Removing Chrome Plating

[Deathgoblin]

I use brake fluid. doesn't hurt the plastic at all. It's not fast sometimes, but it does the trick. I've also heard of people using bleach.

[raildogg]

Re Dechromeing solutions, I went to the stores the other day to buy some of the recomended products. I looked for the Castrol purple stuff, the L.A. stuff, and many of the rest at the stores mentioned in the posts I read. Well I could not find any of them. Not at The Dollar store Home Depot, Lowes or even PepBoys. The one thing I did see at all those retailers was, Blechle-Wite Tire Tire Cleaner by Black Magic. I bought a 1 qt. spray bottle for $4.99 USD. I hope it will work. Comments welcome.

[Deathgoblin]

Castrol Super Clean should have been in the Automotive section, usually in a big box store or auto parts store. The LA's Totally Awesome stuff is usually at dollar stores. Also heard of using bleach, and I generally use brake fluid.

[shafer]

i use bleach and water / soak for 10 minutes in sealed tupperware container.

[Der Bugmeister]

I just used some "original" Fantastik and it worked great. Chrome was mostly gone in 15-20 minutes, all the parts were clean within 45 minutes. Not as corrosive or difficult to handle as brake fluid or Purple especially living in an apartment.

The "subject" was a gluebombed all chrome engine kit.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Der Bugmeister

[Shardik]

Here's an odd one: Formula 409. The odd thing is that it stripped the chrome from an AMT '40 Ford down to bare plastic in about 20 min. It took about an hour to strip my MPC Bentley but didn't quite dissolve the lacquer under coating (just turned it gooey). I've had a parts pack motor in there for two weeks with no result, other than the chrome being very clean .

It would be interesting to get an explanation for this from someone in the industry so I could devise an approach tailored to each manufacturer.

[ll Brandon ll]

If you can get your hands on that stuff called Totally Awesome (yes, thats the actual name) sold at Dollar General, it is THE BEST chrome stripper Ive used yet. It strips in less than an hour if you want to really give it plenty of time and it seems to be resin safe. I cant praise this stuff enough.

[raildogg]

Yes I found that stuff, L.A. Awsome at my local Family Dollar Store. This stuff is fabulous. I sampled it with one chrome wheel rim, and over night it's as clean at the proverbial baby's bumm. I also sampled 90% Alchohol and that also did fine. Got a handle on this now, going back for more L.A. Awsome. YIPPY!!!!!

[Art Anderson]

Why remove it Tom? It acts as a primer for lacquers.

If you look closely at that very shiny base coat that is applied to parts before they are plated (the plating is actually aluminum, which is vaporized in a vacuum tank and transfers almost instantly to the plastic parts), you generally will see that the clear coat has munged, sometimes even obliterated a lot of fine detail. Stripping that clear coat away will reveal, often times, very sharp, clear surface details that you paid good money for.

Art

[raildogg]

Well it worked at 90%. I left two sprues overnight, from the AMT Parts Pack, Custom and Competion set, the Allison Engine and almost all of it was gone. I'm a little bummed that all of it wasn't off, but beggers can't be choosers. I even put it in full strength Chlorox Bleach for three more hours and it remained the same. That pesky clear coat is stuborn some remains.So I guess it does works and I am happy with the results.

[raildogg]

Some thoughts added to my last post. I had never de chromed parts with a solvent before. I just painted over the chrome. I never realized the amount of detail covered up by the process. I have been maticulously going over my parts pack Allison engine since I dropped it in LA Awesome, man there's a lot of stuff under the clear coat, just gads of stuff. I will do this from now on.

[cwobeaman]

Another great point, it's good to lacquer over...

[topher5150]

I didn't feel much like looking through the entire thread but how do you re-chrome?

[Mr Dedo]

try the easy off in the yellow can-the other stuff doesnt work as well

get a gallon size zipping bag, drop in object to be stripped and cover with foam

carefully close bag making sure to remove extra air in bag

wait 30 minutes for most chrome/2-3 days for most paint

rinse object-if material still remains repeat process

paint object gloss black and spray with your choice of a clad finish

remember hold airbrush at approx. 60 degree angle during passes

apply 2 very light coats-too much and the reflective quality is diminished

Edited October 31, 2012 by Mr Dedo

[Aeroteto]

For removing Chrome I like the most brutal option, ferric chloride !

I use the one used for make circuit boards, you can get it at Radio Shack.

Just inmerse the piece and its done, no waiting, no matter how old or thick is the chrome, it´s gone right away.

And don´t hurts the plastic, but leaves the laquer coat.

Just be sure to handle the pieces with plastic tools, any metal will be attacked by the acid.

Wear safety goggles and gloves.

Not earth friendly but very effective.

[KingSix]

I use Purple Power, it works like a champ, has no harsh chemical odor, cleans up easily , works relatively quickly.

[Clemi]

You should try oven cleaner. The cheap works best. Do the chrome plated parts in a box and spray the oven cleaner over it. after a few minutes or hours, the chrome is away.

It doesn't work with every chrome plated parts, but with I think 95% of all it works beautiful.

[Mike_G]

I use EZ-Off oven cleaner (lye) in a plastic bag- I've found that in addition to containing the noxious fumes, the fumes seem to have as much stripping effect as the actual liquid so it works faster in the bag than in the open air where the fumes are not contained.

[bogger44]

I've always used Purple Power. I pour some into an old peanut butter jar and close the lid. Usually takes from about a 1/2 hour to a couple hours, depending on how good the chrome is on the part, in my experiences anyways. The stuff is reusable too. The 32 oz. bottle I'm using I've had for 4-5 years and is still at least 3/4 full yet. Still works as good as it did on day one, as well.

[freshawk]

I used simple green to strip the chrome from my 67 malibu pro street (it was the late 80's , early 90's , monochrome vomit green was in) and it worked well past my expectations. I'm almost feeling brave enough to consider an orange crate build , even though i feel like it is cheating in the case of the crate....

[CrazyGirl]

this is intertesting , for 3 hours i have had a part soaking in bleach and nothing is happening ,,, either the bleach is junk , or the chrome is some tough stuff

[crazyjim]

Are you using Wesley's Tire Bleach, Anne?

[CrazyGirl]

clorox , wrong bleach huh

[crazyjim]

I've always used Wesley's tire bleach. Chrome is off in a matter of hours.

[Bigfordguy]

I just use cheap bleach, or what bleach might be in the house at that time. Right now like I said I am using cheap bleach called 101 bleach