chrome stripping

[blutarski]

Hey all woodworking season has ended model season has begun.

I have noticed of lat painting chrome pieces I have not been getting a good result even if primer has been used.Is there or what is the best way to strip chrome off of a part.I have just started a Ford Louisville that will be built prety much as is but with some accessorizing I am not that anal about it being a dead ringer for 1-1 but I know they dint come with chrome rocker covers ! am also tryingto find a supplier that may carry 1/25 hard hats or a WW I helmet close to that scale,any ideas? Thanks.....Al

This may be the first project I will post pics of if turns out the way I hope it will :

 

[JMac]

Different chemicals will work. Some guys use super clean, I use Coca-cola. It's not the fastest, takes several days of soaking, but I find it works. I clean the parts with dish detergent and warm water after.

JMac

 

[huntr]

I would go with the super clean just for the speed of it

 

[TRM]

Super Clean, Fantastic HD, 409, Simple Green....pretty much any house hold cleaner will work nicely. Just soak them in a plastic container (with a lid ), give it a shake every few minutes or so. Should be pretty much clean in under 1/2 hour. Then give a nice bath to the parts in a sink! ;D

Good luck!!

 

[blutarski]

Thanks fellas looks like I have a couple of routes to tuck into the tool box!!.....Al

 

[m1ks]

Ordinary household bleach.
Quick as you like, see my video here.

Stripping chrome plate on plastic models

 

[DXM]

Super Clean works wonders for me as a paint stripper and a chrome stripper.
Chrome was stripped after only about 15 minute soaking.

 

[spud]

M1 that's a really cool vid.

 

[Grendels]

Super Clean works great for stripping chrome. You can actually watch the chrome falling off....

 

[spud]

all i can say WOW M1 this works a treet and Really fast too, i needed to remove chrome from some clocks for my Vw samba bus and i think after about 5 seconds the chrome was gone, now they were small parts but i taught it woulda took a bit longer,
[me=spud]is well impressed[/me]

 

[m1ks]

all i can say WOW M1 this works a treet and Really fast too, i needed to remove chrome from some clocks for my Vw samba bus and i think after about 5 seconds the chrome was gone, now they were small parts but i taught it woulda took a bit longer,
[me=spud]is well impressed[/me]

Good isn't it, and dirt dirt cheap, any old bleach you have under your sink does the job, don't know about super clean but i'm guessing the bleach would be cheaper and it's way faster than anything else i've ever tried, including mr muscle which several people raved over, took 30+ minutes of soaking to see anything coming away.
As you can see in the video, those were Tamiya parts which are well plated and you can literally see the chrome dissolve as you watch it in seconds, some older revell kits with the really thick plating can take a few minutes but on the whole this is a winning solution for me and leaves a perfect clean chrome free part with no damage.
Glad you found it useful Spud.

 

[spud]

at first i taught it was kinda foaming but it was the cream colored plastic i was looking at, and im glad you posted that vid kinda timly

 

[schweinhund227]

Neat idea ! looks like its working fast to!

Is it removing the Carrier as well ? or just Bleaching out the Krome ? and leaving the Carrier/Primer which is that yellowish varnish on top of the part...?

I am sure those of you that have tried all sort of Home remedy to get this stuff off your Rims, Grills or Mufflers... know what I am talking about ! The gummy stuff you need to brush off with a Toothbrush !

If I didn't have to do that anymore... I would jump at it !!! I always welcome new ways of doing things...

Thanks for the Video !

 

[the Baron]

I use Superclean, it removed the chrome from the chromed frets in the Monogram Red Baron hot rod kit in less than 2 minutes. Thicker paint on plastic or metal figures takes a little longer, up to 20 for a soaking in a jar filled with the liquid.

I am intrigued by the notion of using bleach, or using Coke, and will have to try those. Coke'll certainly remove the enamel from your teeth over time, so I'm not surprised that it could strip paint.

The only issue with bleach that I can think of, is that of getting it on my clothes. I don't wear "good" clothes as such, to work at my bench, it's my casual gear, but I'd still hate to get bleach flecks on them. Superclean hasn't been an issue.

Also, bleach does have a bit of a scent, not as bad or caustic as that from the lye in oven cleaner, but probably want to make sure you've got good ventilation.

I did notice another effect with Superclean, a good side effect--it's a degreaser, and the parts that I soaked in it came out perfectly clean of all oils or mold release compounds. I had never felt the plastic surface feel like that, and now, instead of using dish soap in warm water to clean sprues, I use a couple drops of SC.

 

[m1ks]

Neat idea ! looks like its working fast to!

Is it removing the Carrier as well ? or just Bleaching out the Krome ? and leaving the Carrier/Primer which is that yellowish varnish on top of the part...?

I am sure those of you that have tried all sort of Home remedy to get this stuff off your Rims, Grills or Mufflers... know what I am talking about ! The gummy stuff you need to brush off with a Toothbrush !

If I didn't have to do that anymore... I would jump at it !!! I always welcome new ways of doing things...

Thanks for the Video !

It strips right back to the plastic leaving it squeaky clean after a rinse under running water, leaves no residue of any kind.
Obviously care has to be taken not to spill it on nice clothes, it will take a spot of colour out of them, (remember the bleach tie dye t-shirts at the back end of the 70's, much fun was had and many a parent head shake in bewilderment and frustration for using all the bleach)
Easiest thing to do is keep any old cheap apron handy, pop it on when bleaching, the process is so quick, I dip, strip, pile the bits into a tub then take them and rinse in the sink. I've never bothered with aprons personally and only use a pot as big as the part I need to strip, so far so good but I wear casual clothes for modelling anyway as I have gotten paint and glue and such on them before.

 

[Junkie]

Great video. I'm going to try using Bleach to strip the chrome off my 1/6 R2D2 kit...probably try that tonight.

 

[schweinhund227]

;D. Thanks for the info! Will give a try on my old Red Baron Hot Rod or my Gold krome Patty Wagon.

Later!

 

[the Baron]

... Will give a try on my old Red Baron Hot Rod...

I had to, I couldn't help myself. What was going to be a fast out-of-box build for an automotive fellowship build at Agape started to turn into a case of AMS. I couldn't live with the seams on the fuel tank and the intake, or the flat faces of the exhaust horns, or the sprue gate scars on the helmet. That mean stripping the chrome and then painting the parts. But they turned out pretty nicely.