Trouble finding a Chromer

[Sparky73]

Anyone know of any decent priced, good quality chromers in the Mid-Michigan area? I've been searching for a while now, and the only thing within a reasonable distance is "Tri-City Chroming and Plating" and alls they do is that junk that lasts a couple years before it starts to flake off. Wanting to do all 7 bumper pieces. Will consider shipping if the price is right.. but the closer the business, the cheaper that will be also.

Thanks!

[MantAscona]

Most of the chroming work is being done in Canada these days thanks to the current environmental regulations that are in place in the US. Even shops that are in the US are sub contracting and sending the work to Canada and just acting as a middle man. You may want to explore having yours done there as you are so close to the Canadian border. Good luck.

Duane

[jvandyke]

I found no one around here either (Grand Rapids, MI). I'd take them to Canada myself but that needs a passport now. Let us know what you come up with.

[MantAscona]

UPS, Fed Ex and the mail man will go anywhere............

Duane

[Dan-MI]

You do not need a passport to go to Canada unless you are flying. You can cross the border by land or water and all you need is a birth certificate. They held off on the full blown passport rules for the time being.

[jvandyke]

They backed off of that again?
What about these guys?
http://tricityplating.com/

or these guys
http://hanlonplating.com/

Both out of Hemmings.

[opelnut10]

I have seen work from the plater in Richmond (maybe Charles Goin knows them better) and it is not the worst I have ever seen, they have been in business for 40 years so that tells you something. If you want quality work that will last there is only one place in the US that I would let do the plating for me. Royal Silver Maufacturing Co. in Norfolk, Va. (757) 855-6004 the man to talk to is Mack King or his son. They have been at it a very long time and are quite good. I used to drag race with Mack back in the 70's and 80's and while I never checked, i bet his drawers are either chromed or gold plated They also do polishing on stainless, brass, aluminum etc.,good people .

[jvandyke]

Got a reply from TriCity.

The cost to have your bumpers for your Opel GT chromed would be:

Frt $295
Rear Ends $145 (each)

+ return shipping and sales tax (if shipped back to PA, TN, or NC).

[opelspyder]

Stuff that last a couple years???? Actually Tri-City Plating is the best place to send bumpers, as they are one of the few that does triple chrome plating, where as many only do Nickel, Chrome. They have updated laser machines that set your bumpers to where they are supposed to be. I don't know who told you their stuff doesn't last, but that is very wrong. I had some Jag XK140 Bumpers done a while back and they came back excellent, and are still holding up. In fact the chromer we send stuff to a lot (one of Nashville's premier platers) recommends Tri-City for large bumpers. Tennessee is one of the few states that populates a majority of the chrome platers anymore. Advanced Plating is the best, but would have to say their prices are way out of range and are crazy. S&H Chrome is a great all around plater. For bumpers try Chrome Wizards in Nashville, Tri-City Plating in Tri-city area, or Knoxville Custom Chrome. As they only do bumpers. I probably have chrome work done from the shop every month, and we spent probably around $25,000 in chrome plating alone last year. So I've had a chance to try them all. Do not use Chrome Connection out of Chickamunga,GA...as they ruined half of what they said they could plate.
Keith

[Sparky73]

Stuff that last a couple years???? Actually Tri-City Plating is the best place to send bumpers, as they are one of the few that does triple chrome plating, where as many only do Nickel, Chrome. They have updated laser machines that set your bumpers to where they are supposed to be. I don't know who told you their stuff doesn't last, but that is very wrong. I had some Jag XK140 Bumpers done a while back and they came back excellent, and are still holding up. In fact the chromer we send stuff to a lot (one of Nashville's premier platers) recommends Tri-City for large bumpers. Tennessee is one of the few states that populates a majority of the chrome platers anymore. Advanced Plating is the best, but would have to say their prices are way out of range and are crazy. S&H Chrome is a great all around plater. For bumpers try Chrome Wizards in Nashville, Tri-City Plating in Tri-city area, or Knoxville Custom Chrome. As they only do bumpers. I probably have chrome work done from the shop every month, and we spent probably around $25,000 in chrome plating alone last year. So I've had a chance to try them all. Do not use Chrome Connection out of Chickamunga,GA...as they ruined half of what they said they could plate.
Keith

Tri-City plating was the company I used for my first Opel I restored. They were only like 15 minutes from where I live.. and the only one within about an hour I've found. I had all 7 bumper pieces done for about 400 dollars, and figured it was way too cheap, but they swore it was the tri-stage. Anyways, maybe I'll give them another call and check again.. but I swear that was the same company.

[kwilford]

When you refer to "triple plated", are you meaning :
1) Copper
2) Nickle
3) Chrome
?

I recently read an article on "Chrome" plating, and the "expert" said that the only reason copper is used is as a base material to fill scratches and such that can't be polished out due to insufficient material (too much corrosion), or a desire to take a short cut. And that copper, as much as it makes a nice smooth finish as it is easy to polish smooth before the nickel plate, actually causes an internal corrosion UNDER the nickel and chrome that substantially SHORTENS the life of chrome plating.

Anyone else heard of that?

[Gary]

When you refer to "triple plated", are you meaning :
1) Copper
2) Nickle
3) Chrome
?

I recently read an article on "Chrome" plating, and the "expert" said that the only reason copper is used is as a base material to fill scratches and such that can't be polished out due to insufficient material (too much corrosion), or a desire to take a short cut. And that copper, as much as it makes a nice smooth finish as it is easy to polish smooth before the nickel plate, actually causes an internal corrosion UNDER the nickel and chrome that substantially SHORTENS the life of chrome plating.

Anyone else heard of that?

The bumpers on my GT were "triple plated" at least 12 years ago and they still look new. Well, of course they have never seen snow or road salt so that might be a factor.

[opelspyder]

Yes, triple plating is Copper, then nickle, then chrome. It helps give it depth as well, and some state it will last longer. Tri-City plating is in Johnson City, Elizabethon TN. May be getting two confused. I don't know personally if one is better than the other, but sometimes when bumpers are double plated-long sanding scrathes can be seen. Or lines
Keith

[badmaxdog]

I had got my rear bumpers chromed (excellent job) by Kevin Parks at Chrome Express.
Located in North Carolina
704-699-3489
Charged me $180 for both rear bumpers and bumperettes.
Took longer than promised, but an outstanding job!!!

[kwilford]

Yes, triple plating is Copper, then nickle, then chrome. It helps give it depth as well, and some state it will last longer. Tri-City plating is in Johnson City, Elizabethon TN. May be getting two confused. I don't know personally if one is better than the other, but sometimes when bumpers are double plated-long sanding scratches can be seen. Or lines
Keith

I had to know, so I Googled it. "Proper" triple plating means two layers of nickel (semi-bright then bright), and then chrome. To be precise (as found at http://www.finishing.com/faqs/chrome.html):

"Triple Chrome Plating", "Quadruple Plating", "Double Nickel-Chrome"
As mentioned, decorative chrome plating always involves at least two layers of plating--a layer of nickel and a layer of chrome. But high quality plating requires a minimum of two layers of nickel. (There may also be a layer or two of copper underneath the nickel. And if the parts are plastic, there will be a layer of electroless nickel under that. If the parts are aluminum, there will be a zincate layer first, etc.)

Salespeople are always looking for advantage, and they will use any good-sounding terms they can get away with! There are no laws that define what triple chrome plating actually means, so salespeople will be prone to call their service "triple chrome plating" if there are a total of 3 layers of any kind of plating, or "quadruple chrome plating" if there are 4. So those terms mean little.

The most important issue for quality chrome plating (for outdoor exposure such as on a vehicle) is that it MUST have at least two layers of nickel plating before the chrome: namely semi-bright nickel followed by bright nickel. The reason for this involves galvanic corrosion issues. The bright nickel is anodic to the semi-bright nickel, sacrificially protecting it, spreading corrosion forces laterally instead of allowing them to penetrate to the steel. OEMs require very close control of this factor, and there is a test (the Chrysler developed STEP test) which large shops run daily to insure the right potentials. Control of this issue is probably the principal reason that today's chromium plating greatly outlasts the chrome plating of earlier times.

Experts argue whether copper plating provides any additional corrosion resistance at all, but with or without copper plating underlying the nickel, chrome on top of a single layer of nickel will not hold up to the severe exposure of a vehicle! Industry professionals call the two layers of nickel "duplex nickel plating", and that would be a much better term to use than "triple chrome" and such.

Chrome plating is hardly a matter of dipping an article into a tank, it is a long involved process that often starts with tedious polishing and buffing, then cleaning and acid dipping, zincating (if the part is aluminum), and copper plating. For top reflectivity "Show Chrome", this will be followed by buffing of the copper for perfect smoothness, cleaning and acid dipping again, and plating more copper, then two or three different types of nickel plating, all before the chrome plating is done. Rinsing is required between every step.

[Sparky73]

Yes, by "Triple-Plating" .. I meant Copper/Nickle/Chrome.

The plating company I am talking about is local. Located in Saginaw, MI. It doesn't sound like we are talking about the same company here.. so I guess there is more than one of them.

Onto the original question.. does anyone know anyone that does it around here? Or is my only option to get it shipped out?

Turn-around time isn't too important, as long as their trust worthy. I am just looking for something that looks great, and doesn't drain my bank account!

Thank you all for the suggestions on companies.. does anyone have any prices or should I just start emailing them all with my 'request' and see what prices would be? It's like I've read everywhere though.. until they see what size/condition the bumpers are actually in, all they can give you is a 'rough estimate'. All my bumpers are really solid! Rust and Dent free.. it's just they have all been painted over, either in orange or black. I stripped one down with paint stripper, but it appears they may have been sand blasted before being painted. Either that or the chrome just lost its shine.

[opelnut10]

I was quoted about $500 for the front and rears and all 4 bumperettes by Royal Silver about a year ago, give them a call I'm sure if you can come to an agreement on price you will be more than happy with their work, they do plating and polishing for customers all over the world so Mi. should not be a problem. They are not speed demons because they do a lot of work but their work is first class.

[rowdygt]

Never had anything chromed or rechromed...but how come a new camaro reproduction bumper, new and triple chromed sells for $90 bucks, but to rechrome a GT bumper is $300...is the old part stripped of chrome first or just re-plated ??

[Sparky73]

Never had anything chromed or rechromed...but how come a new camaro reproduction bumper, new and triple chromed sells for $90 bucks, but to rechrome a GT bumper is $300...is the old part stripped of chrome first or just re-plated ??

I read somewhere that different companies do it different ways. IMO, make sure to ask them before you send your stuff in to get worked on! I have heard of a few people getting upset, later finding out the old chrome was not stripped.

Most bumpers have at least SOME rust, at least on the inside.. so how could they get away with not stripping it?

[RallyBob]

Never had anything chromed or rechromed...but how come a new camaro reproduction bumper, new and triple chromed sells for $90 bucks, but to rechrome a GT bumper is $300...is the old part stripped of chrome first or just re-plated ??

Because that bumper is made overseas, where there are little-to-no regulations regarding enviromental hazards associated with chromic acid, and the labor rates are $3 per hour instead of $75 per hour. They are also chroming over new, non-rusted steel, rather than pre-chromed (must be stripped), pitted (must be smoothed and polished), and bent (must be straightened) old parts.

Environmental issues are the real reason chrome itself has gotten expensive. The chrome itself is not that expensive to buy in bulk. Disposing of the old chromic acid costs about 5 times the cost of the new material itself.

The other reason is the labor rates. When guys were making $2.50 and hour in 1970, it didn't cost much to straighten, polish, and replate a bumper. The chrome itself was also cheap, and back then it was common practice to just dump the old worn out chrome into the ground...

Nowadays the chrome costs more, EPA fume handling, and disposal cost more, and the labor rates are more. Even relatively unskilled laborers can cost $12-$15 per hour.

Plus, the new cheap parts generally won't last. My friend's '69 Camaro has 'new' reproduction door handles he bought 8 years ago. The car has never seen rain since he bought it, and has only been stored indoors. They are literally falling apart, there is pitting galore and the plating is coming off in sheets now. You get what you pay for.

Bob