Whether you restore old vehicles, boats, or motorcycles as a hobby, or it’s your profession. You may already realize that getting parts for old cars can sometimes be a process. Some cars have an abundance of parts, and some do not. Some parts are available as reproductions. You can read this blog to find out where you can get these parts. Even if you can get a part, it may not be in the best condition, and chrome restoration services might be on your task list. With certain vehicles, there isn’t that option and you are left with only one option and that is getting your parts restored. Here are three things to look for when you are searching for a good chrome restoration specialist.
#1 – Do they triple plate with copper, nickel, and chrome plating? It’s important to know that as chrome experts for over 35 years, we’ve been around the block and know what works and what doesn’t in the restoration process.
Re-chroming a part involves stripping away the old chrome, nickel, and copper. After it is stripped, sanding the metal smooth is important before the electrolysis process begins. This is where the copper is applied to fill any small pits or scratches. After this is polished, the nickel plating process, followed by the chrome is where it all happens. The purpose of the nickel is to add smoothness, reflectivity, and corrosion resistance to the part. The chrome is very thin and the appearance of the decorative chrome comes from the nickel plating. Whether you start with bare steel or buffed copper, at least two layers of plating follow — a layer of nickel and a layer of chrome. But high-quality plating usually requires two layers of nickel. Check out one process of chrome plating here.
#2 – How many years of experience does the chromer have? Albert Einstein said it best “The only source of knowledge is experience.” More experience in the field of chroming that a company has gives them a competitive advantage. At Custom Platinging Specialist, we believe that another advantage is the experience of working on a wide array of projects like old cars, boats, airplanes, motorcycles, pot belly stoves, jukeboxes, hood ornaments, gas pumps, antique tricycles, and more.
#3 Do they also do repairs on diecast parts (pot metal)? Not many companies repair pot metal. According to Wikipedia, the term “pot metal” or monkey metal, came about around the early 20th century, basically throwing non-ferrous metal scraps and melting them to form cast products. Pot metal was used in the auto industry because it was inexpensive and able to produce complex shapes. In fact, this process is still used today. However, what is also known to chromers, is that it is difficult to re-chrome. The biggest issue with pot metal is pitting and how to get rid of the corrosion area. If you don’t sand below the corrosion then plating will not stick to those areas, much like a dentist has to get all of the tooth decay before filling it or the filler will not adhere to it. Chrome plating companies that can repair pot metal areas that go all the way through a part without any sign that a repair was made tells you that that company is a good company to have work on your parts. In fact, you probably found a chrome restoration company for life.
When dealing with old nostalgic parts, choosing the right company is highly important. Asking these three questions will help you to seek out the right partner for the project. 1) Make sure they triple plate chrome – copper, nickel, and chrome plating. 2) The more years of experience the better, and 3) Knowing they have experience with pot metal makes them of high caliber in the chroming industry. Finally, if you are searching for an industry expert, with years of experience, check out the google reviews. Custom Plating Specialist is highly rated in “show chrome”, just a quick google search on Facebook and Google will provide you with the credentials you need to get started with your project.
