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Stripping chrome from old motorcycle fenders

Hello,

I have several rusty/pitted/chrome fenders off some old m/c's I'd like to strip off the chrome(whats left of it) bead blast and sandpaper to a smooth unpitted surface and then powder coat the steel. A local guy told me I could strip off the chrome by placing it in a bucket of muriatic acid ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and then simply rinsing the parts off. As I have never dealt with anything like this before I am looking for the pro's/con's and any advice from knowledgeable people out there.

Any "good" ideas?...Also how do I handle the acid after its used...discard properly...etc.

Thanks!

John Z [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- San Diego, California
2001

Hi, John. Here's the main problem: "Chrome plating" is actually a layer of chrome plating a few millionths of an inch thick on top of a layer of nickel plating a hundred times as thick. While muriatic acid will remove the chrome, it will not remove the nickel plating. That requires specialty chemicals.

But you can bead blast the surface either after the muriatic dip or skipping the muriatic dip. It seems to me that skipping the acid is the better approach, and I have been told by some powder coaters that a light blasting is all that is needed to get sufficient adhesion. Let us know if you find differently.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 24, 2008