How long chrome plating

It requires loads of patience but the output is very rewarding. In fact a lot of people would rather do the chrome plating by themselves because they have full control over the outcome. There is also that sense of achievement when the plating is done successfully.

The only reason why the pros say it is not for everyone, is because not everyone has the patience to deal with the meticulous process of chrome plating. Skip to content Ever wondered what goes on during a chrome plating process and why it takes so long? Chromium Electroplating Custom chrome plating is a process where a metal is coated using a chromic acid or a chromium substance. Control the Temperature Keep the temperature in check while chrome plating.

Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading Create your website with WordPress. Follow Following. Sometimes, copper is electroplated instead of nickel. The nickel or copper level provides smoothness, corrosion resistance and reflectivity. The chrome layer that is added is very thin and is measured in millionths of an inch. The effects that you see when you look at a nickel-chrome plated surface, you are primarily seeing the nickel plating.

The thin chrome layer adds a slightly bluish hue, protects it against tarnishing and scratching and helps to add to the corrosion resistance. The quality of chrome dipping or plating is crucial. If you use a low-quality chrome plating, the porosity or pinholes in the finished piece are worse than if no plating was used at all.

This is because the underlying steel will rust. Poor-quality chrome plating that shows tiny rust spots when you purchase it is a defect, and you should return it. Lovers of chrome believe that copper-plating the item first and buffing it to a full sheen before nickel-plating is the key. High-quality plating jobs normally require your part to have two layers of nickel before the chrome is applied.

Salespeople may throw around terms like triple-chrome plating to mean that there are 3 layers of any type of plating. This simply is their effort to convince you to make a purchase and means very little. Durable chrome plating meant for outdoor exposure should have a minimum of two layers of nickel plating before the chrome plating is applied.

Chrysler developed a test that is used by large shops each day to make certain that the chrome plating has the correct protections. Restoration shops that only offer single-layer nickel plating must apply it in a very heavy layer in order to guarantee corrosion resistance. Chrome plating involves a long and complex process, beginning with buffing, polishing, cleaning, dipping in acid, adding zinc and copper plating.

For show chrome, the process is finished by re-buffing, cleaning and re-dipping, plating added copper, two to three types of nickel plating and finally, the chrome plating.

The item is rinsed between each step. Re-chroming a part involves stripping away the old chrome, nickel and copper. Then, the part is polished to remove all of the blemishes and scratches before plating it with copper, buffing to force the copper into tiny pits and then doing the previously described steps. This means when you re-plate an old piece, it can cost several times the amount a replacement part would cost.

Old parts must instead be processed one at a time. Chrome plating that blisters or peels is almost always a defect of the manufacturing process caused by poor adhesion of the chrome plating to the surface.

Chrome-plated steel truck bumpers can last for decades, even in terrible conditions. The same goes for chrome-plated brass cleats and fittings on boats that are used in salt water.

Whether you need hard chrome plating for valves, textile components, or pump shafts, you can trust the chrome platers of Porter Guertin Co. Call to discuss your needs, or visit their website to explore your options. By Porter-Guertin Co.

Here are some of the factors that can affect the life of a chrome-plated object: Preparation: Plating must go through the correct pre-plating preparation of alkaline cleaning, soak cleaners, and reverse-current cleaners. The process can be very expensive, or it can be very economical. The finish will only look as good as the surface below it. Otherwise, the finish will preserve any blemishes. In addition to the cost of the plating process, there is considerable cost in just preparing the part for the application.

If you have a part that was previously chrome-plated and is beginning to wear, it can be re-plated. Remember, chrome-plating is used to rework or to salvage existing parts. Hydraulic rods are reconditioned all the time. Internal combustion parts like valves, mechanical fuel injectors, fuel pumps, and turbochargers are reconditioned by businesses that are started for specifically that purpose.

It is important to have a part reconditioned before the chrome wears through and damage is inflicted upon the substrate. For that reason, ChromeTech focuses more on practical, value-added hard-chrome plating rather than vanity chrome. Industrial chrome has added thickness and friction-reduction qualities. Industrial chrome helps prevent oxidation and machine seizure. Chrome plating has the advantage of being able to adhere to a variety of different pieces of machinery.

The process allows for the application of chrome to many different surfaces, shapes, and sizes.