[Shop-talk] (no subject)

[Randall]

> thus the copper isn't needed unless
> the metal is badly pitted.

What I was told, long ago, was that it is very difficult to get nickel to
bond properly to steel.  If it's not done just right (some claim it's
impossible), then the resulting chrome will eventually peel.  Maybe not this
year, maybe not next, but it will peel.

>   They then leave the piece in the nickle for about
> 45 minutes, vs the usual 5-10.

Sounds kind of haphazard.  For a quality job, there should actually be two
separate layers of nickel, done under slightly different conditions.  I
forget the details offhand, but it has something to do with preventing
dissimilar metal corrosion.  Without the two layers, the part is more apt to
rust.  Supposedly the nickel is what provides the corrosion resistance and
much of the 'shine', the chrome just improves the appearance of the nickel
and keeps it from tarnishing.

> Is there any good
> way to tell the quality of a re-chroming job?

Not that I know of.

Randall