does anyone in here paint chrome?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
Hate it. Done it. Hate it.
Chrome is extremely hard, and does not scuff easily. Tough to get a good mechanical bond. Take it to a powder coater, they can chemical strip the part. Then they can powder coat it, or give it to you to have it painted at a dealership or body shop. Black is always being shot, unlike coded colors, so talk to the painter, offer him a $20 to stuff the small part into the booth the next time he shoots black, and be done with it.
Chrome is extremely hard, and does not scuff easily. Tough to get a good mechanical bond. Take it to a powder coater, they can chemical strip the part. Then they can powder coat it, or give it to you to have it painted at a dealership or body shop. Black is always being shot, unlike coded colors, so talk to the painter, offer him a $20 to stuff the small part into the booth the next time he shoots black, and be done with it.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Clean it really well as there is probably several coats of wax on it. Then spray it with "etching" primer. Then paint it a couple of thin coats. Then put on as many coats of clear that you want.
More expensive, but easier to do is maybe take it to a plater and have them "black chrome" it.
WARNING: Once you spray on the etching primer, you're committed!
More expensive, but easier to do is maybe take it to a plater and have them "black chrome" it.
WARNING: Once you spray on the etching primer, you're committed!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 20
From: Driftless Area
I had some chrome neck covers that I media blasted at work and painted with a rattle can, didn't turn out bad. Anyone who looks at my bike don't make any remarks one way or the other, success. 
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 30,914
Likes: 16
From: Springfield, Ohio
here's my idea. On the older fx's there was the oil tank on the left side instead of just the chrome electrical cover like on bentryder's wide glide here:
ok, schwangster sent me this cover.
my idea is to paint the base box black (the band is a seperate piece), so it would look similar to an oil tank. just something minor that I think would be a cool touch
ok, schwangster sent me this cover.
my idea is to paint the base box black (the band is a seperate piece), so it would look similar to an oil tank. just something minor that I think would be a cool touch
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
Likes: 4,573
From: TOAK western branch
I sand the surface with a 3M scotch lock pad attached to my die grinder and I don't use etching primer on anything but alum and galvanize. Works great!
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7,882
Likes: 5
From: So California
Yep, that would look great blacked out with the chrome band.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 719
Likes: 0
From: Fall Branch, TN
Cool idea Schu. I do a little painting too and if you don't want to strip the chrome, then I would try the etching primer. Otherwise I would take it to my powdercoater and have it stripped off. Make sure to tell them that you are going to paint it in case whatever they use to strip it will have an effect on the paint sticking after the fact. I used some airplane stripper on sheetmetal and had a really tough time getting paint to stick to it later.