Technical Spray paint chrome at home?

I'm a bring proponent of spray chroming processes for certain parts but not others. When it's done right it's really more of a mirroring process than paint, per se. It's a great option for smaller parts, especially interior parts that aren't going to be pelted with rocks and pebbles, or very badly pitted parts that are not cost effective to repair to be electroplated. Though there is excellent UV resistance in modern clear coats that help prevent discoloration of the finish, if the parts are left out in the sun, it's been my experience that they will eventually discolor a bit. But even then, if it takes 10 years for the parts to discolor, when you factor in the extreme discrepancy in the price of the spray chroming process and actual pot metal repair and replating, then you can just get them done again and still be way ahead of the game. And while it's true that spray chrome is not as smooth or reflective of a finish as actual chrome, it's significantly better than the alternative of just painting something.

The tail lights in one of these cars are spray chrome and the others are electroplated.

 

It is the last one but it looks good!

 

You'd be wrong

 

What is the product and process please and thank you
Dan

 

There is a hobby "chrome" paint made by Revell of Germany. Obviously formulated for plastic models. Supposedly it gives great results. It is hard to come by in the US so far and goes for $35+ per can. It should work on metals.

 

I can't speak to exactly what the process is, but it's similar to paint. It's basically primer, paint, clear; just like a typical color. But unlike painting where you would paint over a surface sanded to something like 400 grit, here the primer is sanded to 2000, and then the mirroring process begins.

Those Edsel tail lights were my worst set. They were badly pitted, but not cracked. If they were to be electroplated, all of those pits would have had to be drilled, soldered, smoothed, then coppered, sanded, repeat, and so on. I had a quote (some 15 years ago) of like $2500 to repair and chrome them. The paint chrome process was a much more appealing option because I could just prime and body fill the pits, the turnaround time for them was a infinitely shorter, and the price was a fraction of that for real chrome

The place I've used in the past is https://coatofchrome.com/ , they're in Wind Gap, PA. The dude's name is Don and honestly you couldn't work with a nicer guy. He's the one that did my Edsels 14 years ago and it took probably 10 years to get to the point where I'd consider having them redone. But again, the tail lights are outside the car soaking in UV light. All of the interior pieces he did still look perfect. And I'm sure the clears he uses now versus 14 years ago have better UV protection in them than what was available a decade ago. He just did a full set of interior garnish moldings for me a couple months ago and they came out great.

 

Thank you, that does look really good, worth I try I think as the cost of chrome is insane.
Dan

 

The cost of chrome is very high. No question there. And in speaking with Don at Coat of Chrome, he'd readily admit that his service is not a replacement for electroplating, especially for bumpers, since it will chip just the same as paint will. And from my own experience, though it is a very nice, shiny finish that is highly reflective, it's not as attractive as high quality chrome plating (though it is better than some less stellar plating job's I've come across). But while it may not be better than a good chrome job, it IS better than paint in many instances.

But it does have its place in the automotive sphere.

-In instances where cost is a substantial consideration
-In instances where the parts are not a focal point per se, but part of an overall scheme.
-In cases where parts are in really bad shape and actual metal repair is either cost prohibitive or not feasible
-For parts that literally cannot be electroplated

That's sort of just off of the top of my head. To me, it's just another tool in the arsenal

 

Yes I agree, chrome is best on bumpers etc. the chrome I have seen from custom shops is outstanding just very expensive in the range of $1500 to $2000 a bumper, for many builds that is just too costly. I think many of us are looking for alternatives to paint where we can’t afford to go with chrome.
Dan

 

One of the things that I had considered is where new parts are 3D printed out of a material like an acrylic or plastic, like a knob or bezel.

Another idea that crossed my mind was when I was out in Detroit for the Autorama last week. I saw a couple drag cars with one piece front ends. The owners had an air brush artist come and paint on chrome bumpers, but like an artist would, they air brushed on the shadows, shine and sparkles. Instead of that, the portions of the nose that would have been chrome like the bumper, grille headlight bezels, could have been spray chromed, then reverse masked to paint the rest of the body. Instead of an airbrushed effect, they could have been a more realistic chrome finish.

 

Seen this on a new show on motor trend today. Kits are expensive but for someone who owns a shop, you might make your money back.
https://spectrachrome.com/