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Series9 |
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#1
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
Hi guys,
I'm at the point in my project where it's time to address my aluminum trim pieces. I just spent a couple of hours working on a few pieces straightening and smoothing. My questions are these: Has anyone had their trim rechromed? What should I look for in a chromer and are there any pitfalls of which I should be aware? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/givemebeer.gif) |
McMark |
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#2
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914 Freak! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None ![]() |
I'm confused. They're aluminum, as you said. So you need to polish them, not chrome them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
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Series9 |
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#3
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
They are chromed aluminum. I would like to have them rechromed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
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Unclerichy |
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#4
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Don't touch my member! ![]() Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: 12-July 04 From: Van Nuys, CA Member No.: 2,341 ![]() |
If you're speaking of the pieces that go around the 'targa' top then those were anodize from the factory. If they have been chromed, then someone else did that. The only chrome I can think of were bumpers.
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Series9 |
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#5
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
Anodized? I did not know that. I'm still gonna get 'em chromed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)
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736conver |
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#6
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Advanced Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,117 Joined: 25-May 03 From: SE Wisconsin Member No.: 736 Region Association: None ![]() |
They are bright dip anodized which is actually better then chrome and almost as bright.
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Eric_Shea |
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#7
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PMB Performance ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Admin Posts: 19,301 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains ![]() ![]() |
They "are" bright dipped anodized. You need to have them "de-anodized" first (anodized metal can't be polished), then you can have them polished and re-anodized. A good anodizing shop that specializes in auto trim will know what to do. If you do it separately, you'll need to specify a "high-polish" on the aluminum before you re-anodize. Anodizing will dull the finish. Bright anodizing helps aleviate some of this but it still leaves a dull finish when compared to chrome.
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Slowpoke |
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#8
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Member ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 116 Joined: 1-June 03 From: Tucson, AZ Member No.: 768 ![]() |
Seems to me that chrome on aluminum is always an iffy deal for some reason or not. But, maybe my exposure has been seeing bad work. <_<
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Series9 |
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#9
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
Maybe I'll just polish the aluminum. I've already removed the anodizing from a couple of the pieces in the process of straightening and smoothing (I sanded it off). I could finish sand them with 1000 grit and get out the Mothers... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)
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Eric_Shea |
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#10
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PMB Performance ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Admin Posts: 19,301 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains ![]() ![]() |
Yup... that would work but, you'd have to keep polishing it.
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bob91403 |
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#11
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 618 Joined: 15-September 04 From: Los Angeles, CA Member No.: 2,763 ![]() |
Chome plating works on rims because they're thick and very solid. Even they flake after a while because of the different temperature expansion rates of the two metals. If you try choming trim pieces, because they are fairly light, they will flex to some degree. At that point the brittle chrome would crack and flake off. Remember after you have something chromed it still has to put up with extensive polishing to smooth out the chrome finish. Bright anodizing is you best result. It's as bright as you can get without having to clearcoat or constantly polish the metal. It's already bright anodized. A good metal polish made for anodized aluminum will get it brighter. Any good polycoat will help, too.
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McMark |
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#12
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914 Freak! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None ![]() |
If you just polish it you can use a protective finish polish, like Blue Magic. Someone was talking about polishing in the wheels thread and said they have bare polished Fuchs that they just retouch up with the protective polish (some protecting additive) every once in awhile and supposedly they look great.
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JWest |
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#13
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,663 Joined: 6-January 03 From: Fort Worth, TX Member No.: 97 Region Association: None ![]() ![]() |
I polished mine (wet sanded the anodizing off, straightened the dings, and sanded up to 600 grit before hitting the 6" buffing wheel).
I have not touched them in 4 months, and they still look perfect. |
Series9 |
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#14
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
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Series9 |
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#15
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Lesbians taste like chicken. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,446 Joined: 22-August 04 From: DeLand, FL Member No.: 2,602 Region Association: South East States ![]() |
I did it today. Most of the trim is polished to an awesome shine. It took a long time and my hands are tired.
Start with a DA sander 125 grit. 220 and 320 dry by hand. 400, 600, 1000 and 1500 wet by hand. Then Mothers aluminum polish, two coats. I'd take pics, but I don't think they'd come out. Thanks again for the advice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) |
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