going bad?

 

Yup, just a slightly different angle in the pix.

 

From the wording in the article that Mazooma put up, they seem to be using this application in the aircraft industry to get better wear life out of critical components.
Possibly landing gear

 

my brothers shop bought the spectra chrome system, they sent him to fl. to school to use it,its ok and looks like chrome after you clear it and wet sand and buff it. I would rather have real chrome but on plastic parts and my glas bumpers this is great. they also collect the leftover silver and recycle it. the vidio was good,they crashed a grave digger truck sprayed with it and it did not flake off the broke fiberglass.

 

http://www.fantachrome.com.au/index1.html

*You can make chicken shit look like chicken pie*

 

its very simmilar, as is Silver that they are plating there(Not electro, but chemicaly)

it Can... and it can also be sprayed using hand held sprayers for small parts

man I wish I was not as broke as I am, with a monthly income of $500 dollars otherwise I would have build my system long ago...

But you can just asked how you can build a Pour on or hand held spray trigger small kit for like less than $100

 

...

 

If this intrest you check out this thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=525744

 

BASF is Leno's paint supplier. I know the guy who does much of Leno's paint work, and he is also a BASF rep in SoCal. So, yeah, there is some BASF mention in Leno's videos. Why is this considered a "sellout"? Leno has found paint and related materials that work for him, and he has no problem mentioning them. So what!

 

I am the guy with the last post there....

 

mmmmmmmm....lone star...your makin me thristy.