preping fo new chrome.

[asasin]

Hi I need to get a tank chromed, it has lots of surface rust on it as well as old chrome and some paint.  how far do you go in preping it before sending in?
I was thinking of getting it dipped stripped but was afraid of it being too harsh.

[mick25]

Bead blasting may do the job, its very fine and will get rid of any rust but the chromers may know the best way I would ask them.
The chromers may have there own bead blaster or soda blasters and do it for you.

[Davey Crocket]

What are you doing now....if it doesnt go chrome it?......have you got rid of those horses yet?

[Canam370]

The platers will put the tank into a bath to remove all of the old plating anyway so a rough tidy will be OK. Any serious pitting will require extra copper and nickel to fill the pits before the final chrome finish. Be specific regarding the quality of the finish that you want - its better to pay for extra polishing at the prep stage and get a nicer final job than paying less for a pox result and then grizzle about it.

[asasin]

Thanks Can am great advice

Davey me old mate you obviously didn't float away , hope you are ok.Been car racing all day with the daughter in the march, trying to convince her to give up the horses , perhaps i could chrome them

[flower pot racing]

There are no short cuts with plating.  Any imperferction will show.  If you skimp on the prep work you will be dissapointed with the end result.  They will polish out the rough parts to remove imperfections then they (should) tripple plate, ie copper, nickle then chrome.  Copper can be laid on thick and then polished to givethebest possible surfec forthe next layer.  Polish again after the nickle, then chrome.

If the tank is rusty, you may want to look for a one in better condition to start with it will be cheaper in the long run.

If the tank is rusty any way, by the time the damage / rust is polished off the metal will be getting very thin....

Go to a good plater who will tell you all of this anyway.

And it is going to cost you as well.......  plating isnt cheap (not in the UK anyway)

[asasin]

thanks  flower pot, problem is it is a 1933 bsa so tanks a little scarce. the good thing is they were made of real metal  so plenty thick enough to clean up . I will get as good as possible , i have a glass bead blaster so will start there.

[GMC]

Go to a good plater who will tell you all of this anyway.

And it is going to cost you as well.......  plating isnt cheap (not in the UK anyway)

Plating is getting dearer all the time here too.


Don’t be blasting anything your going to chrome, it just makes more work for the polisher and makes the metal that bit thinner.

The platers know how to remove plating, the do it often, then use their polisher or find you own.