[Roadsters] Bumper

[Keith0alan at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/27/2008 7:31:46 PM Pacific Daylight Time,  
aultgc at att.net writes:

Jim,

"Rechroming" is a three-step process (after the original  finish is 
stripped):

1.  A copper plating, to fill  imperfections.   (May require multiple 
applications with buffing  in between.)
2.  A nickel plating.
3.  The final chrome  plating.

The copper is also probably needed to bond to the steel, an  dthe nickel to 
bond to the copper.  But, I'm not a chemist so I don't  know for sure.

So, if you send your bumper to a reputable chrome  plater, you will get the 
pitting, etc., corrected as part of the  process.  It is possible to 
re-chrome without doing a careful job of  copper plating and buffing out 
imperfections, but the basic steps for  correcting such imperfections is 
inherent in the process.

Gary  Ault




Watch out for chromers that want to grind out the pits. Your parts will end  
up paper thin. You are better off with little dimples in the chrome rather 
than  your bumper ground down to nothing. The key to getting chrome you like is 
to  talk to the plater and make sure you both understand what is expected. If 
you  throw your part on the counter, say chrome, and walk out the door there is 
no  telling what you will end up with.
 
Copper is very expensive, as is labor. If you want the pits filled with  
copper this involves plating and buffing several times. A lot of places won't do  
it and the ones that do charge appropriately, usually a lot. That's why they  
like to grind the pits out, fast and cheap. 
 
keith




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