Can anyone let me know how are what I can do to make a fibergl*** grill chrome or look chrome? Also where can I get this done? I am in Louisiana the closer the better, but I will go anywhere. Thanks in advance Chris
I don't know if they can do fibergl*** or not but there is a chrome shop in Baton Rouge. Some race cars paint their bumpers to look like chrome. Later, Mark
There are a few different ways to chrome fibergl***, Va***e metalization, just like model parts this is expensive. There is also the spray chrome that you can buy, but it turns out looking like aluminum. I went to LA and met with this company called ALSA Corp. They have a chrome system that can chrome any material. You will be hard pressed to tell the difference between their chrome and chrome from a chrome shop. Check out this link and then send ASLA an email and they will tell who in your area has there system. I have seen it it person and its pretty amazing. alsacorp.com
You can get the vacuum metalizing like on modern car trim and the chrome on model kits. I know a guy who did a deuce one. Pretty lame idea, but it looked like a chrome shell.
Quote: <table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td cl***="alt2" style="border: 1px inset;"> Originally Posted by jb2wheeler What about Powder Coating? Will Fibergl*** take the heat from the curing process? JB </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Nope Not true. There are powder formulations available that turn to liquid and flow at much lower temperatures. As an example, have personally powder coated wood. -EM
There is a '56 F-100 in Tennessee that has a fibergl*** grill that a plater friend of his plated. Somehow they got a copper strike on it like they do plastic facets. Once they got the copper flash they went to acid copper and on through the plating process. It can not be told from plated steel but the owner said were his buddy not experimenting,it would have been cost prohibiting.
You can buy copper-based paint, to which the chrome-plating will stick. Remember the copper-plated baby shoes?
Having lived in Phoenix, Arizona for a few years and routinely saw both 120+ degree days and Corvettes and 'gl*** hot rods in the Valley, I wonder about the 120 degree limit. Where'd you hear that? Even paint can withstand more than 120 degrees, so I'm very certain fibergl*** can as well.
I second the plating any material. The basics of the process is paint that can carry the current of the plating process. I watched a snippet on the tv a few years ago, basically anything that can take paint can be plated chrome. From what I understand, and I could be wrong, the part is just sprayed with conductive paint, then plated normally. Here is a place you can get it, if you were to start the process... http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/cupwdr.htm Not advertising anyone in particular as I haven't used them, but some info. First one is the method I know about that is actually electroplating with the original type materials. http://www.chrometech.com.au/faq.html "Q.Is the process a spray on silver type of system? A. No, Our process consists of copper, nickel and chrome. 95% of this coat is copper." Not electroplating here, sounds more home shop like. If I had to choose, this method would have to be a lot cheaper than electroplating for me to bite. http://xtremechrome.com/ "The process involves applying a basecoat to achieve an extremely smooth surface. Then a thin coating of real silver metal is applied using a chemical reaction instead of the normal electroplating process. "
Basically, any rigid material that will accept a conductive coating can be plated. There are multiple specific processes out there, and electroplated plastic is much more common than many realize. Virtually all the chromed plastic used on the exterior of late model cars is old fashioned electroplating. I have experimented with my own ideas and have succesfully plated some plastic parts, and even a gord. However, it is fickle and very time consuming, so I do not offer it.
If you set a unsupported section of fibergl***, like a hood, or lift off front end on the ground here in Illinios on a sunny day it will sag at much less than 120 degrees. Granted this is lightweight drag race gl*** or carbon. After the trees and supports are added it gets much better but will still need support in the longer spans or it will fall over. How does this pertain to powdercoating? Simple, every powdercoating proccess I have seen starts with the piece being hung on wires, sprayed then heated, or heated/sprayed/heated. Without full length support the piece will sag and fail
Not sure if they really answered your question, but, YES you can chrome fibergl***. REAL chrome. A joint in FL does it...I built a 69 Camaro for a guy who was chrome crazy and he had his plastic grill chrome plated, along with everything else on the car. I can't remember the name of the plater, but I believe he puts a graphite coating on it, to make it electroplate-able.
Contact Bob at Chrometech : http://www.chrometechusa.com/modelplate.html I have seen his work on chrome plated plastic dash bezels and arm rest bases as well as model car parts. Top quality and easy to work with. Just remember the chrome plating does not self smooth so your surface must be mirror like prior to plating. Ask Bob for details on finishing requirements.
Again, my experience is radically different. A few years ago, I attempted to fix the "bow" in a new fibergl*** hood. I had long heard these stories about heat affecting fibergl***, so I propped up the hood on the extreme edges, put nearly 80 lbs of weights on the center (it actually made cracking sounds) and focused an industrial-strength heat lamp on it. Although it was so hot you couldn't even touch it (certainly more than 120 degrees) and I left it for two days, I got zero movement at all. Even none of the racecar fibergl*** I work on is permantly affected be heat. I do all the 'gl*** work on my brother's racer and even the part that surrounds the exhaust doesn't even get deformed, even though it nearly lays on the exhaust.
<TABLE id=post5308673 cl***=tborder border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e5e5e5 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" cl***=alt2 width=175></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" id=td_post_5308673 cl***=alt1><!-- icon and ***le --> Re: Can you Chrome Fibergl*** <HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5; COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and ***le --><!-- message -->Quote: <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset" cl***=alt2>Originally Posted by Da Tinman If you set a unsupported section of fibergl***, like a hood, or lift off front end on the ground here in Illinios on a sunny day it will sag at much less than 120 degrees. Granted this is lightweight drag race gl*** or carbon. After the trees and supports are added it gets much better but will still need support in the longer spans or it will fall over. How does this pertain to powdercoating? Simple, every powdercoating proccess I have seen starts with the piece being hung on wires, sprayed then heated, or heated/sprayed/heated. Without full length support the piece will sag and fail </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Again, my experience is radically different. A few years ago, I attempted to fix the "bow" in a new fibergl*** hood. I had long heard these stories about heat affecting fibergl***, so I propped up the hood on the extreme edges, put nearly 80 lbs of weights on the center (it actually made cracking sounds) and focused an industrial-strength heat lamp on it. Although it was so hot you couldn't even touch it (certainly more than 120 degrees) and I left it for two days, I got zero movement at all. Even none of the racecar fibergl*** I work on is permantly affected be heat. I do all the 'gl*** work on my brother's racer and even the part that surrounds the exhaust doesn't even get deformed, even though it nearly lays on the exhaust. For what it's worth, I have experienced both...The problem is there are so many different variations although most companies use a general purpose polyester resin even on carbon fiber parts. The differences in the exact resin used, any additional additives and whether the part was baked and to what temperature are all factors here. Fibergl*** in general is heat sensitive, can be shaped or even melted. Others can withstand extreme heat and will catch fire and burn before any displacement happens. Many resins due to the enhancers in them open air cure in excess of 120 degrees and baking to 200 and above is rather common. If this was done it is much harder to get the part to react to heating later on in order to reshape it but it is also very unlikley the part with ever need it unless it was made incorrectly to start with. Chromed gl*** does look much better than silver paint or cheesy airbrush work for drag car bumpers and grills. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE id=post5308673 cl***=tborder border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e5e5e5 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" cl***=alt2 width=175></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" id=td_post_5308673 cl***=alt1><!-- icon and ***le --> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Here's a neat video on Jay Leno's site showing a spray on chrome process. http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/segment/restoration-blog/spray-on-chrome/#more
Great post! Im working on a sculpture idea right now and the objects i want to chrome there is no may i can get the detail into them that i want with out molding them. and I figured if I had to use a resin or some thing i would not be able to chrome them like i wanted. Thanks guys just another reason to be a member here!
There are several processes for plating plastic. Not all plating shops do it, but a little checking around should find someone in your part of the country who does it. Durability tends to be a problem. The plater's seat of the pants experience is a major factor in that.
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