Got a problem! I want to chrome the windshield frame on the 32 cabroilet I have been building. It is fabricated from original 32 parts (bottom & sides) and a new top milled from bar stock. The problem is the original parts were old and rusty and reqired a lot of work, polishing , brazeing and lead. I took it to a local plateing shop and had it coppered. I brought it back home did more polishing and took it back to the plater for more copper. Even after the second copper plate the repairs were still visable. The plater said more copper and polishing would not result in a satisfactory finish. So, after all that, the question is, other than body color paint, what are my options? I really wanted a chrome winshield frame. Keith
There's some very recent DIY Chrome threads here, looks very promising for smaller parts. Search it out
See if ChromePlaterJosh here on the HAMB can shed some light on the subject for you. He may be able to give you some words of wisdom.... Great guy, and he's been very helpful to many fellows with chrome problems.
A) have the chromer strip the frame completely and prep/block it out better and then try again. B) smooth what you have and paint the color of your choice.
A) only way to strip copper from steel is to sand it off. not a good idea at this point. B) not chrome The problem: Copper is not a very good filler compared with the mud used for paint prep It can only be so thick because doesn't plate evenly to start. Overplating copper causes fitment issues. The plating adheres to the part through electrolysis. Electricity takes the path of least resistance. Therefore, protrusions and outer edges get the thickest plating; recessed areas and the the inside surfaces of a hollow structure gets little to no plating. Auxilary anodes can be used for recessed areas, but can take a lot of time to make, in this case, not a good solution, because... ...the copper solution is highly acidic (mostly sulfuric) and will eat out the already rusty insides because the initial copper strike will not get into the insides to protect the steel from the acid copper solution, as explained above. So really, the more copper plating onto the surface, the less steel there is left on the inside; that is a slippery slope many platers learn the hard way. You just can't get auxilary anodes inside a window frame like that, only use copper sparingly in such cases. Stripping all the plating at this point is almost certain disaster. (if the frame were made of aluminum or br***, I'd say build an auxilliary anode over the problem spots and plate away, these metals are very resistant to the specific acid in the copper solution, which is sulfuric.) The solution: I use nickel plating instead of copper on parts like this. The solution is much more friendly to exposed steel (lower acidity,) which is what you have inside that window frame. Bright Nickel is more expensive to plate and harder to sand, but IMHO the only safe way in this case. Without seeing the part in question, I'm only guessing what I would do at this point: Use some lead-free silver bearing solder to lead in all the imperfections until it's as nice as humanly possible. Drill out any dirty pits first; the solder will stick to steel, br***, and copper. Get a heavy bright nickel plate done (at least a 1.5 hr plate.) It will probably be thinner than the copper, but should be thick enough to level out the solder-to-copper seam with proper sanding procedure. Nickel can be plated over itself if the plater knows what they are doing, and you may need 2 or 3 heavy nickel plates to make it super nice, of course depending on solder work and nickel thickness. Once the nickel is nice enough, it can be buffed super fine and ready for chrome or light nickel(15-20 min)/chrome. Very important to let the newly refinished frame soak in a lightly caustic solution overnight to ensure all traces of acids are nuetralized inside the frame. Even change the orientation to get full soak with no bubbles. I use spent metal cleaner. I think a weak bleach solution would be fine, but test any junk chrome part in it to make sure it doesn't harm the chrome first. Congrats! You've picked the most difficult steel part to restore that i can think of, lol. Keep in mind the specs of the tank and amps used will determine actual thickness of the plating in all metals over a specific timespan, but hours are a general measurement of choice. You are getting a taste of the limitations and frustrations of custom plating. The repair has to be near perfect before copper. Only very minor imperfections can be removed with it. It is more of a filler primer than a filler like bondo.
I just noticed you already started using lead on it. If you used actual lead-bearing solder, you can't use silver bearing over it. Silver solder has a higher melting point and will therefore ruin any previous solderwork in the areas heated up. In this case, use whatever solder you started with, but in the future use lead-free; its safer when sanded, it plates better, and it holds up to sanding/buffing heat better. We used to use lead solder, never again after using silver... if you used actual lead, as in lead-sled type body filler lead: I'm surprised you aren't having adhesion issues if you aren't already. It can plate and can work, but its the hard way. I would melt it out if I had it in my shop, just to avoid the ***ociated problems it causes.
Thanks to everyone for their input. Being an OLD hot rodder I like to do every thing I can myself. I may have bitten off more than I can chew, but I am not ready to throw in the towel yet. Josh your advice is well taken. I will try your reccomendations and let you know how it comes out. I have learned a thing or two here and thats what makes this exercise worth while. Thanks again Keith
A) Yes I meant the chrome part of the plating B) Yes you can't paint over chrome. C) Jeez Josh, where were you when I needed ya ?
You can paint over chrome. OEM did it regularly on ribbed and lettered mouldings. Never with very good adhesion though. Scuffing it well will either remove the chrome entirely or roughen it up enough to grab the paint. I don't know where I was whenever it was, but I bet I have a rock solid alibi.
Walt Trautwein in NY still makes the 32 and 33-34 Cabriolet windshield frames, I believe. It may be his son now but their quality of windshield frames is probably better than original Ford.
This has to be one of the best answered questions i've read in some time. If I find i'm in need of having some chrome work done,Josh.will get my business!
Thanks! I'm considering writing a book if I ever get some down time. Unless someone has heard of a book on DIY and prof. custom replating; then I want it. Those who have met me know I can go for literally hours talking about this stuff.
that was my thought when I first read his issues... "Spray On Chrome it"... stay tune for DIY Spray On Chrome updates... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=674441&highlight=spray+on+chrome my home made Silvering Gun(not part of the DIY thread as this is for larger parts)
I replaced the windshield frame in my cabriolet a few years ago - the old one had rusted to nothing at the bottom corners. I bought a new frame from - dare I say it - Speedway. I bought the unplated one and had it powder coated. I was pleased with the result. What I could not get was a new rubber gasket - if you know where to get one I would like to know.
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