Classic & Vintage - Rust Removal

This is what I started out with. The chrome is obviously pitted. Any ideas on a plan of attack? I figure olaxic acid, steel wool and some zud for starters, but I'm sure it will still be pitted. Anyone have experience in rechroming? I'm open to all ideas. Thanks, John http://www.gallery.unvoiced.com/main.php?g2_itemId=194

Here it is with some work done, more to go, I'm afraid.
http://www.gallery.unvoiced.com/main.php?g2_itemId=197

That's actually cleaning up reasonably well. I need to do the same on Capo #2's stays and fork blades. (The lugs must be nickel-plated; fortunately, they are in good shape, albeit a bit dull.

Has anyone had a fork rechromed? I'm curious as to the cost and how smooth I would have to have the surface to get a nice finish. I bought the bike to flip, but it is so nice, I may keep it. It doesn't look like it has many miles on it at all. All Campagnolo SR except the brake levers, and I have a NOS set of those. Columbus SL frame.

The old chrome has to be removed and the part has to be polished before rechroming. If the pits are really deep, you'll have chrome pits.

so do you bead blast or soda blast or what? Any ideas, anyone?

so do you bead blast or soda blast or what? Any ideas, anyone?
To get the old chrome off...FAST...they'll probably use silicon carbide. Then somebody will take it to a wheel...you hope at this point that it's somebody who cares about detail, if you have some, cause it's all up to that operator whether it all gets buffed away. The actually plating is rather the simpler part: copper/nickel/chrome... any Hell's Angel knows the drill ;)

Ive been using olaxic acid lately. Its cheap and easy to use. I like to keep a mason jar of a olaxic acid solution around, and when I disassemble a bike, any hardware that has rust goes in the jar. A day later the rust is gone.

Works great on chrome too. I did a chrome frame in 2 steps (I didnt have a big enough container to do the whole thing) and it truly was a miricale. One of these days I am going to post before and after pics on here!!!

To get the old chrome off...FAST...they'll probably use silicon carbide. Then somebody will take it to a wheel...you hope at this point that it's somebody who cares about detail, if you have some, cause it's all up to that operator whether it all gets buffed away. The actually plating is rather the simpler part: copper/nickel/chrome... any Hell's Angel knows the drill ;)So I start sanding until I get a smooth surface, right? I wasn't sure if new chrome would fill in the pits or not.


Ive been using olaxic acid lately. Its cheap and easy to use. I like to keep a mason jar of a olaxic acid solution around, and when I disassemble a bike, any hardware that has rust goes in the jar. A day later the rust is gone. If you look at the before/after pictures you will see that the rust is gone, just the pits left by the rust remain.

Usually when something is going to be re-plated it is stripped by reversing the plating process. If it is triple plated, the chrome would be removed by immersion in a plating tank and reversing the polarity. If the nickel underneath is still good it would then go through the polishing and get re-plated. If it is really bad it might have to go back down to the copper layer and have any repairs done, polish, copper plate again, polish and then onto the other layers. The stripping can cause major problems if it isn't done carefully, I know someone who had a whole bike stripped and ended up with a pile of lugs and tubes.

vjp

Okay, now I'm a bit worried about just turning it over to the plating company. It has an investment cast crown and a Rossin 'R' on the crown sides. Anyone had any experience in a project like this? Advice for the timid? Thanks,

John

Okay, now I'm a bit worried about just turning it over to the plating company. It has an investment cast crown and a Rossin 'R' on the crown sides. Anyone had any experience in a project like this? Advice for the timid? Thanks,

John
If YOU can get it super smooth then you are the man for the job, you'll take the care not to lose detail that's important to you. After that, find a plater that has done bike parts in your area, or one you can trust after showing him your fork to check if it's prepped enough for a good plater to plate. The more hand work you can do yourself, as long as it's satisfactory to the plater, the easier for him and better for you.