Chrome plater recommendation

[Harv]

I have been getting chrome work done by a gentleman in Bundarra, NSW. He has done parts for various cars of mine, and Dad's. When it came time to do the FED, there was no question - packed the parts up and sent them to him.

Parts came back a few months later, and I'm really happy with them. The only dramas were on the sump (one bubble) and the pitman arm (splines had been chromed). No issues, send them back and they will be redone. Packed them off, and waited a few months before calling and checking.

Sadly, the gentleman had passed away unexpectedly. Makes you stop and think, and be grateful for what you have. The parts were returned to me, and I now need to get them stripped and rechromed. No bodywork required on them. I don't need ultra show quality chrome, just nice stuff that will last and is hard as hell.

Any recommendations for work done recently by a plater please?

Cheers,
Harv

[Brett027]

Electroplating Technology Queanbeyan. 026297 0535. Shane is a good fellow to deal with. I can help with logistics if need be.

[Harv]

Thanks Brett. Spoke to Shane this morning. He has at least an eight month backlog (not that I am in any hurry). He won't do the sump though .

He's recommended Astor Metal Finishes in Villawood... gave them a call, waiting on a quote.

Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

I was talking to a couple of the QLD boys over the weekend, they were on their way down there to try and reclaim a big heap of stuff they took down to him late last year, apparently he passed just before Christmas and it has taken them this long to be able to arrange to get in there and find their gear

[ardiesse]

Harv,

You could also try Hamilton Chrome (quite close to Newcastle CBD).

Rob

[Harv]

Ended up going with Astor Metal Finishes in Villawood. Dropped off the sump and steering arm. Now for the waity waity.

Cheers,
Harv

[EK283]

Ended up going with Astor Metal Finishes in Villawood. Dropped off the sump and steering arm. Now for the waity waity.

Cheers,
Harv

Also waiting for the quality report !

Greg

[Harv]

Will let you know how I go. 6-8 week lead so won't see the bits until last week of April/1st week of May.

There were two options: show chrome and normal. I went for normal, as the FED will get used... hard.

Quote to electrochemically strip then replate the steering arm and sump was $577. Shouldn't be much finishing work as that was done by the last plater. A lot more expensive than the bloke I used to use, though probably close to market rate for chroming.

Cheers,
Harv

[Mick]

A lot more expensive than the bloke I used to use, though probably close to market rate for chroming.

Cheers,
Harv

chrome is crazy compared to what it used to be, now i am going back 25 to 30 years but i was quoted $300 to do a front and rear bumper both not each) but this price was to weld the bumpers into one piece fill all holes chrome them and ship them from VIC back to me in NSW all i had to do was drop them off at the AHD at Clarendon or pay to ship them to VIC, you're lucky to get one section just chromed these days for $300 and it was decent chrome back then not the crap you get these days

[Harv]

chrome is crazy compared to what it used to be, now i am going back 25 to 30 years but i was quoted $300 to do a front and rear bumper both not each) but this price was to weld the bumpers into one piece fill all holes chrome them and ship them from VIC back to me in NSW all i had to do was drop them off at the AHD at Clarendon or pay to ship them to VIC, you're lucky to get one section just chromed these days for $300 and it was decent chrome back then not the crap you get these days

Yep. The bloke I was using was good value. Everything you see in the photo below, plus a mangy sump, for $1500 inc. freight.

Parts for chroming.jpg (100.75 KiB) Viewed 536 times

Cheers,
Harv

[Harv]

I picked up the parts yesterday from Astor Metal Finishes. This was my experience:

a) I had a sump and a 6" long steering arm rechromed. They had recently been plated, but the sump had two blisters and the arm had been chromed over the splines. My plater had passed away, so I needed a new shop to electrostrip and replate the chrome.
b) I was quoted 6-8 weeks. The job took 9.5 weeks. At the 6 week mark I struggled to get an answer on when the job would be ready. It took three phone calls as they did not call back as promised. When I got an answer, it indicated 10 weeks.
c) The finish on the flat sides of the sump and arm are beautiful. I will not post photos, as they can be deceptive on something as reflective as chrome.
d) The pan rail of the sump (the surface you put the sump bolts through) has a rough finish, and not much plating where the rail ends. The steering arm concave surface has no chrome plating at the inner ends. The parts had been plated similarly when I dropped them off to them. The plater assumed that the steering arm concave surface was like the back of a bumper bar, and would not be seen. The manager offered to replate this for me. The sump finish, in their view, was "street car". They offered to finish it to "Summernats finish" at extra cost. This is probably my fault - I asked them to remove the blisters and spline chrome, but did not discuss anything else. The discussion was quite cordial, and their approach professional. I can turn the arm around so the reverse side is hidden by the bodywork, and the pan rail will not be readily visible.
e) The job cost $577.50.

All up, I would recommend them. They are faster than my previous plater, but a lot more expensive. The quality appears good, though you don't really find that out until 5 years (and some hard miles) down the track. I learned a lesson to be very specific when requesting a job.

Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

decent chrome platers seem to be going the way of the Dodo bird - one of the guys in our club was taking his stuff to Bali and getting it done over there - drop off on day one of holiday , pick up a week later for about 20% of the cost of an equivalent job in Perth. did this 2 or 3 times, obviously only smaller stuff - bit hard to fit a cadillac bumper bar in your suitcase - then he dropped the next lot off and the price had magically risen to the same rate as Perth !!!! Not negotiable either .......Old mate in Bali must have done a bit of research on price of chrome in Perth and adjusted his rate accordingly for the farangs .....

Needless to say that load of stuff was bought back unplated