Powder Coating Chrome Frames
 

The frame I picked up as a project for my dad has a full chrome fork and seat/chain stays. Unfortunately the chome is pitted and much of it is flaking away, as you can see in the pictures below.

Now I was aware of this problem when I got the frame, but I have another repair that will require repainting, so I am planning on having the frame powder coated. The chome that is left isn't flaking off when scrubbed with steel wool.

For those who have had frames powder coated before, will sandblasting be an option to prep this condition for powder coating or will I need to remove it some other way?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...pswmzbfpm0.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...psq8ci4btp.jpg

I would say talk to your PC shop and see what they say , however I would take it to a chrome shop and have them strip it . I have had that done before and it was cheap . Love that San Marco .

I like a chrome crown, even if you paint the rest of the fork.

The powercoater will have to get rid of the rust.. I.E. probably sand blasting which will at least get rid of some of the chrome. But, I can't say how good of a finish it would give.

I asked my local PC shop about coating over chrome. They said they do it pretty often. They don't require the chrome to be stripped, but recommend at least roughing it up by sanding for better adhesion.

+1,

The primary issue when painting chrome is adhesion. This will be especially important down near the ends of the blades where there's quite a bit of flex.

A decent painter will grit blast the frame, not to fully remove the chrome, but to produce a texture that the paint can latch on to.

Some painters chemically etch the chrome, but I don't suggest that because the acid gets into the tubes, and often isn't rinsed or neutralized effectively.

If the chrome is already flaking away, it cannot provide a firm foundation for another coating. Lose it. Let the powder coater blast it away and start over. They can do a two part coating that looks like clear over chrome, or various "candy" colors that are excellent.

Having powder coated several frames with chrome socks, if the chrome's good, the powder coater will media blast it to roughen it up. If it's beat up, I sand it before taking it to the coater. If it's flaking, I sand it until only chrome that's well adhered is left. If you do that, though, you need to feather the chrome into the bare metal, or you'll have pock marks in the finish.

If you can find someone who will chemically strip it, note that the same chemistry that removes the chrome will eat into the brazing filler. It's unlikely it will weaking the frame, but lug shorelines may suffer, and the brazing might look a bit undercut.

Chromium as an electro plate can be De plated In the chrome shop, (current reversal )
polish up the base metal again, and re plated, if you wish.

but as above, plating involves an acidic solution With suspended chromium salts dissolved in it .

same applies to silver copper nickel and gold


powder coating is always blasted clean, and has to be untouched until out of the oven.
oils from your hands screws up the even coating..



...

Thanks all.


I believe I'll strip the paint, and sand the chrome until smooth transitions or it is fully removed.

Be careful about trying to feather those transitions. Chrome plating is harder than steel, so if you keep sanding at a chrome/steel transition, you may remove more steel than chrome and make things worse.

There is a local guy that has powder coated a few frames for me. I have seen frames that were powder coated 'chrome' that look very nice. Thought I would mention it if you wanted to go the 'chrome' powder coat route on the ares of your frame/fork that are currently chrome.