Failed Rechroming

[Corpse Thrower 16]

I was very optimistic about getting my Ford Ranger parts rechromed, as this was my first RC car ever back when I was 14, and I wanted to do a top job on the restoration.

What a disaster

The company that I chose was Metallising Australia. Seemed pretty keen, said he has done all sorts of this sort of work, for a few model car guys around Oz.

As you can see, the result is pathetic. Not only did they do a shoddy job of everything I sent down to them, they broke and melted my Ranger front nose! Its useless now!

Check out the bumper section. Droopy, and totally unsuitable to display.

Cracked upper screw hole mount and broken lower mount

Bubbly chrome....I had this polished perfectly smooth!!

At the same time I got some Scorcher rims and Hotshot rims chromed....hotshot done in gold. Check the results:

Scorcher rims are bubbly and Hotshot rims aren't coloured uniformly, also puddling of the plating.

I'm pretty disappointed, especially about the Ranger bits. Now I have to scour the world looking for decent replacements!

Don't use Metallising Australia for any work, whatever you do. The parts don't come out a decent standard, as you can see.

Anybody got a Ranger front grille and rear bumper spare? Please?

And how do you make the photos appear in the thread??

[rajicon 0]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. But thanks for the heads up.

Thats a pretty poor effort. Could of done better with a spray can with dodgey tip. How on earth did they manage damage everything ?

I remember Tamiya Addict had some hit and miss experiences with them too

Were these the original parts from your first Ranger?

[Skysaxon 1]

tcphotos.com seems to be a dynamicpage which is not alloud ( what ever it means)

Try to upload your images to imageshack.us and copy the url

[terry.sc 16]

Fixed it for you.

And how do you make the photos appear in the thread??

You be wanting a look at "Tcphotos Forum Picture Links, How to make TCPhotos show up in forums", top of the list in the TC photos forum.

[dazaa 0]

Oh no, that is such a shame im so sorry mate. But couldnt you repair the bumper? Now i have never seen a ranger in real life so i dont know what the bumper is like but couldnt you strip the rubbish chrome(not sure how to) then polish it again and spray it with the aerosol chrome paint? Thats saying the bumper is plastic, if it is alloy why not just polish the alloy up? Sorry if this isnt any help but i dont know anything about the ranger as i only have a super champ but just thought i would give some ideas.

Good luck

regards

dazaa

[spencem875 0]

gutted

[loaded 4]

Hi there,

Chrome and gold plating (metallising) isn't rocket science, I have done over a thousand pieces with remarkable results.

What is a shame, is that I have had so many people complain about the timescales (I do it in batches, to save them money) that I have shelved the project and will only chrome and gold plate stuff for myself now, I don't have the time or energy. I know this spoils it for everyone else and we do need advice against people who melt your stock product (sorry Corpse thrower!) but I would rather sit on the sidelines and do nothing.

I might have a Ranger grill for you, I will have a look.

A note regarding the Hotshot rims : The 'puddling' or overspray etc you see is extremely hard to avoid. The trouble is, the way Tamiya do it is very thin indeed, so the stock material shows through, but no run, or puddling etc. Dust and particles are also visible, especially on old Tamiya stock, under the metallisation. I prefer to plate the whole item thickly, sides as well, especially wheels, as this makes the edges far less prone to chipping. However, the inevitable and unavoidable result is occasional runs, or marks caused by imperfections and the shape of the part (especially the nuts on the Hotshot rim). I personally much prefer the thicker finish from the thin finish. No excuses for damaging old stock though, like the Ranger grill.

It is also important for everyone to remember that metallisation of plastic, is by its very nature an imperfect process and marriage of materials.

All the best, Paul.

[billg4 25]

did you complain?

A complaint and not a rant might get you someplace, though maybe not 100% satistfaction it could help.

[Corpse Thrower 16]

Fixed it for you.

Thanks Tez.

[Corpse Thrower 16]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. But thanks for the heads up.

Thats a pretty poor effort. Could of done better with a spray can with dodgey tip. How on earth did they manage damage everything ?

I remember Tamiya Addict had some hit and miss experiences with them too

Were these the original parts from your first Ranger?

Yeah, they were my original front and rear bumper. I wanted so much to use them for the resto, as it would have meant that the entire body was my original one from 1984. I'm really spewing. Ah well.

Interesting to hear that he had much the same experience.....hmmm....

I was astounded to hear that the bad Hotshot wheel plating was blamed on the wheels being old.....but they were brand new! I bought them when I restored my Vanquish to raid the tyres. They were a very nice shade of Old English White too....now they are poos.

[Corpse Thrower 16]

Oh no, that is such a shame im so sorry mate. But couldnt you repair the bumper? Now i have never seen a ranger in real life so i dont know what the bumper is like but couldnt you strip the rubbish chrome(not sure how to) then polish it again and spray it with the aerosol chrome paint? Thats saying the bumper is plastic, if it is alloy why not just polish the alloy up? Sorry if this isnt any help but i dont know anything about the ranger as i only have a super champ but just thought i would give some ideas.

Good luck

regards

dazaa

Cheers mate, but the plastic is melted out of shape. The bumper is meant to be straight!

Oven cleaner will remove the chrome.....I suppose the back bumper can be painted....but I really wanted new chrome plated parts.

[Corpse Thrower 16]

Hi there,

Chrome and gold plating (metallising) isn't rocket science, I have done over a thousand pieces with remarkable results. Despite a few morons complaining about Bigwig wheels (nice one Mark!) finish not being mirror finished (this is because the stock material isn't totally smooth) I have had delighted customers. People like DeeMiller, for example, for whom I plated 25 year old stock.

What is a shame, is that I have had so many people complain about the timescales (I do it in batches, to save them money) and silly complaints (like the Bigwig wheels) that I have shelved the project and will only chrome and gold plate stuff for myself now, I don't have the time or energy. I know this spoils it for everyone else and we do need advice against people who melt your stock product (sorry Corpse thrower!) but in this world which thinks that buyer knows all and is all powerful, I would rather sit on the sidelines and do nothing.

I might have a Ranger grill for you, I will have a look.

A note regarding the Hotshot rims : The 'puddling' or overspray etc you see is extremely hard to avoid. The trouble is, the way Tamiya do it is very thin indeed, so the stock material shows through, but no run, or puddling etc. Dust and particles are also visible, especially on old Tamiya stock, under the metallisation. I prefer to plate the whole item thickly, sides as well, especially wheels, as this makes the edges far less prone to chipping. However, the inevitable and unavoidable result is occasional runs, or marks caused by imperfections and the shape of the part (especially the nuts on the Hotshot rim). I personally much prefer the thicker finish from the thin finish. No excuses for damaging old stock though, like the Ranger grill.

It is also important for everyone to remember that metallisation of plastic, is by its very nature an imperfect process and marriage of materials.

All the best, Paul.

Hmmm....You can plate plastic? Care to show us your work?

So do you reckon I'm being too fussy? Its as if he has just thrown the parts in the chrome stuff and not washed or done any prepwork, especially the Scorcher rims, and Frog chassis I had done, which were NIP.

The Hotshot rims are near enough to perfect on the surface that the tyre covers, but woeful on the faces that you want to be flawless.

[loaded 4]

Hi there,

Here is a link to some of my work, with a friend of mine who lives locally and has a local factory:

Mazda 787B

Hotshot wheels

If you browse my showroom you can also find a Blackfoot and Grasshopper completely plated.

I think you are not being fussy at all, damage to parts is unacceptable, can't think why the Ford Ranger got melted at all.

The problem with Hotshot wheels (ironically, considering they are the most popular plated part) are the nuts. Because of the way in which these are sprayed, there are two options - think flaky see through plating (like the Tamiya original), or thick not flaky slightly 'runny' plating, which I think is much better myself.

I have stopped working for other people though now, no time or inclination, as it takes a long time (which I tell people from the start) yet get emails weekly asking me for progress and people expecting Bigwig wheels, for example, to be mirror finished, when the stock material isn't actually smooth!

As far as your complaint is concerned, you are 100% right and hope you can sort it, but the sentimental damage is big, as this was your original.

All the best, Paul.

[Corpse Thrower 16]

Your stuff looks really good Loaded. I wish mine turned out like that.

[loaded 4]

Thanks for the compliments, I try to get it to look good. Mostly I did them for me, but did offer services to some other members.

You are quite right to be annoyed, I can't imagine what they did to melt that part.

Paul.

[*Topcat* 17]

I'd just like to add that I think the workmanship on the Ranger parts is also very poor and i think you would be right to complain

[Live Steam Mad 17]

Hi, I know of one process that should give perfect results...I think... it's vapour deposition. I seem to recall that Sony developed a technique for the vapor depositing of 100% Cobalt directly onto their Hi-8mm & DV camcorder / video tapes. It was called "ME" i.e. "metal evaporated". The base film (plastic tape) was either PolyEster, PolyEthylene Terethalate, or PolyEthylene Napthalate (former for normal tape, the two latter ones for long play tape where more strength is needed. Presumably (being very thin plastic film) this had to be done at low-ish temperatures. I do know that it took multiple passes. Styrene starts to soften at 60 degrees C approx. (bodies) and so does ABS (wheels), so that would be the problem...

Also telescopes use mirrors with a very thin layer of Aluminium (but you can't see through it under normal light) which is vapour deposited onto the mirror in a vacuum chamber. I don't think that the substrate is exposed to high temperatures? The cost is very reasonable. I imagine that a base layer of Nickel and then Chrome plating onto the plastic would work very well. Gold could be used as well I imagine. The mirror is over coated with Silicon Dioxide (Quartz) to prevent oxidation of the Aluminium reflective layer.

They also do this with CD and DVD replication (Aluminium reflective layer, deposited onto PolyCarbonate substrate).

Just a thought incase someone has contacts in these industries.

Try with cheap re-re parts first LOL.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[TWINSET 1793]

Right, I can't even begin to work out how to cut/split/merge/join and generally edit all of that into two seperate topics, so I think it's best if Mark and Paul are left to sort their issues out off the board, and we all concentrate on the terrible situation facing the Aussie Plating Industry

I'm off to put myself round the outside of a couple of cold ones, PLAY NICE

[loaded 4]

Hey, Andy is gone RIOOOOOOTTTT!!!

I am way ahead of you mate, already 3 down and House M.D. to go, which will give me some inspiration to be nasty!

I still can't find a single reason why those guys would have melted the plastic. There doesn't need to be any heat involved!

I guess Aussies are better at cooling beer than plating plastic, but I reckon I could get smacked for that one. Good thing I am 10,000 miles away!

Paul.

[terry.sc 16]

Right, I can't even begin to work out how to cut/split/merge/join and generally edit all of that into two separate topics, so I think it's best if Mark and Paul are left to sort their issues out off the board, and we all concentrate on the terrible situation facing the Aussie Plating Industry

I've sorted it now. Lets keep personal issues off a public board please and lets keep on topic guys.

[B.M.T. 127]

There doesn't need to be any heat involved!

Really?. The only electroplaters I have had anything to do with were the ones who used to plate the parts for the company I used to work for there. They'd have the parts coming out of the tanks steaming!.

I guess Aussies are better at cooling beer than plating plastic,

Mid you, they were masters of chrome plating...

Well practiced in

. The "burn" - White frosting which was really burned chrome, when they over cooked it...

. The bubble

. The sheeting - Chrome falling off in large sheets

. The texture - Grit in and under the chrome

. The Nickel - Where half the parts were 50% yellow, from where the chrome hadn't covered the base layer.

. and the Drop: Where they handed back a part bent into a pretzel , with the chrome faking off and an say "It must of happened before we plated it and we didn't notice it when we polished it.... But it was like it before we got it!"

I must point out, that they were immigrants, so technically not Australian, but half my day was q.a.'ing what came back from them! .

Luckily they don't do plastic!.

[loaded 4]

Metallisation of plastic and chroming metals are totally different processes. Within the specific field of plastics, there are a number of methods, all of which are quite similar. I don't pretend to know more than a little about the chemical processes, all that I can say is that no melting of parts is done by my guys!

Paul.

[B.M.T. 127]

The way these guys did it, the tanks were heated, probably about 50* C.

Though, they also could chrome fuchsia's (yes, the flower!), so they knew what they were doing, some of the time...

[WillyChang 1814]

was a shortlived fad back in the 1970s of plated orchids. Flower would be coated in copper until it was stiff enough then it'd be electroplated in usual silver or gold bath; made into broaches etc.

I still can't find a single reason why those guys would have melted the plastic. There doesn't need to be any heat involved!

suspect the plater fella might have used a heatgun to perhaps dry it faster?

its been very cold in melbourne in the last 4-6 wks

if he had baked it in an oven, it wouldn't be localised at that one spot, all the square edges would also go rounded

[Incredible_Serious 107]

*sigh*... someone had to do it....

I guess Aussies are better at cooling beer than plating plastic, but I reckon I could get smacked for that one. Good thing I am 10,000 miles away!

Dunno if you need to be smacked FOR THAT Paul matey.....

Sure we can find something, though.....

Alex