Stripping chrome.

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LarryH

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
Messages
249
Location
Fresno,Ca
How's the best way to strip chrome? I plan on redoing my T-Bucket later this winter and i want to paint a few parts that are now chrome.
 
Take your parts to a chrome shop...they can either do a "chrome strip", which is chrome only, or, a "total strip", which removes the chrome, copper and nickel, right down to the base metal
 
I'm pretty sure you can just scuff them up real good with 600 grit or so, prime & paint.

I've tried that. The paint either chips very easily or starts to peal off after a few weeks.

I should also say i don't have a sandblaster so that's out.
 
i don't have a sandblaster so that's out.

Farm supply places sell them fairly cheap, and if its a small piece it wont take a big one, but I recommend getting as big as your compressior can handle.
 

Attachments

  • sandblaster.jpg
    sandblaster.jpg
    52.2 KB
I tried stripping the chrome off of the rear wishbones when I was building my 23. I used a Da sander with 80 grit, didn't even touch it. I put it in my sandblast cabinet, just dulled the finish of the chrome but didn't remove it. Finally I took some 100 grit and hand sanded it as well as I could and just hoped for the best. I primed with etch primer, then epoxy primer, and finally the top coat color. I must have done something right because the paint stuck well for the 3 years I owned the car, no chipping or anything.

So I guess even if the chrome is still there, but scuffed sufficiently, the paint will adhere. But the right way to do it would be have a plater unplate the parts. I think they would take the job regardless of how big or small, it is still work for them to do.

Don
 
The only way to paint this an have it stay is to have a chrome shop remove it.

Good friends of mine have ceramic coating business. They sandblast chrome headers and then bake on the ceramic. The ceramic won't stay very long on the chrome, it peels off. The sand won't scratch the chrome enough for the ceramic to bond. The ceramic sprays on like a paint.
 
I think someone would sandblast them for you. I had a set of rusty chrome wheels sandblasted once and paint held good after primer and prep. The shops around here don't care if the job is small, they just ask if you can wait till they are doing a bigger job and do it at the same time...my stuff has always been done within a few days.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top