I just had a frame chrome plated and it looks great along all the main tubes and easy-for-a-polisher-to-reach places. In the harder to reach areas such as the BB shell and seat cluster the chrome is rougher and in some places a bit yellow.

How would I go about polishing these areas?

Thanks!

There's nothing you can do.

Agreed

Why?

The chrome is very thin. The smooth/roughness is determined by what lies underneath. It's all in the prep.

Ah so. I only paid a couple hundred to have it chromed. I sent the nice old frame off to the plater with paint and all and they stripped it. I'm guessing that the roughness is from the brazing, so I should have stripped and prepped it myself, but I didn't know any better. Thanks!

Too late on this bike, but I have heard of a powder coat that is close to chrome color. I don't know how good it looks, but it is an intriguing option.

While the frame isn't as perfect as I had hoped it would be, it' still pretty nice. I'm thinking that painting in the lug windows and lining the lugs will dress it up and hide some of the roughness. Does anybody know how to make the chrome hold paint durably - best prep and paint? Thanks.

if you're seeing the chrome as "yellowish" you might actually be seeing nickel, which has a warmer and yellower tone than chrome. Typical "3-stage" chrome plating consists of nickel plating underneath the chrome (nickel is stage 2, after copper) if so the plater might have laid the chromium on extra thin in spots, not the sign of a job well done, IMO.
Chrome has to be roughened (needs to have some "tooth") for most paint to stick well...I'd talk to an auto painter and ask him what paint he thinks has the best "stick" to chrome, but if you're just looking to add paint in lug windows: One Shot Signpainter's enamel is my fave.

Thanks for the tip. I've been reading online about about "self-etching primer" for painting over chrome. I'll get some and try it on the little spots to be painted and report back when I get the bike together. Next task is lining up decals, which I may try to do myself. The bike is a Macario Professional from Spain, which is certainly worthy of a good effort.

My powder coating buddy says that chrome PC looks great but isn't very durable, needs a clearcoat. It looses it's luster when you clearcoat it. Best for things that don't get touched much.