What happened to all the re-chromers?

I'm needing a bumper re-chromed so today I called around to several local shops and can't find anyone within "300" miles who still does this. What gives..?

 

More stringent EPA regulations, and no body shop market for collision repair bumpers.

 

Good ole EPA....

 

You can thank the good 'ol USA EPA!

 

Yep. When Advanced Plating was hit with all those flood waters they had to spend a whole lot of money to be able to get up to current codes. As a chrome shop closes they are not being able to be replaced with new ones due to the toxic chemicals they use. And as Rich said, cars have very little chrome these days.

I just heard on the radio today that the Government is trying to do away with incandescent light bulbs altogether, and the first ones that are being phased out are 100 watters. All the old stuff we got used to having around is being banned it seems.

Don

 

Contact Odgen Chrome in Ogden, Utah...www.ogdenchrome.com......they do good work...

R-

 

A good place in the midwest is North Star Bumper in Brainerd, MN. They're owned by Keystone Automotive these days, and have an office in Minneapolis: 800-328-1845 or local 612-789-1886.

I've used them several times and have been very happy with their work.

edited to add: It may be possible to drop the bumpers off at a local Keystone office (they're all over the country) but I don't know that for sure, you'd have to check.

 

have you ever been in the back room of chrome shop. there is a reason why epa wants to ban them. nasty beyond belief, friend of mine owned one. it made me nervous just going in the back room. the chemical dunk tanks even look lethal. same reason very little leather is tanned here in the usa. its a nasty process

 

ChromeplaterJosh is a great guy right here on the HAMB. Check him out...
If nothing else, he can point you in the right direction.

 

EPA! Last batch of chrome we had done had an add on $100.00 "dumping fee' attached to the total.

 

Environmental Political Agency. Time to do away with it. And please don't tell me "Well...well they help the earth!" they help themselves. Unelected bureaucrats telling people what lightbulbs to use and what toilet to have.......BS!

 

{Looks like advanced plating is up and running. I haven't used them since the flood, but looks like they're back! Check out the webpage for the story about Gibson guitars in Nashville. Wild! http://www.advancedplating.com/

 

Yep, the old bread and butter bumper work that a lot of them did pre plastic bumpers went away for the most part plus the epa killed a lot of the others.

The local guy were childhood friends with my dad went out of business 20 years ago mainly because of epa issues.

 

I highly recommend:

Jon Wright's Customchrome Plating
963 Mechanic St.
Grafton, OH 44044

(440)-926-3116

www.customchromeplating.com

 

we had a great shop in Grants Pass but again EPA drove them out of the biz. we have Medford plateing but there only single plating, there good and fine folks but I want my chrome like my women thick and heavy

 

I use Clovis Specialty Plating in Fresno, CA they do good work at fair prices. These days they are only open three days a week, the reason is the EPA want them to spend a big bucks to put in new tanks to be able to open full time. It's down to the owner and one worker now, takes time but nice work.

CRUISER

 

+1 on Ogden chrome, even with shipping both ways it was very reasonable and they did a fantastic job for me.

 

Brown's Plating, I think they are in Paducah, Ky.
http://brownsplating.com/index.php

Heres a list of some in the Evansville In. yellow pages.
http://www.yellowpages.com/evansville-in/chrome-plating

 

What he said. EPA has driven alot of guys right outta the chrome bizz...or any plating for that matter. The ones still doing it, in the open anyway, have EPA mandated costs.

 

by all means, look into Keystone...if you do have a local store they will ship to and from on their dime..the only bad thing is they have about a 14 week lead time. but well worth the wait. triple plated, after they blast, straighten, and repair...usually a bit cheaper than Advanced Plating or a few others out there.

 

Taters, with "Midwest" being a pretty broad location, I would also suggest Advanced Custom Chrome. They are in Erie Pa. Right up on the lake practically. Real good bunch of guys up there.

 

One more comment. Of course EPA. and the other-the major auto makers. Ever notice how little chrome is on the new cars. Your lucky to find any metal on the cars. Hay. even put a damper on the bumper sticker business

 

Advanced Plating is not cheap, but boy do they do nice work. I have a steering arm they did over 20 years ago and it looks like the day I got it back. That was all I could afford them for.

Don

 

Have to live off industrial plating for most of their business I would guess nowadays. Not enough metal bumpers around to do plating. Half the crap the EPA comes up with is just to fill the coffers... The other half is common sense stuff that some guys just can't figure out... like don't dump nasty chemicals out back of the shop...

 

I've been very impressed with the quality of their work - some of the bumpers I've sent there were pretty bent up and rusty, and they came back better than new.

 

tatersgravy where abouts in Midwest are you? what is the bumper off of? how about posting a pic? this situation is why so many bumper rechromers with plating done in Mexico show up at swap meets.

 

I've used bumpers from Bumper Boyz, buy theirs, trade in yours. They will also take yours in an do them for you, I have no idea how long they take.

 

I don't know if they do chrome, but if you need anything cad plated, try Orlando plating, they do all our cad plating at work and everything from them has been good for years

 

Like other posters said, The midwest covers a BIG area. Help us out and be a little more specific. O.K. here's a shot it the big area. St. Louis, Mo. St. Louis plating. Cuba Mo. Highline plating.

 

Not true, at all. The conventional Argon-filled incandescent are on the way out. Halogen gas filled incandescent (same lumens, less power consumption) will be present for the foreseeable future.