Air filter re-paint

[YellowRose]

Air filter re-paint

As I recall, when Florencio explained their chrome plating process, he said it was a three step process. Acid bath, copper plating, then chrome plating. But I will ask him about that tomorrow. I will give him a call and double check this. But that is what I remember...

[karambos]

Well, that's good to hear because I told them to use the copper plate underneath the chrome.

It's more expensive but made sense to me at the time. I was just wondering if I was using a hammer to swat a fly so to speak i.e. was I paying for something that I really didn't need.

[YellowRose]

Air filter re-paint

Karl, if they are going to charge you $475 to chrome an air cleaner, you might want to talk with Florencio at Southwest Chrome.... They did mine for $70! If it is not to late, call 210-658-8087 and speak with him...

[JohnG]

Triple plating means there are three layers: copper, then nickel and finally chrome. The chrome gives the nickel a bit of lustre. (A common misconception is that it means 3 layers of chrome).

Show chrome simply means they make sure there are no visibible flaws of any kind. They might spend more time on the prep work or even do it over if not satisfied.

Like every other restoration process, the preparation is everything.

Paul's Chrome, in Pennsylvania, is considered one of the premier platers in the classic car world. Their web site has alot of information about the process: http://www.paulschrome.com/

[karambos]

They did mine for $70!

...but one question - was that for a "triple plating"? Could you tell me what they did to it for $70?

Thanks
Karl

[YellowRose]

Air filter re-paint

Hi Karl,

If memory serves me right, and I think it is, yes, it was "triple plating", copper, nickel and then chrome.. But I will double check that with Florencio in the morning. As for why it is so cheap compared to what you were quoted, I don't know, except to say that chrome plating through them is reasonable. Bart and I checked out some other chrome platers around here and they wanted to charge us an arm and a leg. But we found Southwest Chrome, outside of town. They have been very good to work with and I am pleased with their product.

If it is not to late, you could ship your air cleaner to me.Penelope did this. He had his external dress up spare parts he bought in the States, shipped directly to me. I had Southwest Chrome chrome them and I shipped them to Bill. He loved the work! He figures he saved many hundreds of dollars, and many months delay doing it this way. And he gets to keep his originals. You could do the same. If you want to keep your original, buy a replacement, have it shipped directly to me, I will get it chromed and ship it to you.

[simplyconnected]

John G is right. Preparation is where the money is.
Production bumpers were never copper plated. After the steel was pressed, the top side of the bumpers were buffed and polished to a mirror shine, then they were nickel and chrome plated. The bottom portions didn't get polished because you never see that part. Hundreds of millions of bumpers were done this way.

"Show" chrome is very labor intensive. Copper sticks to everything, and you can solder it with lead. I saw a Coke bottle that was triple plated. Amazing.

So, after a heavy copper plate on bare steel, they polish it to a mirror shine. If there are deep pits (like in pot metal or very thin steel), they fill in the holes with solder, metal finish, and copper plate again. Then they polish again, to a mirror shine, then nickel and chrome plate.

To get that smooth, creamy look, the nickel must have a very smooth base, or tiny wheel marks will show through. Forget polishing marks out after nickel because it's really hard. There is more labor time than plating time on some pieces.

Chrome only prevents the nickel from tarnishing. Chrome is so thin, you see right through it. If you use harsh chrome polish, you can scratch the chrome off, exposing the nickel.

So, just nickel plating over steel is usually referred to as, "production" chroming, or the 'two-plate' process. There is nothing wrong with it as long as you can metal finish your steel to a mirror shine. All Thunderbird bumpers were plated this way.

BTW, hexavalent chrome does rust, but it takes a long time.

[KULTULZ]

I think the proper method is called "trippel chrome plating".

In my opinion, the copper is a must for the right depth and quality.
"Taiwan chrome" as we call it, is without the copper, and here in sweden, it rust again already season 1.

I like that! TAIWAN CHROME And that would be much better quality than CHI-COM CHROME.

If you have ever noticed, most OEM (and cheap aftermarket) items are Flash Chromed. If one doesn't keep up with it, it will begin to surface rust.

True chrome work is not cheap. Seventy bucks is a steal for that quality.

[YellowRose]

Air filter re-paint

I just talked with Florencio about the process they go through. He said the part is stripped, by dipping it in acid. Then it is sanded to get any roughness off the part. Then it is polished. Then it is dipped in copper, then nickel, and then chrome. For pot metal, they do not use a lot of acid on it. They sand blast it.

[Anders]

"The most important issue for durable chrome plating for outdoor exposure such as on a vehicle is that it should have at least two layers of nickel plating before the chrome: namely semi-bright nickel followed by bright nickel. The reason for this involves galvanic corrosion issues. The bright nickel is anodic to the semi-bright nickel, and sacrificially protects it, spreading the corrosion forces laterally instead of allowing them to penetrate through to the steel. OEMs demand very close control of this factor, and there is a test (the Chrysler developed STEP test) which large shops run daily to insure the right potentials. Careful control of this issue is probably the principal reason that today's chrome plating greatly outlasts the chrome plating of earlier times. If a restoration shop offers only single layer nickel plating, they must apply it really really heavy if corrosion resistance is to be guaranteed."
Read more about it here:http://www.finishing.com/faqs/chrome.html

Ray, maybe good to ask Florencio about the two-layer of nickel? Bumpers should realy stand corrosion.

[YellowRose]

Air filter re-paint

Florencio said they apply one layer of nickel. However, if the customer requires more than one layer they will put two or more on. However, that is going to cause them to repeat about 50% of the chroming process or more. Hence, it will cost you more for two layers or more nickel plating...