| Author | Message | ||
     Tq_freak |
I have a few older chrome parts that look like crud. They all pitted and scratched and I think I am just going to paint them because they arn't worth the price of having them re-chromed. I was wondering what I should do to prep for paint. I thought sand blasting would be the best but I don't have access to one so what is there I can do at home? Is there a chemical etch out there or something I can use? | ||
| Tom_b |
completely sand them with a 600 grit sand paper so the paint will adhere. whatever spots you miss, the paint will peel | ||
| Bake |
Sandblast | ||
| Xb9ser |
battery acid will strip off chrome. I had a battery expode in a car once and every thing chromed was stripped. | ||
| Etennuly |
If you cannot remove all of the chrome sand them thoroughly and prime with an etch primer. These are available at professional automotive paint stores. Use a good paint mask as most of them come with a poison label attached. Get the instruction sheet on what ever brand you use. They are all different in formulations, and most have a great degree of settling of the heavy solids into the bottom of the can, so if possible have the paint store shake it for you. Then follow the brand's directions for priming and paint to follow up. | ||
| Tq_freak |
Thanx for the pointers Guys, I wish I could just sand blast and be done with it. I might have to break down and buy a small one. | ||
| Coal400 |
+1 on what Etennuly says I used a "metal prep" product that looks like a pink gel. I'm pretty sure you can find it at Napa or pepgirls. An etching primer will do the same thing, but I don't think you'll have as much control. I must disclose that my experience was good, but on chrome parts that were not exposed (in an engine compartment). If I were to paint outside, I'd do a once over with some medium sand paper and then etch prior to priming and painting. | ||
| Mikej |
I've never had much success getting paint to stick to chrome for too long. Never had much success removing chrome either unless it was a bad chrome job and the chrome plating was able to be just peeled off. Sell the bad chrome stuff on E-Bay and buy some new or used non-chromed stuff to replace it with. | ||
| Swordsman |
I had a girlfriend in high school who's dad had a '55 Chevy. The grille was of course all chrome, but rather than fix it up right (pitted), he just painted it to match the car... orange. And he took off the chrome accent down the side. AND he put goofy looking mag wheels on it. Ruined what could have been a nice looking car! Sorry, that was a slight tangent. ~SM | ||
| Tq_freak |
"Sell the bad chrome stuff on E-Bay and buy some new or used non-chromed stuff to replace it with" Thought about it but I really want to put as little money as possible into this project. Its an 81' KZ 440 that I got for free and I got it running in under its own power for 30 bucks. Im just trying to get it to look good before sell it or use it as a beater bike. | ||
| Mikej |
The non-metal scotchbrite type of pads can do wonders to the appearance of deteriorated chrome, a little application of Mother's chrome polish and some lube and shine and you'd be surprised how good bad chrome can look from 20 feet away. |
