Thread: Will chrome dipping hide any imperfections?

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I am considering filling the existing marker lamp holes in a '63 Galaxie front bumper, and relocating some different style lamps in another location. My concern is that with my limited metal working ability, I am going to end up with scratches and imperfections in the surface when I'm through.
If the bumpers were to be painted, I could finish things off with some filler work, and primer/blocking work, but I definitely want my bumpers chromed in the end.
So my question I guess, is how perfect and free from scratches and imperfections must my bumper be in order to achieve a high quality chrome finish? Not show quality necessarily, but between that and nice daily driver quality I suppose.
Any help is appreciated. Ryan

Most chrome shops will tell you not to attempt metal work on a bumper because you will simply increase their labor. Your surface has to be perfect before any of the plating starts, or they will be doing multiple layers of copper with polishing in between to fill minor scratches, etc. Any imperfection in the surface will be magnified by the plating process, worse than painting a car black with minimal surface prep - every little flaw shows more than you can imagine. You might visit your chrome shop with your bumper, explain what you want in the end, and see what they say, or take lots of pictures and send them to the shop you're planning to use if it is going to be shipped to and from. I would not do any work without talking to the guy who's going to be doing the plating.

What Roger said,

Most bumper places would rather you let them fill and grind. Most of the time it is actually less work for them unless you are a really good metal finisher.

Thanks for the info. guys.
When you say let them do the "filling and grinding", are you referring to just the very last amount of detail work to get the metal close enough for plating, or do you mean I should inquire as to whether they would fill and weld entirely the marker lamp holes I intend to get rid of?
Could I cut my metal to fill the holes, weld things up to the best of my ability, and then let them take over? And the same with installing the new lamps in another location. I feel confident that I could cut the holes, and weld in the necessary flanges and such needed to mount the new lights. It's the detailed finishing that concerns me when it comes to having a good surface for plating.

Originally Posted by FastbackNiner

Thanks for the info. guys.
When you say let them do the "filling and grinding", are you referring to just the very last amount of detail work to get the metal close enough for plating, or do you mean I should inquire as to whether they would fill and weld entirely the marker lamp holes I intend to get rid of?
Could I cut my metal to fill the holes, weld things up to the best of my ability, and then let them take over? And the same with installing the new lamps in another location. I feel confident that I could cut the holes, and weld in the necessary flanges and such needed to mount the new lights. It's the detailed finishing that concerns me when it comes to having a good surface for plating.

They will want to do all of the fill work. If you're only talking about drilling holes and welding on the back side for brackets you might get away with that, but I would ask first. I bet they'll say take them the bumper, tell them what you want when it's done and go back to get it with your checkbook when they're done. If you weld in a patch and it's not perfect they will be cutting it out to make it right, anyway.

Got it. Thanks again for the reply. I suppose if I were a very talented metal worker, I'd be getting paid to do it for a living! Some things are best left to the pros I suppose.
I'll start contacting my local chrome shops and see what I can get worked out.

Hey Niner!
The proper method of nickel-chrome plating over imperfections will usually not hide noticeable scratches. The bumper can (usually) be polished by the plating shop after you finish your patching. The chrome will be stripped by the plater, since it's usually only 10 - 20 microinches thick. Its function is to prevent the nickel from tarnishing.
The existing nickel is probably 0.0002" to 0.0006" thick. Check w/ your plater to see what the maximum scratch depth he can polish out.

From Homer the Chromer.

If it were me I would take it to a shop that advertises that they are a bumper shop. A regular chrome shop might be able to fix it but a bumper shop would be your best bet. That is if you have not already had it done.

well when your done with all metal work and if you can paint it black with no filler and looks very good then it can be chrome . your doing the same thing as doing body work with no filler on a metal car but you have more steel to work with if you done that then you can do bumpers and have them finsh off by the platers