Chrome plating removal???
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Chrome plating removal???
I have some chrome plating that has mostly flaked off.
I want to remove the rest so I can sand and polish the aluminum to look chrome.
How do I remove the rest of the chrome? I've sanded the heck out of it with 180 grit and that ain't doing it. I also tried Aircraft paint remover. Nasty stuff, but it did nothing.
How do I get this chrome off, outside of taking it to a sandblaster? Not only do I not want to do that but I'm afraid it'll bit the aluminum pretty bad.
Is there a way to remove the chrome at home???
I want to remove the rest so I can sand and polish the aluminum to look chrome.
How do I remove the rest of the chrome? I've sanded the heck out of it with 180 grit and that ain't doing it. I also tried Aircraft paint remover. Nasty stuff, but it did nothing.
How do I get this chrome off, outside of taking it to a sandblaster? Not only do I not want to do that but I'm afraid it'll bit the aluminum pretty bad.
Is there a way to remove the chrome at home???
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,155
Likes: 1,903
From: Doghouse... mostly
All you'll need is a big tank of acid or another electrolytic solution and a decent supply of electricity to reverse the plating process plus all the permits that will be required to handle hazardous materials. I'm relatively sure that you won't want to go that route either!
Last edited by OldEnuf2NoBtr; May 31, 2019 at 06:34 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 368
Likes: 37
From: Montgomery, Alabama
muriatic acid works well for removing chrome. Used to use it all the time to clean metals before tig welding. It'll eat the chrome off of anything. Just make sure you are in a very well ventilated area and a large plastic tub/bucket or whatever. The reaction is pretty toxic to breath. So absolutely ventilate and get a mask/glasses! Water will neutralize it.
Otherwise the only way is to sandblast it using an extremely fine micron silicon carbide works well.
Otherwise the only way is to sandblast it using an extremely fine micron silicon carbide works well.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,332
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From: Ky
All you'll need is a big tank of acid or another electrolytic solution and a decent supply of electricity to reverse the plating process plus all the permits that will be required to handle hazardous materials. I'm relatively sure that you won't want to go that route either!
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Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Maryland
Thanks guys.
I'll give the muriatic acid a go.
If that doesn't do it then I'll buff everything else up, wait for the rest to fall off, and re-sand/polish. (98% of the chrome came off on it's own in a 2 year period, so the rest is bound to come off sooner than later.)
I'll give the muriatic acid a go.
If that doesn't do it then I'll buff everything else up, wait for the rest to fall off, and re-sand/polish. (98% of the chrome came off on it's own in a 2 year period, so the rest is bound to come off sooner than later.)