that's what the plater does before they chrome it. the nicer the part you give them the less work for them , so you could save some $$$
Chrome is not the dip it in the tank and it comes out smooth process that many believe it is. It is like painting. Although plating solutions usually contain chemicals that help smooth the surface, imperfections and irregularities in the underlying surfaces affect the look of the finished job. Like anything else, good quality polishing and buffing requires skill and experience. I don't know what level of quality you are looking for, and I have no idea as to your capabilities. If you have a complex part and want it to look like jewelry with perfect and smooth contours and no irregularities, that is not a good job for the average novice. At the other extreme, if shiny but lumpy and imperfect is good enough, that is much easier to do and can often be achieved with just aggressive compound and aggressive buffs, and little or no shaping and abrasive polishing. You often see that kind of work on factory polished blowers, manifolds, alternators, etc. A quality plater will most likely not be satisfied with the metal finishing done by the typical do-it-yourselfer. If you want a top quality job it is even possible that work you do can actually make the job more difficult for the plater to fix than if you hadn't done anything. While I am not trying to discourage you from doing part or all the work yourself, a few minutes talking with your plating shop could be beneficial for all concerned.
The Jalopy Journal
