So....... I have some parts that I want to look like chrome. I stopped by our local powder coating shop, and ask him. He says YES, I have chrome powder coating now, and shows me the sample. It looks like aluminum to me, and has no reflective qualities. He says that is because of the clear coat that needs to be applied over it to protect it. With out the clear, he says it won't hold up to the invirement. I've been searching around the web, but I found not found anything as of yet. If you have had something done, please "SHOW and TELL" !
I work for a Store Fixture manufacturer and we have use "powder Chrome". Several brands look much better clear coated this is true. The biggest problem has been that items become "bruised". Like if I installed a split wishbone and holding onto it firmly with attaching to the axle you will likely see the marks where my hands were. Clear coat helps this - but that is really all it does as far as durability. They will have to run it around their line- and charge you - at least twice. If they screw up the clear powder coat you are hosed. We have had several customers use it - imagine sliding cans across it everyday. A couple of years you will be very disappointed..... My information is a little over a year old so there is likely more information out there. I will look for the link to one of our vendors. You can google names like Siebert's, Becker, Spraylat and Morton. However, I have found that the guys that do the ceramic coating will polish and then apply the ceramic coating. I am thinking of doing this for a few of my suspension parts. Hope it helped.
try micky hale from the g***er group.....he was doing some of the spray chrome....i think it was a 95% reflection .....brandon
Alsa has Mirra Chrome that's the 95% stuff, but the piece has to be mirror smooth to look right before you paint it. They have spray bombs now too.
A fella on the FE forum just did an intake ... Turned out pretty good. http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1157868791/
You have to clear coat it for best durability. They even sell their own "speed clear" for it. Once it's cleared, it's as durable as any other paint.
Figure on at least doubling the cost of having it chromed after you **** it up with powdercoat. Sorry to be so blunt, but that's where I stand on powdercoating. When I worked at the local plating shop, we had some parts that a guy had done with powdercoating, looked like **** (like it was painted grey) and was twice the amount of work to replate in the end because we had to strip it all off. Trim pieces are all but ruined once they're powdercoated. Now, the Alsa and Mirrachrome stuff is different, it actually has a fairly close to chrome appearance, not quite as good as chrome but if it was your only option, it does turn out pretty nice. Holds up just like any other clearcoated paint. If you can't get your chrome pieces done with real plating, that'd be your next best bet.
'Course, if you're going to be doing alot of stuff, the paint costs atleast twice what real chrome would...
Here is a pic of some hemi valve covers... These are not mine... I have a one step chrome powder coat(no clear needed) from Eastwood that works pretty well.. Looks like these when done...EVILT
There is absolutely NOTHING to take the place of real chrome...if it's going to get used and abused...chrome it. R-
That's true. The Alsa type stuff is not cheap, although neither is real chrome. But either way, you'll be spending a decent amount of coin on the re-do. If you ever get to see some of the powdercoated "chrome" stuff first hand, hold a piece of real chromed trim up to it and compare. The powdercoated stuff looks OK by itself but up next to a real piece of chrome there is no comparison.
The valve covers are not as bright as chrome for sure....It is hard to find decent chromers too......I would opt for chrome if possible.. The powdercoat works good on parts subjected to weather but....They will scuff....EVILT
Geeeee ......I did'nt want to take out another home mortage to get my hair-pins and drilled axle shiney........ all I here about is horror stories regarding Chrome shops. Whats a working man to do?
when i had my anglia tube axle and hairpins chromed.....it cost more for the plating than the parts cost....they were nice.....and it was a gotta have deal....but we're talking a 38" wide axle ....and 27" hairpins....seems like it was over 400 for the plating....brandon
isn't airborne down in your neck of the swamp.....? or maybe look into undercover ch***is down there.....they offer a bunch of finish options.....brandon
Seen this 36 on Ebay... the grille and horn grilles are powder coat "chrome". It dont really look right on the front end of a car. I can see using it on undercarrige peices though. http://i3.ebayimg.com/01/i/08/60/cf/39_3.JPG
It's a little known secret that if you do all the work yourself except for the actual dipping, it's much much cheaper. Most of chrome cost is in the labor to repair and polish the parts. they must be buffed to a mirror shine before they are dipped, then buffed again afterwards for maximum shine. If you do the pre and post buffing, it saves the shop time, and saves you money. Moriarty pre and post polished ALL the chrome parts on the Mysterion himself, and IIRC, it ended up costing about 1/3 of what it normally costs.
I had the exhaust (headers and muffler) on my Porsche 911S ceramic coated. It came out looking great! I wouldn't say it looked like chrome, more like polished stainless. It doesn't have the reflection like chrome. I did it on the exhaust more for the fact that on exhaust, ceramic coatings do not let as much heat transfer to the metal, letting more heat go out the tailpipe. I've seen the endura shine that Edelbrock has available on their intake manifolds and carburetors. That looks pretty close to chrome. I don't know if anyone else is doing it. I would ***ume that Edelbrock just named the process for their parts. The factory rep told me that it is similar to a powder coating process. Dan Marvin, Owner Exeter Auto Supply
Did ya read the article on this months Rod and Custom on the new tech coating that looks real close to chrome? Don't know if it's available in Florida or not but maybe soon. Check it out. Looks like a great alternative in the future.
I've been using chrome powder for several years with my HF home powder coating kit. I've used Caswell and Tiger-Drylac powders, but have not tried Eastwood powders. I've coated them plain, with no clear top coat, because that usually dulls the chrome effect down to "silver". I've done intake manifolds, hood hinges, valley covers, and brackets (mostly upper engine parts). My experience is that without clear coat, it looks great the first year, OK the second year, and silver the third year. It's easy enough for me (cause I do the work myself) to just re-coat the parts when they don't look good anymore. If you're paying someone to do the job, it would be a waste of money. For my time spent and $20 worth of powder, it's fine. The chrome powder coat finish is easily damaged by chemicals. It's not nearly as resistant as most other colors. I've been told that this is because it's a "highly pigmented" color. Antifreeze messes it up the quickest. Oil and gasoline will mess it up after awhile. It holds up fine to car wash chemicals. I hose the engine off at the self serve car wash all the time. Overall opinion? It's poor man's chrome, and I'm a poor man. If you have the $$, get real chrome. If you do everything yourself, you can't beat the price of powder coat.
Dan, I'm considering Ceramachrome on my front axle and headers. Whoever is making the Edurashine product for Edelbrock needs to make it available to the aftermarket, it will sell very well indeed.
Yep, and here is the co. that article was based on: http://www.vacuummetalcoating.com/ Sounds promising. Almost too good to be true the way the article stated it.
The Jalopy Journal
