I piggybacked this onto a old thread, but thought it may get a better response as a new thread and with a corrected title... Seems like chrome shops come up every once in a while, so lets see if we can get some current reviews. Nearly all of these I'm listing have currently active websites, so I can only assume they're still in business. I've also tried to cover the whole NW, if I've missed somebody that you're aware of, post them here. If anybody has had reasonably current experience (prices, quality, turnaround times, etc) with any of them, post up your opinion.... Western Washington/Puget Sound. Still the usual suspects; Art Brass Plating, Queen City Plating and Mastercraft Plating (all in Seattle), Show Quality Metal Finishing in SeaTac, and American Plating in Centralia. These last two are the same company, the Centralia location is just a drop-off. Smith Chrome Plating in Walla Walla, no website and has had some issues with the EPA... Spokane area. Quite a few here; Restoration Plating, Spokane Metal Finishing, and Inland Empire Plating. Idaho. Northwest Plating, near Boise. This is a fairly new shop. Oregon. There's TFC Plating in Portland, and Star Brite Finishes in Oregon City (apparently reports of their demise was premature...). Bend Plating in Bend, although this one has no web site and is another one who's had issues with the EPA. There were a few more, but those had no mention of restoration services, they seemed to be commercial/industrial/exotic process shops.
I had Star Brite plate my 66 Suburban bumpers, grill and headlight bezels in the 90's when they were in Molino. The owner was Vic Vanderstar (sp?) and all they did was "show" chrome, turned out fantastic, I heard some time back that his son took over the business and is now in O.C.
Steve, good list. A couple of updates, if they haven't changed in the last couple of years. As Denny said, Pacific Northwest Plating is in Vancouver. Northwest Chrome is in New Plymouth Id. Both do decorative custom chrome plating. American Plating in Centralia is the plating shop and if I understood correctly when I was there several years ago is owned by Quality Metal Finishing in Seatac. TFC Plating in Portland as far as I know does industrial plating, I don't know if they have capabilities to polish parts. Might be a good source for electroless nickel like Denny had done. Star Brite was shut down by the EPA years ago and the sons are polishing parts in Oregon City. They were having their plating done in Vancouver. Bend Plating only does commercial plating. If you have a hundred new parts they will probably do them.
I was told by a guy local-to-them that the plating was done up north, but second-hand info can be suspect. They're just down the road from me, I've gotten second-hand reviews that are all over, I'd really like to hear some actual user reviews. I went back and dug a little deeper into TFC; they list 'auto restoration parts' but don't offer actual chrome.
Not B-B but info is correct. Yes they still have the door open as of 2 weeks ago. Mixed reviews. Watching for new info, dreaming of someone with a 5 star review.
I have become suspect of the whole internet review process whether it's toothpicks, tires, or chrome shops. It seems like people nowadays want Walmart pricing and they have all kinds of time to piss and moan on the internet about THEIR dissatisfaction about THEIR choices because they decided based on who has the lowest cost instead of working some more hours to afford higher quality products.
There was a shop in Mount Vernon, Specialty Plating, but I don't know if it still exists. Sadly, it was nicknamed "The Black Hole" since it seemed like stuff went but never came out. I had a Harley air cleaner there for 3 years back in the late 80's.
There is a jobber by the name of "BIG D" (aka Danny Gatlin) who comes to all the swap meets in the PNW. He takes your parts back to his home base in Southern California where he has them chromed and returns them to you at the next swap meet. Or if you desire ship them to you. Myself and my friends have been using him for about 10 years now. No problems and reasonable prices.
Unfortunately, with no swap meets that's not much of an option right now. And I know guys that have had issues with his plating...
I would venture to guess that there's a better than even chance that your parts are going to Mexico for the plating work. Daily driver quality at best. If that level of quality suits your needs then he's your guy.
Open and awesome! I picked up a load of stuff recently for the shop truck build and I have a few more items to drop off soon. Chrome Troy is a great guy and knows his plating! If you have 1st gen corvette parts there may be bartering in your future.
That is good to know, Vancouver is just about as easy for me to get to as any of the other places in the state. 168 miles door to door. 207 miles to Restoration plating in Spokane.
Last time I was down at Troys I thought of you. He had three 327's all polished and plated in the shiny stuff along with the heads. I have to admit, I really wanted one. I know of a chrome 32 ford frame locally that needs a chrome SBC.
They shut more down and spent tons of money cleaning up the ground around the chrome shop. The one in Yakima is one of them and that one belonged to friends of my dad who to be kind were a bit careless on how they disposed the liquid from the tanks.
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