Hey there ...I have a couple old sets of chrome reverse rims that are in really bad shape. I would like to get rid of what chrome is left and either paint or powder coat them. If possible, I would like to leave the raised hub cap ring? and the outer lip chrome since they are ok in these areas. Is there anything that I can put over these areas that will keep these areas from being blasted? Is there possibly another way to remove the chrome? Would like to get started on these soon, so any suggestions would be appreciated...Thanx and Happy 2010...
Duct tape over electrical tape.If your gonna paint them your self just lightly blast the chrome you don't want it to start lifting up and it will look like a relief map.
We have a powder coating operation and our experience is if its a poor chrome job or its old once you start sandblasting it if you tape it, it will start lifting the chrome or flaking it off and the spot you taped will start to lift under it. You can have them chemically stripped but I dont know how they would leave a chromed area exposed without stripping it? If the chrome isnt to bad I would clean it up and prep the best you could and who ever does your powder coating have them brush on an acid etch on the area you want powdered and then use a primer under it then your powder color for better adhesion. If the chrome is real flaky and has rust spots then you might have to have them blasted all the way. My 2 cents
sandblasting chrome is a bitch, some comes off, some doesnt, then your trying to whitttle away at the sticking chrome all the while also eating the rim underneath, try the media blasting with blue painters tape over the part you want to keep. You will have hell with trying to keep some and strip some, never get the line feathered, but good luck. You can also have them reverse stripped at a chrome shop, then coat em and duplicate the lip with powdered chrome and clear.
To get all the chrome off one of my running buds had the local automotive machine shop stick a pair of wheels in their head/block oven and bake them then run them through the shot blast cabinet. They came out pretty nice but that wouldn't work with what you want.
Take it to a chrome shop and ask them to strip it. They do it by reversing the chroming process i.e. they swap the polarity. Should cost buttons - they will often do it for free if you are a regular customer.
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