Need a little direction

[fatboyz]

Hey guys, I've been on the Caswell forum a little while now and have mostly been in the polishing forum learning how to make aluminum shiney and have a decent little buisness polishing bike parts and am looking to get into chroming also. I am looking at the triple chrome 4.5 gallon kit to start with. I hope to get this started in the next few months but need a little direction and information. Are there any precautions I need to take when setting up the chroming work area or are there any special considerations I need to take on work area placement? I would like to chrome plate frames but I don't see how it's possible to do with a 4.5 gallon setup, Can someone tell me what is the largest part I can do?

I apoligize if these are faq questions, I went back a few pages but opted to post instead or searching in hopes someone will take the time and answer a few questions. Thanks for the time and all the good info on the board.

Fatboyzn

[fly]

First of all your taking a big step, but a good one since you have the polishing part down. The 4.5 gal. set up will only let you plate small parts since the container is only 4.5 gallons. If you can find a plater near by and see if they will let you look around, would be the best thing you could do. Even better is find a plater that is small like me (60 gallon tanks) and see how the small time platers do it.

[fatboyz]

Originally Posted by fly

First of all your taking a big step, but a good one since you have the polishing part down. The 4.5 gal. set up will only let you plate small parts since the container is only 4.5 gallons. If you can find a plater near by and see if they will let you look around, would be the best thing you could do. Even better is find a plater that is small like me (60 gallon tanks) and see how the small time platers do it.

Thanks for the input. There are no chromers located within atleast 70-90 miles away, why? I dunno, I definitly see a market here from the polishing I have been doing. I am really not sure what to do though since I can only do small parts I personally would like to be able to do parts alteast up to the size of rims and swingarms as these are high demand parts in this area. I polish atleast 2-3 sets of rims a month and several crotch rocket swingarms and most of the guys wanted thiers chrome plated but the local dealers don't know who or where to send them. What would be the minimum size tank I need to do this size(rims and swingarms HD and Metric) parts?

[fly]

Where is your location? The problem is not the tanks, its the rectifiers, you need a machine that needs 440 power and thats hard to get at home. The plating is more to it than people think, you have to have everthing just so to make it happen. My operation is doing good without doing the swingarms and wheels, I have a larger company that uses me as a dealer for my area. Maybe you could do that. I have been thinking of getting out of the plating business due to too much work and not enough off time from my full time job. So maybe I could help you get started but I need to think about it more for now... One thing I suggest is to find out more information before you jump in cause its a lot more to it than you think....