Chrome Pot Metal Step by Step Restoration.Can it be done?

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for watching the video. We have already restored the front bumper from this '48 Oldsmobile here is a link to the video kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJK5pp99atx9j8k Here is a video of some mazak parts we rechromed for another customer a while ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqC8f5qPj5aei5Y

[@andrew32155]

Thanks for sharing! I have been playing with high thickness copper electroforming at home, and was preparing a question/comment in my head if your shop would fill in the pits as best as possible with a high build copper layer, and you answered my question in the next instant. 😊 I know "just enough" to know there's loads I don't know. And I can see the skill in the shop workers, like how they wire up the items, and slip the insulators on key places & corners, like the opening for those signal lamps in the trim. I love the technology videos of "how we do this." And it's what KZbin shines at for making lives better & learning. (Opposed to faux silliness & drama) so, again... thank you!

[@brucebarker6272]

I've had loads of rechroming done over the years, and am always amazed at the process. Here in California, laws have made it virtually impossible to do a proper job, so we're forced to choose between less-than (but still expensive) quality, or shipping parts out of state. Beautiful job on those Olds pieces, especially given the awful shape they were in!

[@garymucher4082]

WOW, such a huge labor intensive process. I can understand why they cost so much to have replated now... Thumbs Up and great work!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@pedrolanhas4120]

Exactly what I thought!!

[@nstooge]

I really enjoy watching skilled craftsmen doing their job/s so well.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

So do I

[@machineman6498]

Thank you for showing realistic results with very pitted metal.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

We try our best to show the reality of restoring this material

[@ponkkaa]

Wow! What a lengthy process. I'm amazed at the amount of work needed to produce a chrome finish. Nicely narrated too.

[@SuperBossman9]

Your polisher has some incredible skill, a good part of the final outcome is in the polishing. I can see why electroplating is so expensive nowadays, here in NZ so many shops have closed down especially with tighter environmental restrictions. Beautiful work I wish you were local to me.

[@spyroscharalambidis7907]

Very conscientious about their work, they don't cut corners! I've been into one of these workshops in Athens some 40 years ago, I needed some minor work to be done on my 1974 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300. I was amazed at the working conditions, the smell of all these chemicals was something else. These people are heroes, they fully deserve the fees they charge!

[@pedrolanhas4120]

This is the best electroplating vídeo/ explanation I have seen so far. I simply have an “obsession” for polishing stuff since I was a kid. I am 59 now. Here in Portugal it took me years to find an excellent chrome service. Your knowledge and experience make me want to fly over there just to meet the company in person. Thank you for the kind video without “hiding the secrets” It sure shows us why we have to pay what is due to such a work and knowledge .

[@derekwright5564]

Dude does the work like a true badass. Man knows his trade. You watch him work and instantly have respect.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@montymc450]

Hats off to you. Absolutely gorgeous results

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you! 😊

[@ginolabarbera2056]

Unreal technique! Great video. No wonder it costs so much to get chroming done. It’s so manual intensive with highly skilled workers doing magic! The chemicals must be a significant burden too. Well done!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jicabe577]

When I was 21 (32 years ago) I bought my first car, a 57 Chevrolet Bel Air. I considered to do the chrome plating job myself. It was the pre internet age, so I got a book from a library called "100 industries explained". I learned about the cooper-nickel-chrome process, and tried with a tiny lock key... It was a disaster. So, did a lot of the restorarion work myself, but not the chrome plating. It was the most expensive part, but It was worth every buck. I still have the car, awaiting a second restoration. I hope by then a master artisan like you still exist in my country! Many thanks.

[@stevesloan6775]

Goodness me, I love that you’re still pumping out amazing work! My jaw is and has always been on the ground watching your staggering workmanship. Thank you so sooo much for sharing such skill with the world. 🇦🇺🤜🏼🤛🏼😎🍀🍀🍀☮️☮️☮️

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Wow, thank you. There is a video on the channel where we did the front bumper of this 1948 oldsmobile. That was an epic restoration.

[@Rich77UK]

Little shops like you are worth double your weight in gold. Its a lost art and likely not to return en-mass due to environmental laws. You made this look simple (ive tried...IT IS NOT SIMPLE!) Well done chap. Long may you prosper.

[@ono147]

wrong "L" word, it isn't "lost", it's "Litigated" away

[@stevegleixner3982]

I really like the extra step of using the laser to clean the pot metal!!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

We find it helps a lot.

[@Sulfuron41]

True art! What fantastic craftsmanship. I wish this wasn't a dying art

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Many thanks

[@gerardyoung1538]

Very good finish, the laser was a good idea to clean. I am surprised it did not do any damage or leave any marks. Enjoyed the video, I think the customer will be very pleased. Excellent

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

It would damage it if you used too high a power setting.

[@benjamindover7399]

Great Job. Now I understand why it is so expensive to have chrome plating done. That was a lot of work.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Yes it was

[@robert64impala]

Only a true craftsman can restore this kind of pieces 👊🏼👍🏻 Incredible work Deep respect👊🏼

[@ljprep6250]

Amazing difference. I was really surprised that old pitting came off. It looked like 3 grit sandpaper. Well done.

[@notsohairybiker]

That's a mad amount of work to get that finish, true craftsmen on the job.

[@kevinsnowdon9797]

That's a great result.When I was looking at getting some re plating done around twenty years ago I couldn't find anybody to tackle Mazac.

[@branchandfoundry560]

Enlightening to see this process! I stripped a kitchen faucet set back to its bare "Rustic brass" casting with electrolysis in phosphoric acid for a historic home renovation several years ago. Quite the learning process that was. This video helps me understand what exactly I was taking off.

[@clairependrous4512]

Amazing skills used in this complicated process, well done guys.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks a lot!

[@M-mj8bd]

I like all the Christmas decorations in the tanks, very festive

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Me too!

[@michaelkither2620]

Thanks for the insight into your process...i am surprised the plastic reflectors survice the caustic chemicals...well done for your efforts...

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for watching!

[@efrainberrios8494]

Wow!, that’s is very impressive and so hard to do without your knowledge!, really you are a master in chrome business!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks! 😃

[@CarlosGlatzos976]

Looks amazing. I would have sanded through it on the first pass. Great skills!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks 👍

[@brianbloom1799]

What a amazing finish, You did a Beautiful Job

[@Tommy_Poole]

Thank you so much for showing this. I was aware that this was the correct process but had never seen it put into practice.

[@SeaTravelr123]

Wow THIS gives me quite the appreciation for the whole process.. I have several cars that need loads of Pot metal and chrome re done... I can see why the prices are so high...:-(

[@Dr.Pepperovsky]

My honor! The level of work is incredible! If geographically I had the opportunity, I would definitely trust you with the details of my motorcycles for chrome plating.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Our pleasure!

[@poogy3]

LOTS of GREAT work!!!! Thank you. It's amazing how much labor and perfection/mastery of tools that goes into plating.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@gerardfenn3988]

That's Friggen Amazing!!! I Love It!!! Now I want to go out and buy that '59 Impala and give you some more business. The quirk is that I would want to help you to restore the chrome pieces. This is a 110% Finish. This is just so Awesome!!!

[@MrEFHATCH1990]

That's some serious skill, I loved watching these guys work.

[@GeneralElectricCNC]

Thank you for the great informative video! It shows us why restoration of pot metal parts is so expensive.

[@NWSanta]

Man would I love to have all those tools at home! Nice work!!!

[@magnetocheck]

Very impressive craftmanship!

[@TimGwinn]

I LIKE HOW THEY ARE PLATTING SO NICE. GOOD WORK !🥴😝

[@ozyrob1]

Beautiful work. A job you clearly take pride in.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Yes, thank you

[@garbo8962]

There was a great car chrome shop in Northeast Philly for many years but closed a few years ago.A coworker took some pieces for a car he was restoring. Told him it would take three months so after three months when he called them to see if they were finished owner got aggravated and told him to come by and pick them up. Shop never touched them. Shop did such great work people didn't mind waiting forever & a day.

[@mikef.1000]

No wonder re-chroming costs to much -- the sheer amount of work!! Well done.

[@JorgeFernandez-uc9qb]

Very nice job on them. They look great!

[@tboyz1]

An amazing process, very skilled workmanship thanks for sharing 👍

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Very welcome

[@seanhoward5562]

Wow, that's quite a process. Nice job.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

It sure is

[@jarmominkkinen9409]

What a fantastic job you doing👍👍👍🖐

[@transmitterguy478]

BEAUTIFUL JOB! Very labor intensive.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@Conservator.]

It have always been aware that chrome plating is a laborious and expensive process but now I know why. Thank you very much! I was wondering what those balls in the cleaning and chrome baths are for.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

They are insulation

[@fsj197811]

Very nice! A lot of work goes into that. Thanks for sharing.

[@KRColson]

An amazing job! Fantastic! Well done. Cheers!

[@jacquespoirier9071]

much better quality than the original chrome job.

[@OldMan854]

Absolutely beautiful work!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@worldofrandometry6912]

Very interesting. My dad was an electroplater. I knew it was hard work using lots of toxic chemicals but never knew how much was involved. He lived well into his eighties.

[@markgardiner5150]

I worked in a zinc cyanide plating facility, we plated 1000’s of pounds of nails a year for coil or stick nailers in Rhode Island, USA. I am glad I am not in that job anymore but it is an interesting process!

[@ddu6043]

I wish there were people like this in Canada

[@jojoandthecats]

That is a very impressive turnaround....

[@howelljaynes1292]

I'd like to watch a similar video where the pot metal had such deep pits that the copper plating processes would not adequately fill in the pit. I understand that lead/tin solder is used in these situations....well maybe silver solder....to fill in the pits and the solder is then ground down to smooth Into matching the surrounding material. I've had pieces rechromed where the replater said he had to do this. I'm impressed at the labor involved. The Environmental Protection Agency has ran a lot of replaters out of business here in California. Replating, anywhere in the US, is very expensive now due to the EPA.

[@TwoBlackMarks]

I would also like to hear the answer here. I have just hobby copper and nickel plated small old stuff, like double edge razors and some worn out keychains and such. If the pot metal is really corroded it is hard to clean it, and the copper will not plate on the corroded pot metal spots, so only parts of it would be nice looking/plated, dipping it in anything acidic will not clean it either, just make it worse where it is pitted bad. I guess I could grind it, flux it and tin it, but I would not be able to recreate the fine details in the casting where I would tin it. If the item is just flat and shiny without details the tinning would be an easy solution though. Maybe deplating it would potentially remove some corrosion, Hmm, sorry for thinking out loud here, but it is interesting, and nice to fix some old stuff, especially stuff that is beyond repair in most peoples eyes. I have never tried flux on pitted potmetal though. This zamak stuff is pretty poor stuff when the outer layer of plating has gone away and the corrosion begins..

[@skunkjobb]

If it's pot metal (mostly zinc), it will melt before the silver solder so that doesn't work but you can use lead/tin or pure tin solder. The chemicals used in plating is nasty stuff. If you simply dump the washing water to the sewer, you will pollute the waste water sludge with heavy metals so it's a good thing that that is no longer allowed in many places. You have to have a local special treatment for the spent washing water, then everything is fine.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Correct

[@87mini]

As an ex-hazmat inspector who has been into several shops that were "shut down" by the EPA, I wish that everyone who carps about the injustice of it could have come on my inspections. Plating can be a really messy business, with the acids, bases, crystalline deposits and corrosion from acid gases. Old shops had wooden catwalks and unlined concrete floors that eroded from the acids. Newer shops are designed with maintenance in mind, but in the days before EPA, spent baths would just be taken to the dump, or pumped into the sanitary sewer, which often went to the rivers or ocean after sanitary processing. Once the laws passed in the late 70's required proper disposal of the nasty stuff, lots of shops were slow to include disposal costs in their plating fees, and started accumulating the spent baths and sediment in the back lot or corners or the shop - imagine 400 gallon tanks filled to the top with green nickel sulfate crystals, or dozens of 55-gallon drums of hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, nitric acid, chromic acid crowded into a back lot or storage building. If these were discovered, the owner was forced to dispose of them properly (they were a danger to the neighborhood), and more often than not, they declared bankruptcy or were already shut down. In most cases, the taxpayers ended up footing the bill for disposal. The platers that survived or built new plants use methods to minimize waste by controlling contamination (see all of his rinses? Those keep his plating baths uncontaminated and make them last longer). the consequence of running a tighter ship is higher cost, But those are the true costs to do quality work and protect the taxpayers from contamination and cleanup costs. The upside is that the platers now, at least in California, do great work - the sloppy old guys are gone.

[@TwoBlackMarks]

@@87mini There are many people that just do not care. Most people are idiots. People throw garbage out the window, chemicals in the toilet and oil in the soil. In all age groups. The older I get, the less I want to deal with other humans.

[@mbraun777]

Very Impressive! Love to watch professionals.

[@robertward553]

Beautiful job done on a piece of crap, now a work of art. Thanks.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thankyou

[@davedunn4285]

a fantastic restoration

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Many thanks!

[@GeeBeeMike]

I have a Nash Hood Ornament that could do with a bit of this. Well done. Your work is amazing.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

You could send it to us

[@michaelwhitaker3452]

“Of course, they’re definitely very Sparkly!”

[@jimh2290]

very interesting, thanks for sharing how this done.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Wheelgauge-bt7ox]

Used to be a shop on the southside of Chicago that used to do this work! RIP to a lost art

[@DBMC6]

Amazing & beautiful work

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@debike3077]

Fascinating, beautiful job 👍

[@skunkjobb]

I had a couple of gas levers for a boat in chromed zinc that were heavily corroded. I filed off the old chrome and polished the zinc to a mirror shine. The only plating I can do at home is with nickel acetate. I should have figured that the zinc couldn't handle the acid so they came out dull grey. Fiasco! Then I polished them again and sprayed on clear coat. It looks good and they are still fine after two years but it was a bit of cheating.

[@tssarkozi7413]

Chrome is magical..

[@craigey1289]

Mazac notoriously difficult to restore as it pits terribly. But what a beautiful finish considering what you started with.👍

[@robertwagner734]

Beautiful work . True craftsman .

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@andrewmacgregor8717]

And that, boys and girls, is why you don't see much chromed steel in cars or consumer goods anymore. Health and safety, acids, copper cyanide, labour, labour, labour. $$$$$. Hats off to you chaps.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Many Thanks

[@rdt1104]

Amazing video, thanks!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Glad you liked it!

[@DavidCaldwell1]

Awesome. Love your work.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you so much 😀

[@GenerationGap69]

Mate of mine went to get some parts chromed for his Austin Healy in Australia and nearly had a heart attack when they gave a quote. He took the part with him to Thailand and they knocked them out in less than a week for less than $300. Now I gotta workout how I get my 56 Chev bumper to Thailand 😳

[@richardclifton4120]

If more people worked this way with pride in what they did, the world would be a better place. I am absolutely tired of the laziness displayed by people who only work for a paycheck yet spend half their time looking at their phones while getting paid.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Agreed

[@AutumnsGunnar]

I’m not arguing with your statement nor do I completely disagree but also think that if we want to see these dying trades stay alive we need to back off on this mentality. Being in a dying trade myself (I specialize in metal shaping/coachbuilding) I’ve seen so many kids come around eager to learn that are being told they’re useless and lazy before ever being given an opportunity to learn something and start becoming useful. If someone wants to learn and didn’t grow up around an industry let alone have any experience we can’t give them shit about not having common sense because nothing is common to them yet. If you’re a kid and the people who are suppose to teach you only shit on you for not knowing something, call you lazy and make more negative claims about you why the hell would they bother sticking around?

[@richardclifton4120]

@@AutumnsGunnar I only know what I have seen. *Trying to justify laziness is a bigger flaw than any mistakes made by those who are paid to do the work.* Bosses who are afraid to correct those who aren't doing what they are paid to do is being nothing more than an enabler. Usually, a learned response from poor training is what creates laziness and a lack of pride. Not correcting them or dismissing (firing) them when the same things are repeated after being corrected on what is expected is simply a weakness in management. Weakness in a boss is easy to spot.

[@AutumnsGunnar]

@@richardclifton4120 i see everything I just said went right over your head. You seem like the type to boast about having decades of experience after shitting on people’s work while offering no substantial help to the situation. You’re more concerned with pointing out negatives vs creating and positives but you do you

[@johnprice1952]

Wow! Amazing work!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@jimanderson4981]

That’s the only way to do quality plating 👍. That’s why show car re-chrome is so expensive.

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Very true!

[@philldownes8685]

re chroming that old rubbish pot metal is a art. normally people would chuck that rubbish away.. great job done here

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks

[@tomasanderson6815]

was on the phone today talking about some crappy chrome work on simmilar parts we recievied some days ago , now youtube gets me this in my feed , hmmm: so youtube listen to my calls , interesting :).

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

@tomasanderson6815 it is almost as if you are in The Matrix. Mr Anderson.

[@uncleronny6748]

Sweet Jesus, what a shit show pot metal l is. I had some 1969 Cougar grill and taillight pieces rechromed years ago and I think the folks who did it lost the will to live after I picked it up.

[@gerardfenn3988]

A Huge 2 Thumbs Up and a New Sub for ya. Your such a Pro and a Big Thank You for doing an Awesome Job Videoing this also.

[@karaDee2363]

Beautiful job!

[@TheGorf]

It's great to know what my parts go through when I send them down to Mexico!

[@mrsashleymccauley]

where do you send them?

[@roberthirshfield3571]

Amazing work

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@stevebrayshaw7228]

Loved seeing this and the skill involved. Why do the tanks have floating balls in them ?

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Insulation

[@brunoburtoni8479]

She looks good mate, as long theirs no delayed blistering , laser cleaner may of helped a tiny . Fingers crossed. I usually skip the first mild acid dip before the first layer of cyanide . Only electroclean and 3 warm rinses .

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks for the tip

[@DemopVWgarage]

great job, I got some vw barndoor door handles done (pot metal) and they came out terrible, the chromer said its because of the poor quality metal. You have proven him wrong!!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

We do the best we can with the parts we are given. These did have defects in them as the material is very poor.

[@normenw.4900]

I was told "pot metal" is done by specialized shops by my chrome plating shop. It is difficult to chrome-plate, it can outgas. You have to wait a long time between steps and it is very expensive. 250€ per handle. So I prefer to look for NOS parts

[@BrumAdam]

Excellent work and an amazing finish on such a poor base material. Cheers

[@larrywoolford8978]

This video will answer the question a lot of people have about why chrome plating is so expensive. Not only does the shop need to deal with the extremely expensive overhead costs , but there is also a tremendous amount of man hours to get the parts in shape to be plated .

[@flickpad]

I've had parts re-chromed before. It's not cheap, but it's not difficult to see why given the skill and work required.

[@jarmominkkinen9409]

Great knowledge you have❤❤👍👍👍

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thanks a lot

[@jjamanda]

Brilliant video thank you surprised the lenses left in on the tail lights????

[@petehalasz7547]

Insane work,, keep it up.. that's why we aren't finding kids doing this anymore.. it takes, intelligence,, muscle, finesse,, and commitment,, which none of these punks have anymore.. they all think they're going to make money being an idiot on youtube... Keep up the great work..

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Agreed

[@nononsenseBennett]

Such an art! Still, I'm glad chrome isn't used on modern cars as much.

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

I'll bet you have a huge backlog! I've got 2 pot metal headlight rings I need done.

[@MrButtonpresser]

A huge effort but the result is great.

[@scottbrady419]

That's art work!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

@@scottbrady419 thanks

[@JoelCardenas-nx7vs]

Lots of talent, hard work, many steps to get that awsome chrome finish, thank you for the great video...any idea , on 1976 trans am plastic grill trim? Could you do them, or know of someone that can restore the chrome edging on the grills, it be cool to see the process of chrome'ing plastic, maybe i should contact the toy model car makers(Revell) those always looked shiny too..😂

[@MaxGiganteum]

-- If I recall correctly... what appears to be chrome on plastic is actually a very thin layer of polished aluminum that is vacuum formed onto the plastic parts. The last time I checked, which was undoubtedly about 10 years ago now, there were a few places here in the states that still restored plastic parts using this process. You might choose to look into it based on where you are using the power of the WWW. Best wishes! - Max Giganteum

[@mikeh4245]

Beautiful!

[@ChromeandCarRestoration]

Thank you!

[@callumtbjones]

Sir you are a master