I powder coated a wheel in chrome

I do a lot of powder coating in my garage for myself as well as for others. I just did a set of crusty Crager SS wheels in chrome. Turned out very nice.

The Chrome is not UV protected, so they will turn chalky after some time in the sun. This wheel belong to a friend who's car may not see a lot of daylight. I can always redo them in a straight color down the road....

 

Hey--I like that. Nice hue. Did Eastwood offer a chrome powder or what??

 

Did you clear it?

 

I like that also,Would look good on my bumpers,better than rattle can chrome.

 

could it be cleared?

 

The problem with bumpers is having an oven to put something the size of a bumper in!

I've thought about making a "oven" with actual oven elements and stove brick.
Seems like I would spend a lot of money for something that I probably lack the skill to make work right though.

 

Not to be a dick, but that does not look like chrome. Only chrome looks like chrome. Looks like a nice silver.

 

a good way to save those old wheels

 

I have used several chromes...and the best I have found is from Prismatic.

I buy all my straight colors from www.columbiacoatings.com ... IMHO the best for the money.

 

When you clear chrome, it turns it into more like silver.

 

I have done several bumpers and Harley hardtail frames. Having the oven is key. Mine is an industrial convection oven.

 

Fair enough .... but it ain't silver. From a few feet away you would be hard pressed not to tell it was not chrome. It looks like a very nice polished aluminum.

I did all the engine brackets in my buddy's car ... turned out awesome. Cheaper than a rattle can paint job.....

No, its not triple plated chrome over copper, but I can do wheels for about $3 each ....

 

wheel looks good to me. i have heard of people cutting out the back of two stoves and putting them back to back. would hold longer parts .

 

I think those would look even more bitchin' with dark grey powder coated spokes...

 

falcon man, my experience is that its going to look dull way to soon. not worth the powder or time. i have thought about cleaning the rusty spots on the wheel and only powder coat the spots or areas. don't know how to do it yet. powder the area and wipe off the unwanted powder?? wax the chrome area and powder over?

 

I think it probably looks 100% better than when you started. HRP

 

Thats a great way to save some old wheels, I think they would look good on my C10 pickup.

 

Chrome powder coat! Who would have thunk. I've thought about this myself, but what do you bake the item in? Dan

 

Just let me know where to send this pile of stuff and let me know when to stop

 

that is a very nice look---three bucks a wheel---give 12$ worth...

 

Building your own oven of any size isn’t that hard / big of a deal.

My powder coat oven at work is made from a shipping container with heating elaments from Grangers.

 

Actually, I was talking about clear powdercoat...

 

Come up with a cheap chrome process and hotrodders will beat a path to your door.

 

A friend of mines shop does powder coating. And for his big stuff he does not use a oven. He uses a catylist that produces the heat. He does some very big things. He did a Bradley last year and turned out bad ass.

 

If you are familiar enough with Harley Davidson products, they made a vrod with "chrome" powder coated frames. Looks very similar to your wheel. Their product is clearcoated which dulls and yellows it some but it is required for uv and scratch resistance. I would bet you could play around with powder suppliers to get a clearer clear, but the price per pound goes way up.

 

You can take some urethane clear, add about 15% reducer to it and gently wisp on some very light coats. If you get it clean and no runs (patience is key) you don't get dull, silver or yellow. You get more gloss and more "bling" out of it. The reducer is needed to reduce the size and volume of the inherent orange peel of sprayed paint. You need maybe 2-3 light coatings and you're set. The reducer will also get a bite into the powder, but if you're worried you can buy a product called "Bulldog" adhesion promoter in a rattle can. Spray 1 nice even wet coat, wait 15min, spray the reduced urethane.

 

Take a pic out in the sun, from 5ft or so. Very good improvement to other wise worn wheels. These would go well with a true satin paint job.

 

Just a thought you could use the burner box off a 100 gal water heater.When they change out those 100gal heaters its because they have started leaking water from the bottom not because they don't work.They put out a lot or BTUs and a temp setting to control them.You might check into that put 2 of those bad boys together some 1/8" steel one hell of an oven.

 

I saw some powdercoaters a few years back at a bike show that had some wheels on display that they had done. Price was $650 pair plus your wheels in exchange. I'm assuming they had to polish it to get the mirror finish hence the steep price but you couldn't tell the difference from actual chrome.

 

looks good