Painting chrome

[cvbug]

Is there a good way to paint chrome? I want to paint all my handles black.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

As soft as chrome is it is considered as a hard coating if done correctly. The best way to paint over it to remove it and start with a clean slate. There is always the option of black chrome but the drawback to it is that it is soft and scratches easily and it is expensive! I think there are not a lot of places that do it (see info below) which adds to the cost.

Information:

http://www.finishing.com/3600-3799/3606.shtml

http://www.atlaschrome.com/color-chrome.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlmB8vc3Sho

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... s9u41i4f_e

There is hard chroming also but I am not sure it comes in colors.

Lee

[cvbug]

Thanks for the reply.
I was hoping to get a recommdation of a product or process someone has used all ready.

[old gh bug]

I got all mine powder coated satin black

[SCOTTRODS]

I've shot a bit of the trim and handles on Bugs... Powder coating seems pretty tough if done properly. as far as chrome being soft? I thought it was pretty tough as far as coatings go (Hard chrome is even tougher)... Having the chrome blasted with some decent media before any painting or powder coating is KEY to long term durability. Otherwise, having the chrome removed electrolytically is the next step, but that will leave a nickel substrate, instead of chrome, and beneath all that is another layer of Copper plating (On VW Bug Parts at least).

The Window trim is soft aluminum, and can be coated as well. The powder coating has a tougher surface than the aluminum has, as well. I kinda like putting a textured black on the door handles, to help grip the handle without slipping. Looks great too, to do in Wrinkle powder, or a Sandpaper texture.

Sky's the limit, man!

[Ol'fogasaurus]

There are many levels (pun not intended) to chroming with some being very soft. What was called "triple Chroming" or the way some of the better chrome-plate'rs usually do it is tough but it is still several thin dipped/electrically applied coatings. Single chrome is what you get from cheapening up the product. All the pre-coats to the final Chrome plate(s) are fairly soft as I remember as is the chrome itself.

Powder coating has a lot of advantages... if done right but then so does painting. In all of them: the preparation for the finish application makes one hell of a lot of difference to the finished product.

[cvbug]

So hers my plan....
Scuff the chrome with 320 sand paper.
Degrease and wash.
then apply a couple coats of Duplicolor self etching primer.
Lastly apply a couple coats of duplicolor satin black.
I will do this to all the chrome and aluminum trim going on the car.

I'll use an old handle for testing first.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Please report back and keep upraised on how it turns out and how long it lasts. I have heard of this being done before but nothing long time results. Paint keeps getting better so maybe we are there now.

Good luck on this.

Lee

[SCOTTRODS]

You could always Plasti-dip them... <ducking>

[helowrench]

Scott did an entire set of (previously) chrome parts for a Thing in satin black.
He spent a. Lot of time prepping them, and still had to substitute some peices to find castings that were not porous and causing blemishes to show in the finish. End result was a great finish that the owner and I were very happy with.
The Thing is now a white with black trim color scheme instead of white with deteriorated chrome.

[helowrench]

Scott can elaborate better than I, but I recall the biggest problems were on the taillight and turn signal housings which are made of pot metal, and quite porous.

[SCOTTRODS]

The biggest problem, (Thanks for that, Rob), I had was with the tail lights. The trim piece is not separate from the Parabolics. I had to remove a bunch of flaking Chrome from the whole thing on the ones I did for Rob, and Shoot Chrome powder for the parabolics, then mask and shoot black on the trim piece... These took a lot of time and many times in and out of the oven. Anywhere there are pitting bubbles, there will be a need for some sort of filler before coating/painting. I use a quick coat of powder to fill, then bake and sand to the surrounding areas, then put on a final top coat. I also have some filler primer that fills some pretty deep pitting.

I dug up a picture of a Texture coating I did on a Door handle, just for some reference for a look... Here go.

[helowrench]

Scott, mama approved changing the bug over to white/black trim. So we will be doing the whole mess again.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

[SCOTTRODS]

Scott, mama approved changing the bug over to white/black trim. So we will be doing the whole mess again.

LOL... OKay... If you want, we can do it a small amount of parts at a time... Since this one's a beetle, I can do some handles I have here, and you can just swap out your locks... I may even have the Locking engine cover latch... I know I have the typicals. and of course the 70 out back is gonna lose it's body anyway, so I have trim strips as well...

The window trim and all... that's gonna be the tricky stuff on the CV though. Totally different than a Sedan. We've got time, I feel certain...