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Removing Chrome
- Thread starter plow
- Start date
You can de-plate them by running current through them - basically the opposite of the plating process. I did that with a set of wheel one time and it worked great.
But the downside is you have to figure out how to dispose of the removed solution - hexavalent chromium is no good (ask Erin Brockovich).
But the downside is you have to figure out how to dispose of the removed solution - hexavalent chromium is no good (ask Erin Brockovich).
Bondo
Well-known member
Ayuh,.... Sandblast 'em,....
Iroc-Z
Well-known member
I would see if there is a local chrome plating shop that can remove them. I think that will give you the best result.
abk241
Well-known member
Plating shop is your best option...really your only option!
HOTFR8
Banned
Ayuh,.... Sandblast 'em,....
I have done that with chrome bumper bars and you will find it is the only way to get the paint finish looking good.
filtered
Well-known member
Me personally i'd sand them with some fine grit, then paint over them with some self etching primer. Paint like normal after they are completely covered in primer.
I painted a peeling chrome brush guard using them method and it held up fine for the 3 years or so I had it.
I painted a peeling chrome brush guard using them method and it held up fine for the 3 years or so I had it.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I'd check local chrome shops - chances are it would be fairly inexpensive to just get the plating stripped, as there would be little labor involved.
HOTFR8
Banned
I wouldn't sandblast them. Odds are pretty high you'll end up breathing the chrome dust which is seriously dangerous.
Sand blasting places these days have very good booths and have air supplied to the operator and you will find the regulations are pretty strict these days about dust.
Cyberbear
Well-known member
Our family owned and operated a chrome shop for many years, and we used a reverse plating tank to take off all the plating before re-plating everything again. Here are some DYI methods:
1. Buy a gallon of sulphuric pool acid, mix 50/50 with water, adding the acid to the water, not the other way around. The acid won't like it. This will quickly remove the chrome, but you'll need to scratch up the nickle underneath before paint will adhere properly.
2. Use your sandblaster by putting the chrome stripped wheel inside a clear plastic bag to catch the reusable abrasive media.
1. Buy a gallon of sulphuric pool acid, mix 50/50 with water, adding the acid to the water, not the other way around. The acid won't like it. This will quickly remove the chrome, but you'll need to scratch up the nickle underneath before paint will adhere properly.
2. Use your sandblaster by putting the chrome stripped wheel inside a clear plastic bag to catch the reusable abrasive media.
Lippyp
Well-known member
interesting as I have a set of old chrome steel wheels for my truck which have nasty old peeling chrome on them and I'd like to strip and paint them to use as a set of winter wheels.
rentprop1
Member
doesn't muriatic acid remove chrome ??
doesn't muriatic acid remove chrome ??
same as pool acid, just a different name.
oscar80
Well-known member
Wish you were closer I would trade some non chrome identical look for those.
BD1
Well-known member
Soak them in white vinegar. Vinegar removed the chrome plating on a adjustable wrench that had some rust on it. Might be worth a try.
38Chevy454
Well-known member
You guys read and believe too much environmental media hype. Chrome metal, as in the applied chrome plating is *not* hexavalent chrome. It is metallic chrome, just like metallic nickel that is underneath the chrome and metallic copper that is underneath the nickel on most "triple plated" chrome. BTW, that Cr layer is very thin, it is mostly for appearance. The underlying layers are what give it the smoothing and corrosion protection.
It is the plating bath that has the hex chrome in it. Until somewhat recently, most copper plating was cyanide-based baths. The metal that is electroplated on is just the metal Cr, not the ion form which one of those is hexavalent Cr.
Back to OP, the best way to remove the chrome is to take to a plating shop and have it electrolytically removed. Like sublimate said, it is basically reversing the plating process. Sand blasting will only rough the surface up, not really remove it.
It is the plating bath that has the hex chrome in it. Until somewhat recently, most copper plating was cyanide-based baths. The metal that is electroplated on is just the metal Cr, not the ion form which one of those is hexavalent Cr.
Back to OP, the best way to remove the chrome is to take to a plating shop and have it electrolytically removed. Like sublimate said, it is basically reversing the plating process. Sand blasting will only rough the surface up, not really remove it.