Matthew91-Z28

Any one with a physics background?? With a chrome source and correct charge, I believe it would be possible to electroplate chrome onto your aluminum rims at home.

Anyone ever tried electroplating any part of their car (i.e calipers, rims)?

Any info would be appreciated.

SHAGME

The EPA wouldnt like that too much. have to be up to code on the hazzardous materials.

Kandied91z

iTrader: (7)

why would you do this....?

those are some extreme chemicals in chrome plating. go pay to have it done. it isn't that expensive for what you get.

Matthew91-Z28

Yeah...after a little investigation, to some thing on the magnitude of rims would be very costly. I'm very inquisitive though and science minded and wondered if it could be done.

Some companies sell kits an such, but its usually for smaller pieces. You could chrome plate your calipers if you wanted. A lot of the older car restoration crowd does it because they have a lot of chromed small parts that can be done.

More than likely I'll just polish them. There used to be a tech article on how to sand them to a mirror polish, but I don't see it. Now, they just the ones about stripping the finish and polishing the aluminum with liquid.

Anyone remember what I'm talking about?

ShiftyCapone

iTrader: (7)

Technically your brake parts are already electroplated. However, obviously they are not chrome. The best this to do is look for a local electroplater and see if you can bring in your parts and have an estimate. A basic zinc coated looks quite nice. I only know this because my dad owns a machine shop and has all of his parts plated at an electroplater located right next door. They plate titles golf clubs and brake calipers for Ford and Mazda. It is actually quit fastinating. I am not how the chrome plating works but imagine it is similar to the zinc coatings. There is litterally a river of some acid based solution with baseball size ***** of pure zinc resting in this solution. The solution is charged with thousands of volts of electricity and zinc particles adhear to the surface of whatever is in the solution. I am pretty sure aluminum wheels can be chromed since that is what most wheels are made of and we all know wheels come chromed.

Kandied91z

iTrader: (7)

i had mine plated..........just to much work and money involved not to have someone else do it.

that and it isn't as easy as just dipping it and everything looks good.

good luck with it.

HamsterOnaMission

I don't remember that article, i do know when i did mine (polished) I sanded for days to take out the machining lines, but i belive no matter how high a grit you go, you have to use a polish at some point to make it shine.

Matthew91-Z28

Yeah...I heard its very time consuming, but it appears that the end product is way better in appearance than just stripping the clear coat and polishing.

There was an article telling what paper grits to use : I think it said to start with 400 and work up to 2000. Could you refresh my memory by telling me how you went about it??


And to all about the electroplating. To set-up your own rig would cost around $5-10K. Thats alot of plating to get your $$ worth. So its a no go.

Now, its whether to have them chromed by someone else, or sand and polish them myself.

ANy info on that would help, hamster.

Thanks