When I removed my fairing today, it was obvious I've been neglecting the clock holders when I've been polishing and the kind North Wales weather has started to relieve them of their chrome plating. I'm just interested if anyone knows the easiest way to get them back to the alluminum, it's not flaking, more pitted corroded looking?
Removing chrome
- Thread starter brxpb
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Sulphuric acid (battery acid) will generally eat chrome, while you watch.
It will also eat alloy, and anything else in the vicinity, so take care. !
Don't leave it unattended, OR put fingers or flesh near it....
Electroplaters have tanks to strip off old chrome, with reverse electroplating.
Will be kinder to the alloy too, but if the pits are already deep that will be a problem...
It will also eat alloy, and anything else in the vicinity, so take care. !
Don't leave it unattended, OR put fingers or flesh near it....
Electroplaters have tanks to strip off old chrome, with reverse electroplating.
Will be kinder to the alloy too, but if the pits are already deep that will be a problem...
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Before you do anything, try this small trick that I bet will be worth your while:
Add a moderate amount of liquid dish soap to a dish of warm water, take some aluminum foil and tear into smallish pieces and scrunch them up, wet in dish soap water and scrub the chrome. The aliminum is softer than the chrome and will deform smooth as you scrub. Keep rotating the piece or use a fresh piece. It will not scratch the chrome, I have used this to great success on larger pieces.
Before
After
Add a moderate amount of liquid dish soap to a dish of warm water, take some aluminum foil and tear into smallish pieces and scrunch them up, wet in dish soap water and scrub the chrome. The aliminum is softer than the chrome and will deform smooth as you scrub. Keep rotating the piece or use a fresh piece. It will not scratch the chrome, I have used this to great success on larger pieces.
Before
After
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texasSlick
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Rohan said:
+1
Muriatic acid should eat the chrome less vigorously, and is more easily obtained. For that matter, white vinegar may do the trick.
Slick
Phosphoric acid will eat rust stains, and leave shiny chrome, and steel (and alloy).
Its one of the active ingredients in coca cola, so its not exactly too toxic or dangerous.
Although it will eat clothes if left for long - and it leaches calcium from your bones..
Its one of the active ingredients in coca cola, so its not exactly too toxic or dangerous.
Although it will eat clothes if left for long - and it leaches calcium from your bones..
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Oh, I had assumed he was talking about the bezels.
concours said:
They are aluminum but I had them chromed years ago, chroming anything is a big mistake in the UK weather, if you ride all year round your bike looks better longer by sticking to stainless and polished alloy, unless it's a garage diva, oh to be in the California sunshine!!
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The usual way to remove chromium is to reverse etch in sodium hydroxide solution. However it you do that the aluminium base will simply fizz and dissolve after the chromium has gone.
Rohan might be right about sulphuric acid dissolving the chromium and it is used to anodise aluminium. I think it would be very slow, and in any case you are pretty much stuffed. A better way might be to polish the parts and etch prime them, then use a spray of that shiny aluminium paint - imitation chrome.
Rohan might be right about sulphuric acid dissolving the chromium and it is used to anodise aluminium. I think it would be very slow, and in any case you are pretty much stuffed. A better way might be to polish the parts and etch prime them, then use a spray of that shiny aluminium paint - imitation chrome.
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May be a lot less painful if you just purchased an E-Bay pair? New holders range in price in the $75 area (each). You said that the holders have pits, possibly exposing the alloy, the acid will get right to work on the exposed alloy ruining the holders. Acid will dissolve your instrument holders, some faster, some slower? And, you'll need a plan for what to do with the acid you don't use. The aluminum foil technique is very useful, but it polishes chrome, the effort will not fix pits.
I'd bet that there are members that have excess holders that they would sell for short money?
Get on your horse and purchase a pair, forget the windmills...
I'd bet that there are members that have excess holders that they would sell for short money?
Get on your horse and purchase a pair, forget the windmills...
lazyeye6
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brxpb said:
Contrary to popular belief, California isn't all about endless sun and bikini clad surfers. I can assure you that in much of California winter weather can be uncannily similar to the weather in Wales (current draught notwithstanding). :?
RoadScholar said:
I phoned about getting them rechromed which would cost £40 +p&p but £46 will get me two brand new ones, I know I should just get the new ones and move on but I always think about Triggers broom. For our non UK members Trigger was a fictional TV character who claimed to have won an award for saving his employers money by having the same broom for 20 yrs, he then goes on to say that it's only had 17 heads and 14 handles in that time, his mates show doubt on his claim which he dismisses by showing them a photo of him with the very same brush 20 yrs previous! I always have a dilema with replacing parts, it doesn't often stop me but I need to hold on to the bike I bought 25 yrs ago, not a replica of it. Think it's called Theseus' ship paradox.
texasSlick
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brxpb wrote:
" I always have a dilema with replacing parts, it doesn't often stop me but I need to hold on to the bike I bought 25 yrs ago, not a replica of it."
I feel exactly the same and attempt to keep my original bike ... to a point .... when there is some part that requires less maintenance, is more reliable, and becomes available to replace one giving me fits, then the original goes into a bin and I'll keep it should I ever want to go back (hasn't happened yet).
If you are contemplating re-chrome, then removal of existing chrome is easy .... let the electro-plater do reverse electroplating. Then the pits can be sanded and buffed out (all platers do this work). Finally, chrome plating over aluminum requires a treatment to remove the surface oxides, then a copper strike, followed by nickel, then finished with chrome. If done properly, the chrome will last forever. I had my GB outer cover chrome plated by a professional industrial shop (not a garage based cycle parts plater) way back in the 70's .... it still looks as if it were done yesterday. If you want chrome, always find a professional shop .... expensive but worth it.
Slick
" I always have a dilema with replacing parts, it doesn't often stop me but I need to hold on to the bike I bought 25 yrs ago, not a replica of it."
I feel exactly the same and attempt to keep my original bike ... to a point .... when there is some part that requires less maintenance, is more reliable, and becomes available to replace one giving me fits, then the original goes into a bin and I'll keep it should I ever want to go back (hasn't happened yet).
If you are contemplating re-chrome, then removal of existing chrome is easy .... let the electro-plater do reverse electroplating. Then the pits can be sanded and buffed out (all platers do this work). Finally, chrome plating over aluminum requires a treatment to remove the surface oxides, then a copper strike, followed by nickel, then finished with chrome. If done properly, the chrome will last forever. I had my GB outer cover chrome plated by a professional industrial shop (not a garage based cycle parts plater) way back in the 70's .... it still looks as if it were done yesterday. If you want chrome, always find a professional shop .... expensive but worth it.
Slick
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brxpb said:
Please do try my earlier trick, it wont take you very long to do one of them. You will be suprised. And if you give it a metal polish and then a coat of wax after, it will last quite a long while.
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