Quick overview of metal finishing (chroming)

[RiverCityCyclist]

This won't help anyone learn anything I am merely posting it for the curious. These are some recent photos I took of my dad's work where he chromed up all my parts for a few projects. I will link to a video of him actually buffing an axe head that has been copper plated and being polished before chrome. Then a pic of the media blaster (glass bead) and the main tanks, copper, nickel, chrome. Hope you enjoy.

It's amazing how involved he has to be to keep the tanks right. Any imbalance in levels etc can cause parts to have to be completely redone.

My dad has been using these methods for long as I can remember therefor I consider him to be old school plater. All hand buffed, no machines. He's getting older now and doesn't like to do it as much. I don't blame him it's a lot of work polishing metal.

The video
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49625939@N04/4583370170/

 

[B607]

Wow, your dad does chrome plating. You can't get much more convenient than that. (and he don't charge you $200 for a batch of parts, either!) You probably have the prettiest bikes around. Gary

 

[ironpimp]

Wow that's cool! Me and my friend are trying to do our own polishing out of his garage, he has 2 harbor freight sandblasters and a harbor freight polisher but still can't make them shine like when they use the big polishers, it sucks that he can't get a 3-phase into his garage or we would be doing a lot better, anyway check out my post, I polished my girlfriends bike and had it chromed, even though it wasn't triple plated it came out ok, he does a lot of work for lowriders and I'm tryin to do just bikes.

 

[karfer67]

phhhh 200 is cheap here in sacramento ca if you want the typical stuff on a bike done how about around 800 :shock:

 

[B607]

phhhh 200 is cheap here in sacramento ca if you want the typical stuff on a bike done how about around 800 :shock:

HaHa! $200 for the chrome and $600 for enviromentally correct disposal of waste chemicals and politically correct handling of all the paperwork. :roll: Gary

 

[450redrider]

Your Dad definitely does a really fine job :mrgreen: