----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 7:48
PM
Subject: Re: IML: Pot Metal Meltdown!
Thoughts on plating
Let me tell you all a little story. My 1952 ******* had
"Korean" chrome. Due to a shortage in nickel the plating was very thin
and all the chrome was shot in clear laquer. You can only imagine what
it looked like after 40 years. This was the 1980s and I could buy
everything NOS. So I did. I figured the better I started with
the better it would replate. The NOS parts were of course also "Korean"
chrome. All parts were dull and had yellowed laquer and shelf wear
etc. I war restoring a car to be one of the best examples of its
kind in the country so of course dull yellow chrome would not do. I sent
all my NOS potmetal to a very well known and reputable plater
that I found through Hemmings. About 40 parts in all. I
paid for their top service which was a premium price. Turns out that
meant longer in the chrome tank, not more attention to detail. What
resulted was that half the parts melted down. The other half
were so heavily plated that tail light lenses would not fit in the
bezels, guages would not fit in the dash frame, and threaded connector rods
would not hold as the holes were rotted out. I get upset just
thinking about it and I was ready to take a full page ad out in Hemming's
warning others. The shop is still in business but under new ownership I
understand.
As you might guess, no matter how good I think my plater is, I am
not even going to risk losing more than a few parts at a
time. As you can understand I was traumatized by the
experience. I do mean traumatized! Southern Bumper is local,
they have to deal with me directly, and if they want my business they have to
maintain their work for me to bring them any more. Arran, your
point makes sense as far as the bulk thing but then again I don't have to
risk buying parts twice. They do so much pot metal I think they are "set
up" about all the time anyway. I still have the melted down
remains of a NOS grill covered in peeling copper and boiled pot metal.
That all happened about 1986 and I should feel better soon....
As always, appreciate the input.
Richard Burgess
'60 Crown Sedan
lecrown60@xxxxxxxxx
"A. Foster" <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Richard;
If you want to save some money on your
replating, I would recommend taking all of your pot metal in at once and
having it done in bulk. Setting up costs them as much money with six pieces
as it does with six dozen so it usually gets cheaper in volume, though you
need more money up front to do this. I should mention that some chrome
platers are better at dealing with pot metal then others. The good ones
strip them down, plate them with copper, and fill in the pits with solder.
The bad shops grind the pits out and end up distorting the size and shape of
the piece.
Best Regards
Arran Foster
1954 Imperial Newport
Needing A Left Side Tailight Bezel and other
trim parts.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 4:32
PM
Subject: Re: IML: Confirmed, I have
flashchromed stainless on my '60!
Dear IML members,
Chris Hawkins and I went to Southern bumper here in
Atlanta today and the answer was yes! The stainless steel on my
car was flash-chromed. From my experience with sanding and buffing
out repairs on multiple parts I know that this applied to all of the
exterior stainless on this car. I have found no exceptions so
far. I was so elated to know that I was not crazy, well not as
much crazy anyway! I will just use a hand applied creme metal
polish and use as many original parts as possible.
Fortuntely most of my trim is in excellent condition and I will just have
to live with some of the finer scratches.
I had a few parts that were extremely nice but had been hit by an
orbital sander as they were adjacent to poorly executed bodywork.
When I took 600 grit wet and dry I immediately noticed a difference in the
color of the metal. White/blue to yellow/grey. The parts
polished beautifully but didn't look the same. The guy I spoke with
at Southern Bumper said to strip all the chrome off with muratic acid and
buff the parts. However, the flash-plating is so thin that it
doesn't take any more work to just buff it off. This though leaves
chrome in the recesses and if you only repair a small spot you end up with
a piece of trim that is two colors. Brilliant but of different depth
and color. So, now I have a few parts that need to be
rechromed.
Southern Bumper will not plate stainless. They say that nickel
will not adhere to stainless so the chrome was applied directly to the
stainless. Apparently this is a specialty process. Anyone know
a good specialist? Of course I didn't already have enough stuff
to search for and enough chrome to replate. I called a few local
plating shops and some asked why while others just told me it
was not something they did. Great huh? Got any ideas on this
new conundrum? I left my six pot metal headlight brow pieces
which were estimated at $285 for restoration. Gosh, only 40 more
pieces of pot metal to go....
The technician at Southern Bumper told me that even Ford was known to
flashchrome stainless. It aparently is uncommon but not unheard
of. He should know as they were working on everything from Edsel
grills to Buick ornaments. Let me know if anyone hears of
a plating shop that will do stainless. I have 6 pieces so far
that I have restored and would like to have done.
Richard Burgess
'60 "LeCrown" Sedan
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