Re-chrome

[mikealdren]

Can anyone recommend a good UK (ideally in the South East) plating shop to re-chrome door window frames (early brass type) please. I've decided mine are not good enough for my rebuild!

thanks
Mike

[david.g.chapman]

I had all my +2 shiny bits done by D. King on Canvey Island, Essex.

A good price and the chrome is still good after 6 years - no flaking!

Door frames are particularly easy to chrome - being a brassy item.

My frames were ?40 each to chrome, including stripping, linishing and re-plating.

Dave Chapman.

[gerrym]

Mike, I can't recommend Derby Chrome Plating enough.
First class job of my spinners, rear lights, door frames etc
Regards

Gerry

[bcmc33]

Mike,

Do a Google search for classic platers and find ones closest to where you live.
From my past experience they are all very interested in classic cars and will do a comparative quality job.
It is important to meet the people doing this sort of work, if only to see what facilities they have.

The process is not that difficult - strip, polish and plate. Like paint, plating is wholly dependant upon preparation to get the best finish. Make sure that all kinks and blemishes are removed at the polishing stage. Check what processes will be involved ? for instance, on steel the process I always used would be copper plate + nickel plate + chrome plate. For brass maybe only nickel + chrome would be used.
I had intended to do my frames this winter, but did the suspensions instead. It is now on the schedule for next winter.

Gerry,

What was the rear light bodies like that you had chromed? Were they pitted? If so, what did you do about it?

[john.p.clegg]

[quote="gerrym"]Mike, I can't recommend Derby Chrome Plating enough.
First class job of my spinners, rear lights, door frames etc
Regards

Gerry[/quote]

Rear lights?....Plastichrome?

John

[gerrym]

Brian, my rear lights (frames) were moderately pitted like all the mazak castings tend to be. However Derby made a good job and there are no obvious pits at all. Only issues are very minor and to do with the remaining bits of the contacts I did'nt remove. This is all hidden away inside the fitting in any case (plated over but this is my "fault").
By comparison, the front lights arrived back from the other chrome plater I used with a few defects still apparent under close examination. They were certainly no worse than the rear lights before the plating
Regards
Gerry

[jono]

Gerry,

I have sent you a PM re Derby Chrome plating as I am interested in using them for my Plus 2 bits.

Jono

[rjaxe]

Mike, you could also try Hampshire Electro Plating in Southampton, they did an excellent job on the front bumper of my Elan +2.

[kcrossle]

At ?40 for window frames I have to wonder what the cost of plating a (front) bumper would be? Quotes here (US) are from ?225 - ?375.

That's a round-trip ticket to England!

Keith

[mikealdren]

Thanks to all.
Looks like Derby are a top recommendation but they're a long way away and the frames are fragile to pack so I'll visit a local place first and see what their work looks like. If it's not good, I'll tie in a trip to Derby next time I head north.

Mike