DIY Spray On Chrome

Just a couple projects we are working on

 

i thought my subscription ran out

 

Yeah, NicaMarvin, lots of us lurking here with a great deal of interest in this thread and hanging on your every word!!!!!!
Dave

 

its a messanger bike, so its used every day and holding strong... the key here or the secret here is to let the coatings(high heat primer, basecoat, clear coat) gass out for a few days on the bike one at a time(just like shown in the pics..) the after the clear has baked for 2 days then chrome it and clear it...

not at all, the usual life span is about 3 months at best on the shade... so if it has separated just shake it well, you can always do a small test sample, you will know when it has gone bad...(usually when its separate and the liquid is almost a clear as water) the pieces will not look good at all

I dont know whats going on with the forum, is just not keeping me updated on the replys...? does any body know why? I was like, lets check the thread because it has gone many days without any replys... and I was shocked to see the replys... dont know whats going on..

sorry old man... seems like the forum wont tell me when you post or anybody else...

AWESOME...

 

I´m doing a few pot metal pieces...









will keep you posted on the results.. I dont have much work lately, dont know how much longer I will keep this up.. I´m doing other things to keep me bussy and earn some cash

 

Thanks man appreciate you getting back with me

 

its ok buddy..!


I did the pieces..

prep..

2k primer






black base






Clear coat





Silver...

 

some updates...

Isuzu grill



First Chrome Bike... well it has survived the harsh road/off road abuse, but the headlight coverhas suffered an accident so I will be re-doing it again





made my first Spray On "Gold" Pieces...





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testing my "Chrome Coat" on a Brass Owl.



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sfPnUDrdJ0A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

updates from these pieces...












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Hey Marvin,
First off thanks so much for such an honest and in depth project helping us all disseminate the myths from facts about this as well as explaining the importance of developing the skills for proper results.
The FAA can ground aircraft, with chromed spinners. I went through the gut wrenching procedure of polishing mine out, then had it clear powder coated but it made it milky looking. I've now repeated the polishing out nightmare. This might be an alternative. The bike results encourage me but I fear 200 MPH bug strikes & rain will erode the clear coat. How tough is the clear coat in the Alsa kit? Do you think it's as durable or better than the automotive clear coats? What about several extra clear coatings? Is there such a thing as a way to chemically remove the clear coat after a year or so & reapply? Could you use an epoxy clear coat instead of or over the final clear coat?
Best regards for a job well done,
Chuck

 

thanks, I´m here to help...

it could be an alternative

its durable enough for off road use and road use,

the alsa clear coat is as durable as the automotive clear and for outdoor use I sugest that after you have finish the piece with the tinted clear and let the piece cure for 36 hours, you could apply another 2 or 3 coats of clear(none tinted)

well if the silver is still intact but the clear has some wear, you can just sand and re clear...

I thought expoxy clear yellows out on the sun..? but if not, then its ok

 

Sweet!!

 

Wow what a boatload of info.. Can't begin to thank you enough for addressing ALL my questions like that. Your dad must be proud of his second generation chrome expert. Only natural that you would take on this new industry with the hard working attitude which made him successful. It's the missing link for interior parts and application to plastics for sure. Your research will serve you well in taking your dad's business to the next level.
Best regards,
Chuck

 

hey nic got a new sprayer and have had some great results gonna upload a couple projects I have done photography sucks but you get the idea







wanting to replicate the emblem in

i had to chome the area for the emblem


then scuff th the area and mask off what will remain chrome
the rest will be sanded and painted
then the additional details of the emblem will be painted in before it
receives several coats of clear
I dont know how it will turn out at this point but
I couldnt have even tried it without you nic

 

Awesome job...

hey I´m just glad I was able to help you out bro, now you become the teacher, I dont know if I will last for the rest of the year, business is not fast enough, but I´m holding out, maybe as my good work spreads and people see my work, they will come more often...

 

I've pretty much read this entire post and have done some internet research but your technique seems to be exactly the same as the Spectra Chrome procedure less a couple thousand $.

I looked at their materials and they are through the roof. Several hundred dollars for thier basecoat and clear coat which I'm sure is all just repackaged.

I had one question. Can you clarify the final clear you use. If you use clear out of the can you get a yellowish chrome. If you tint it with some violet you get a more realistic chrome (Spectra shows there clear here which is very purplish: http://www.sprayonchrome.com/solutionspg2.html).

Can you elaborate or tell us your exact Clear Coat formula, what product are you using to tint your clear and how much you add.

By the way, great thread here, your shedding a lot of light and breaking new ground.

 

my facebook and motorcycle forum has had allot of questions and will be a good source as my consistancy gets better. your work is top notch people pay well for quality work

 

Nic has his version
I have played with a couple of formulas
currently I am using Kirker ES300 High Solids Clear 125.00 Gallon w/catalst (bought it last year using it up will move to ppg next round 200 plus a gallon

I went to the ppg paint store and bought 2oz of bluecandy dye and 2oz
of violet candy dye pour 4oz of clear in container uncatalyzed 4 to one makes 5 ounces i use 15 to 17 drops of blue 5 to7 drops of violet
I had them put it in touchup bottles with the brush and use that as my dropper it was let than 10 bucks for the dyes

hope this helps

 

that´s alot of reading

well, I dont have access to kandy dies and I only use Sherwin williams coatings, so what I do is mix small quantities of single stage urethane blue and magenta with the sherwin willams clear coat, its works but I wish I had kandy dies to play with

well, first time I saw a video of Spray On Chrome, I said to myself, this has got to be way cheaper than what they make the process to be...

hey look me up on my facebook http://www.facebook.com/marvin.sevilla I would love to see your page and help out

thanks for helping out, since you are located on the USA you will be able to provide help with products located in the U.S.A

 

What reason would there be for closing or deleting this? I've only seen the Spray on chrome fail in one way or another, mostly because the people putting together kits or systems didn't fully research how the product performs under different conditions. Here we have somebody who is willing to share, for free, the research he is doing... Using cheaper materials than you can get from the Kit/System people, and getting some good results. If his research gets us closer to a viable alternative to chrome plating, who is it hurting.

Unless, of course, you have stock in Spectra Chrome or Alsa or another co. that produces the kits or system...

Or, if you can't give an intelligent reason why this should be closed of deleted other than "Bullshit", let me use another abbreviation... STFU

 

I can't see any reason for closing or deleting this thread. The way I see it there are only two options for real chrome.
1) Pay out the nose at a chrome plating shop.
2) Buy inferrior reproduction parts made and plated over in Tiawan or China.

Here in Kansas City there are only two plating operation left in business and one doesn't even have the ability to do full size bumpers.

I just got done talking to a shop call AA which did chrome plating in Kansas City for over 40 years. He was talkative and gave the whole reason he closed his plating operation a couple of years ago. First was trying to compete with Chinese and Tiawan prices and second was the environmental aspects. The EPA, Missouri Deparment of Natural Resources, and the Cities Environmental agency were all a pain in the ass to deal with. We talked about the Silvering process (Spray on Chrome) and he agreed that is what the industry will be going to. No, it's not chrome but its and environmentally save alternative and from what I see, if prepped right, probably just as good looking as the imported chrome. Though I'm sure the real die hards with deep wallets will stick with real chrome chrome.

 

on my research for Hexevalent Chromium alternatives that includes, the best chrome paint on the market(Alsa and Innate Chrome), chrome like ceramic coating(Cerakote Chromex) Spray On Chrome(Alsa ChromeFx and my own built one using Angel Gilding Silvering chemicas) and last but not least Caswell plating Copy Chrome, I would say the Copy Chrome(nickel/tungsten alloy) is a good candidate for a real chrome replacement on metal parts, and spray on chrome for plastic parts, Cerakote Chromex also has a good shine but takes a lot of prep work to make it shine, Chrome Paint is not really a good alternative but its way better than silver paint, Alsa Stretch chrome has a very good shine but its very hard to get it around round objects..

here some pics and videos...

Innate Chrome Paint..

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/55yvV4e_tSc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

here against spray on chrome

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SeNGps2BFmw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4YxWIr0PbO8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Alsa Stretch Chrome

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SwxFEMcjcug" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wOygvNnmOHM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2rNcRaEYrfo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cerakote Chromex Ceramic coating for high temps(did them in plastic)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yh4mjchpXDQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vQqL8UzMAqY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

I have a question about the wetting agent. Do you dilute it at all or just put it on with a lint free rag or cotton ball?

 

I dont dilute it at all... I use a sponge and rubbed the piece that is about to be spray on chrome

 

I'd say that once the longevity of the paint is figured out, there will be a lot more '58 Buicks and Oldsmobiles saved that otherwise would have just been engine donors or worse, crushed and melted dowen into Kias.

Nobody sane would restore one of these cars if the chrome and pot metal trim was not at least 80 perfect to begin with. But for a nice cruise night driver, this stuff is perfectly fine if all the trim has to be is shiny, smooth and reflective and all one color.

 

thats right... there are some clears that include some seramic beads to make it scratch resistant and the coating tech is progessing as we speak...

 

Ok I´m about to redo some of my first spray on chrome pieces, and only because of an offroad mishap(they were in good shape after 4 months of road/off road use)





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Remember this bike? well the owner wants to chrome the fram and the front fender, I´m also doing the other dirt bike´s front fender

bare frame(before real chrome)


front fender(both bikes)

 

do guys want to know how can you tell if your tin(sensitizer) is going bad?

first. it takes longer to see a mirror
second. it does not look very sharp
third. when the clear is applied you will lose reflectivity..

here are some pics and videos of what I´m talking about

both pieces done, the one on the left is the worst one(but the right one also has this issue).. you can see that the mirror effect is not that sharp..(before clear) after doing this so much times, you get the feeling as to know when the product is going bad on you..



both pieces done, the one with the chrome coat is the worst one(will be showing how I painted the one with the chrome coat)







frame is not done yet(Real Chrome) will be placing videos as soon as I have them uploaded