How do you chrome plate plastic ?

Does the process differ compared to chrome plating different metals ?

 

i know with metal, the chrome is only as shiney as the metal underneath it.. you have to get a HIGH polish out of the metal. And THEN chrome it to get a high shine finish. And chrome takes away from the strenth of the metal, so can plastic even be chromed? im not sure

sorry, didnt reall awnser

 

They make chrome paint. It really isnt all that chromy but it is an idea.

 

Just to give you a quick answer, plastic can be chrome plated - and the process does differ I am almost positive. I don't know the process exactly though. You can get high quality lasting results from a good plating company, I will post some links in this message later, I don't have time to find them right now...

It can be done, and it can be done good. But I would highly recommend sending it off to a company to have it done other than trying it yourself. Plastic is tricky.

 

Yeah I would never do it myself... I was under the impression that even a dull plastic surface could be chrome dipped.

Maybe cassanova would know...

 

Any plastic can be chrome plated to a high quality show chrome finish to my knowledge. I have seen chrome plated fan shrouds, so I know it can be done actually.

 

I always thought that chromed plastic was just painted with chrome spray...like the kind you buy at pep boys?????

 

That paint looks nice until you put clearcoat on it then it becomes silver

 

Nothing you can buy at the store is going to give you a chrome look on plastic. It may give it a "resemblance", but not a chrome look.

Paul, below are a few links for places I have found. When I was restoring my truck, I had a few more tabs on places, but this is the best I can do right now.

http://www.americanplasticchrome.com/
http://www.chrometechusa.com/
http://www.chromeservices.com/
http://www.oldcarguy.com/chrome_plating.htm <---This site has a few links that you may want to inquire.

http://www.paulschrome.com/ <---Very nice quality and a good name in the show car field, I just don't KNOW if they can do plastic, but it seems like I read in one of their ad's that they could. I will look through some of my magazines for you.

There is a place in Knoxville, TN that is superior quality, and I think they can do chrome. They are very very reasonably priced too, if you would like, I will try to find more info on them too. It's been a while since I done my truck.

That should get you started though.

 

I've been wanting to do this to my plastic intake tube from my CAI for a while, does anyone have a rough estimate on how much that would be?

 

Try Chrome Tech USA. They chrome plate plastic model parts.
www.chrometechusa.com

 

its veryyyyy pricey but looks good, i had a set of dash parts i sent them to do, didnt think bout gettin them outta my old Z though =/ so i gotta do it again

 

90 or so from summit for the chrome elbow, a new one not urs chromed

 

Been there done that....It is really expensive and it just does not last very long. My rough understanding is that only certain plastics can be plated, and if you have ever put anything like armor all on it, it makes it tough to plate. So they want you to have a new plastic part. They take the part and spray it with some type of metallized coating which the chrome can adhere to. The end result is a plating which will not stand up to much abuse. Especially heat and vibration. I would recommend fabricating from aluminum or steel whatever it is you want to plate, and then get that plated. Find a good metal fabricator. I have a friend who does that, and has made alot of stuff for me.

 

Thanks casanova,

That's kinda what I was thinking, that if and when it could be done, it wouldn't really be worth it...

By the way, are you sponsored by MBA ? If so how long have you been sponsored ?

If not... why not (seeing how you have everything they sell)?