New to Copy Chrome

[93FATBOY]

Hello ...Just received my new Copy Chrome Kit from those fine folks at Caswell Plating.I decided that buying new chrome parts for my 93 Fatboy was becoming expensive and some parts just are`nt sold anymore.My thinking is that the old parts fit fine ...its the chrome thats fading and it needs sprucing up so why spend money on buying new parts with chrome on it when I already have the parts with faded chrome on them and to boot theres no pitting ,gouges or dents in them? All I have to do is replate those bad boys and my bike will be in " best of show " mode once again.
I have read the manual on how to use my trusty Copy Chrome Kit from those fine folks at Caswell Plating and I know from time to time that I will have questions in regards to using it to its fullest potential.I have read the posts in the forums and hope to one day be as good at this as Jim is at this.
Having said all of that I must now go for I am now turning our extra bathroom into my chroming lab....boy is my girlfriend gonna be surprised !!

93 Fatboy

[pickleboy]

just for the sake of arguement where are you located? as you develop your skill some may want to look to you for plating jobs.

[93FATBOY]

I live in Myrtle Beach S.C .....transplanted from Long Island , NY . No chroming shops where Im at . Researched it but found none in S.C. at all....but hopefully with help I get from this forum there will one soon. By the way ....Im now on my way out to the dumpster to fish out the tub , sink and toilet . My girlfriend has to work on her sense of humor. Think Ill chrome the toilet.

[jimcarry]

Welcome to the forum and good luck .
Remember that metal finishing is an art if there is any way I can help you let me know

[93FATBOY]

OK...first question ...I have a chrome cover for the front brake reservoir.no dents , dings , scratches etc. What is best way to get the chrome off? Glass bead blast? use a bench mounted buffer? by hand? and when I do this is it best to just take the chrome off down to the copper or down to the metal? Any info on this will be helpful for all the parts Im going to Copy Chrome are all in the same condition.

[fxstcguy98]

First you must understand that chrome plated parts are copper, nickel then chrome. You can strip the chrome off with 50/50 muratic acid (hydrocloric sold as concrete cleaner at home depot/lowes) and distilled water. Some people have luck using easy off in the yellow can or use Caswell chrome/anodize stripper. You should be able to plate right onto the nickel and be done with it. You will probably have to active the nickel before plating, you can activate with 15% to 20% sulfuric (battery acid) and water, buy buffing or by sandblasting. Sandblasting of course will leave a rough surface that must be buffed out first. Nickel will passivate in only a few minutes, so go from the activation, rinse with cool water (warm makes it passivate faster) and right into the copy chrome.

[traciej68]

First off, good luck with your kit. I started off with the small kit to learn things I could do and now I'm steadily growing. I do about the same thing your starting to do and have just opened a shop. The muratic acid and distilled water works the best for the pieces that you don't have to repair. I think you'll find that when you start running into pieces you have a blemish or scratch in you'll be wantting to get an acid copper kit also. I strctly do bike parts here and am waiting on delivery of the wheel kit so it will be easier to do inner primarys and larger parts. I do all the plating for the areas harley shop and other shops in the area so if you have any questions I'ld be glad to help. Enjoy your kit.

[93FATBOY]

Thanks for all the advice Im getting from all you folks. I have purchased the Muriatic acid and distilled water . How long do I soak the part for? Should it be heated in this case or no? The manual is helpful but I think its better to get input from the people who have already gone thru trial and error.
In all honesty I think that there is more to all this than just chroming....you become a metallurgist and a chemical engineer. I almost feel like Bob in those Enzyte commercials !!!