The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

What do you use for chrome plated plastic materials?

May 22, 2008

Hi I'm mark, a new hobbyist, and researching on how to make a plastic material that will look like it was chrome plated........

I was wondering what is that material do they use?
I saw one guy doing it on wood curvings!
and then I ask him f he can apply it on plastic, then he said yes!

but when I'm about to ask him what does he use to do it, my boss called me and made me drive for about an hour.

but I did see what he was doing, he uses a tape roll (like packaging tape!) and when he paste it to the wood surface, he wipes the tape that he just pasted, and took it off, then the chrome like thing was left at the wood surface. and he finished it with a clear top coat like the one they used in car paint finish.

I hope that you can help me with my problem on knowing what's the real name of that chrome tape thing....

thanks
and have a nice day!

Mark Diamsay
hobbyist - Philippines

---

Mark,
There is an obvious difference between what this guy is doing and plating on plastics. In plating on plastics the plastic is etched to achieve good adhesion for the subsequent metal coating, whatever the metal to be plated is. There is aluminum tape, and other metal tapes. Will they hold up like plating on plastics? I doubt it very much.

Mark Baker
Process Engineer - Syracuse, New York
May 26, 2008