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Portable chrome-free chroming?

2003

Aloha,
I provide a mobile gold brush plating service in Honolulu. Recently I have received a lot of calls for "Show Chrome Plating" on wheels and other automotive parts. I know this is beyond the means of my 25-amp gold plating machine but wanted to find an alternative for these customers and maybe add this to my services. Chrome tank plating is out of the question because shipping chromium to Hawaii is strictly monitored and restricted. Do you have any alternatives (preferably portable) that I could provide these people? I tried the imitation chrome spray system but found it not durable or portable enough.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Mahalo plenty.

Chris Kapoi
Gold Brush Plater - Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

You might look into some of the nickel/cobalt mixes available at some of the hobby plating websites (do a search for "hobby plating" on Google).

They go on just like nickel, tank or brush, but have cobalt added to the mix so the finish is more "bright blue" like chrome, instead of the yellow of nickel.

I don't do chrome work in my shop, but from time to time, people want a "chrome look" on something and, for the minimal cost involved, they're usually pretty happy with the results.

Todd Bloss
custom etching/engraving - Los Angeles, California, USA
2004