removing chrome plating

[brian]

title says it.
have a set of oem wheels that rusted a fair bit. i'd like to try painting them a dark gray, but would like to get teh chrome off first.

thoughts?

 

[beejay42]

I have had some luck getting chrome off with electrolysis- other times it hasn't worked so well. If you have an electrolysis set up (for rust removal) it might be worth a try.

 

[Downey]

When we've had a problem with chrome plating (usually Headers), we've had to ship them back to the chrome plater to get the plating removed (probably chemically) before replating. Evidently any chrome shop can strip off the old plating.

 

[dgangle]

sand blast

 

[brian]

sand blast

that's what i was looking for.
how's that work?
takes it right off, or so you need to 'work' at it?

 

[dgangle]

It depends on the quality, age, thickness, etc of the plating. I have blasted cheaply chromed things like headers and rims that were peeling very easily. Then I have blasted rims that the plating was more durable. It'll come off, you just may need to work at it a little more. i would suggest paying someone to do this and then it's their problem. SB-ing is a nasty, dirty and expensive job to get set for initially. It will kill most compressors.

 

[brian]

It depends on the quality, age, thickness, etc of the plating. I have blasted cheaply chromed things like headers and rims that were peeling very easily. Then I have blasted rims that the plating was more durable. It'll come off, you just may need to work at it a little more. i would suggest paying someone to do this and then it's their problem. SB-ing is a nasty, dirty and expensive job to get set for initially. It will kill most compressors.

we have cabinets at the shop that wheels fit in.

the wheels are oem toyota, so i'd guess the quality is higher up the food chain.

 

[dgangle]

That's even better...contains the mess. Does it use sand or glass beads? Sand or Black Beauty is much coarser and will roughen it up better than glass, walnut shells, etc.

Worse case is it will only rough it up to which paint will stick nicely.

 

[ntsqd]

I would take them to any chrome shop, they can electro-chemically strip the wheels. I had a BMX bike frame stripped this way.
Some will pay you for the chrome and the Nickel under it or at least not charge for the work. Chrome and Nickel metals are not cheap.