What is the best way to cut chrome (to shorten exhaust) without chipping? Will the chrome flake away (before and after the cut) - Any tips to prevent chipping/flaking? TIA

 

Wrap the area to be cut very tightly with aluminum tape, then cut with a band saw. Preferably a horizontal band saw so you can clamp it in and control the feed rate to reduce chattering & vibrations. Let the saw cut through the top of the pipe/muffler, then hold up a bit on it so it doesn't plunge through the middle part of the pipe too fast and catch. Use a fresh blade with a high tooth count per inch.
Oh yeah, and wrap the pipe with a towel where you clamp it in the saw.


I cut some stock muffs off at a 45 degree angle with this method and it worked well. Didn't even do anything to protect the cut off end afterwards. The constant heating seemed to keep it from corroding, I guess?

 

Don't forget the lube on the blade.

 

Used a Dremel with a metal cutting disc to cut up an auto chrome exhaust tip to dress up the muffs on my FB. After cutting, I carefully sanded the edges to remove any rough spots. After more than a year, the chrome pieces are still intact and have not chipped or flaked off anywhere, but maybe I'm just lucky!
~

 

Its plating... once you cut it you'll invite the cut end to chip, peel or rust....

IMO the best cutting would be to use a Air-Die gun with a thin cut off wheel.. go slow and use water to keep the heat down from bluing the chrome...

YOU could put an End cap over it to make it look better or have it RE-Plated or do a Wrap around it.. or have it PC'ed to make it look better... at least touch up the exposed metal to discourage rusting.

 

Leave a little extra metal making the cut. Then use a fine grit grinding wheel to reduce to your finish length. Use a wet rag wrapped around the pipe to act as a heat sink. Go slow. When finished you'll need to coat the bare metal with something to prevent rust. Maybe epoxy or something that will bond and bare the heat.

 

I don't know if this will work or not. So,take it with a grain of salt. I'd maybe borrow a plumbers manual tubing cutter. Experiment down the pipe a ways, wrap the pipe with tape so the wheels don't screw up the chrome. This should leave a nicer edge on the cut? Dunno.

 

Grab your torch and let it burn. Powder coat it after. Chrome won't get you home. My goal is to get rid of as much chrome as I can this year.

 

Don't listen to the naysayers.
As I said, I've actually done this, and it turned out fine.
Here's the link:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...haust-mod.html

That was 5 or 6 years ago, and when I traded this year, they still looked fine. No chipping, rusting, etc. In fact, here it is on the dealers web site for sale:

 

You could also see if there is someone in your area with a water jet cutter.