Plastic chrome removal?

[Snaggletooth]

I got a couple new projects starting up and sending some parts to the platers to have the old chrome stripped so I can clean them up and paint them.

 

The thing is I also have some parts that are plastic that were "chromed" and I need to remove that also. Any suggestions on removing that without damaging the plastic? Other than a lot of scraping and sanding?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[dingy]

Take two round dowel rods about 8" long. Wrap about 24" of fishing line between them, keep 16-18" or so between dowels and start a sawing type motion. Sizes can be adjusted to suit !!

 

It is slow, but it will get them off.

 

Gary

[CaptainJoe]

Think i'll pass on this one...

[Snaggletooth]

Gary, trying to get the "chrome plating" off some plastic parts. So you're talking about removing badges right?

[dingy]

OK, my bad, I thought you wanted badges off to plate them.

 

 

Gary

[Freebird]

The little bit of knowledge that I have about this and a little bit of searching confirms that the only real way is to deplate it. Caswell is supplier of plating systems and supplies and has a forum at their site. Here is a link with some information.

 

http://forum.caswellplating.com/electroplating-questions/8279-chrome-stripping.html

 

It may not be something that you want to do at home and may actually require that you find a shop that actually does chrome plating on plastic that can remove it for you.

 

A lot of people don't realize that plastic can actually be chrome plated. I used to work in the plating industry and sold a lot of equipment to shops that chrome plated on plastic. It involved first using an electroless copper base. Basically it is a process that uses a chemical reaction to coat the plastic with copper. Once the copper base is in place, you then have a conductive surface to electroplate the nickel and then finally the clear chromate.

[Freebird]

OK...I also just found this method on YouTube. I have no idea how well it would really work but his results look good.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDpObLuJVeQ]YouTube - Stripping chrome from Plastic parts[/ame]

[Flyinfool]

His results do look good.

But I wonder how many days it took and how many changes of bleach (read that as gallons).

 

I also wonder about the legality of the bleach disposal afterward.

 

There is a chromed plastic grill on my truck, I bought the truck that I have because it had the LEAST amount of chrome of the different brands for that year. This may be a good excuse to strip and paint the grill.

[Condor]

OK...I also just found this method on YouTube. I have no idea how well it would really work but his results look good.

 

That really looks interesting. Might be worth testing it on a small junker piece of chromed plastic to see how many 24hr. dip-rinse cycles it takes.

[okiestar]

Easy off foaming oven cleaner.

Wear gloves and eye protection.

Spray and put parts in a trash bag. Rinse, rinse, rinse with water afterwards.

Very effective

[Zane]

His results do look good.

But I wonder how many days it took and how many changes of bleach (read that as gallons).

 

I also wonder about the legality of the bleach disposal afterward.

 

There is a chromed plastic grill on my truck, I bought the truck that I have because it had the LEAST amount of chrome of the different brands for that year. This may be a good excuse to strip and paint the grill.

 

Not to worry about bleach diposal, just dump it down the crapper or your sinks and bathtub! Cleans them slick as a whistle! It may stink a little, but hey it's a toilet! They're supposed to for a little bit when yer usin' them!

[sgn]

Not to worry about bleach diposal, just dump it down the crapper or your sinks and bathtub! Cleans them slick as a whistle! It may stink a little, but hey it's a toilet! They're supposed to for a little bit when yer usin' them!

 

 

But ... If you have a septic tank it would not be a good idea!

[Flyinfool]

Not to worry about bleach diposal, just dump it down the crapper or your sinks and bathtub! Cleans them slick as a whistle! It may stink a little, but hey it's a toilet! They're supposed to for a little bit when yer usin' them!

 

It is not the bleach that I am concerned with, it is the dissolved chrome in the bleach and its environmental impact.

[Snaggletooth]

Thanks Don, I'll look into Caswells again. I buy the tank sealer and some polishing products from them now and then. Good folks to deal with. That epoxy tank sealer is great stuff. Did mine a couple years ago and then three more tanks for friends over the winter. I looked into some of their plating kits last fall but decided to not to go that route. Just don't have the type of workspace for that stuff. Just to strip.....might be fine.

 

Gonna do a little test with Okiestars idea to. Might work.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

Mike

[KiteSquid]

they dont chrome plate plastic, the process is actually Vacuum metallizing

[Freebird]

That's not true. Some of it is vacuum metalized but MUCH of it is chromed. I was in that business for a lot of years and sold and installed a good number of automated electroplating machines for plating on plastics. I sold a huge machine to a company outside of Mexico City for the purpose of chrome plating plastic grills for the Chrysler corporation.