Getting small vintage bits re-chromed ?

still me said:

Anyone had any re-chroming of small vintage bits like QR skewers done?
If so, was the pricing outrageous? Does the guy at the chrome place
laugh when you bring in a handful of bike parts? Does it make more
sense to just to scour for some NOS or barely used parts?

i used to work for a chrome plating company, and we would take on small
projects like this. but it's a real pita and we'd charge the earth
accordingly. imo, it's not worth it - just polish what you have or get
nos - shiny doesn't affect mechanical performance.

ps. chrome platers are pretty scarce stateside these days. difficult
environmentally.

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Quoted message said:

Anyone had any re-chroming of small vintage bits like QR skewers done?
If so, was the pricing outrageous? Does the guy at the chrome place
laugh when you bring in a handful of bike parts? Does it make more
sense to just to scour for some NOS or barely used parts?

There's a product called Evapo-rust that will easily remove rust from any
iron or steel part.

http://www.evaporust.com/

I met the people who produce and market the stuff at IMTS - The
International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago a few years ago.
Other than that I have no connection to the product.

Being a complete skeptic about these kinds of products I thought it was
just some new kind of snake oil until I saw several demonstrations. The
stuff is pretty amazing.

Don Gillies used Evapo-rust to remove the rust from a severely corroded
frame:

http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/raleigh/international/Carlton77.html

I've been using it a lot lately to remove rust from my vintage bike
components. I start off by removing all grease, oil and dirt with a
solvent. Next I remove as much rust as I can with fine steel wool. I've
found most of the thick rust can be gently scraped off with a small screw
driver being careful not to scratch the chrome or surface.

I usually leave the parts sit in a small plastic container of Evapo-rust
for at least 24 hours. I remove the parts, rinse them with water and dry
them off. The parts will have a dark gray to black finish in the formerly
rusted area. This is just carbon that comes off easily.

A light polishing with extra fine steel wool usually leaves an acceptable
finish that can't be detected from several feet away.

You will need to coat the parts with a light grease or oil or a plastic
spray to keep them from rusting again.

I have a 1982-3 vintage frame that had a lot of rust around the bottom
bracket and brazed-on cable guides. I soaked it in Evapo-rust for 2 days a
nd it came clean.

I use Q-tips soaked in Evapo-rust in the top tube brake cable guides to
remove rust in those areas. It takes several days of repeated applications
but it gets the job done. I remove the crusted rust first with a
screwdriver or similar tool.

So far Evapo-rust hasn't caused any problems with plating, paint or other
metals like aluminum or brass. It doesn't have much of a smell and you
don't need gloves to work with the stuff.

There are several places in NorCal that will do re-chroming work but the
parts will need to be stripped of previous plating first. The minimum
charge is going to be at least $50 USD.

Chas.

in rec.bicycles.tech still me said:

Anyone had any re-chroming of small vintage bits like QR skewers done?
If so, was the pricing outrageous? Does the guy at the chrome place
laugh when you bring in a handful of bike parts? Does it make more
sense to just to scour for some NOS or barely used parts?

I guess it's "yes" to all. What has helped me was to read and learn
about the plating process. About 50% of the cost is in chemical
disposal and, in most states, platers must be bonded before they can
buy the chemicals. It's a nasty business!!!

But read up on how plating thickness is measured and talk in those
terms; hint that you have a probe or that you're going to have it
tested and get the thickness in *writing*!!! 1 mil of chrome looks
good... at first.

I once managed a manufacturing area where we did gold plating... not
that I know squat about the details. One day I was inspecting and
noticed that one of my techs had beautifully gold plated tools.
Needless to say, he packed up his tools! I mean... how frequently
could he have used them?

Jones

Prices for plating have doubled in my area (San Diego) in the past 24
months. For anything QR-sized or smaller, I now prefer a $20 dremel
($40 for the whole kit from costco), especially for the brass brush
and the flap wheel, plus a $34 brush plating set from
www.caswellplating.com ("plug-n-plate"😉. WHile you're there get some
800, 1200 sandpaper, and get some 1500 or 2000-grit paper and polish
at your local autoparts store.

The chromer will leave your bits in the muriatic acid for too long,
giving them a "melted" look. Home plating is much more gentle and
does a better job of preserving vintage logos. I have several
PAGNOLO skewers to prove it!! REV AMP!! TENT!

- Don "NOLO" Gillies
San Diego, CA

Getting small vintage bits re-chromed can be a fun project! First, you'll want to find a reputable plating shop that specializes in re-chroming. It's important to ensure they have experience with vintage pieces to avoid any damage. Clean the parts thoroughly before you bring them in, as any dirt or grease can affect the final result. The shop will usually strip the old chrome, polish the parts, and then apply new chrome. It can be a bit pricey, but the end result is worth it for that shiny, like-new finish. Plus, re-chroming can help protect the parts from rust and corrosion, keeping your vintage items looking great for years to come!