I have a fiberglass air cleaner that I would like to look like it's chrome plated. Have any of you done this or had it done ? If you have let me know please..........Bruce
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I have seen a piece that was powder coated with a chrome-like finish and it looked pretty good. That might be an option.
Can't powder coat fiberglass, but there are paints that are close enough. You could also paint or wrap it in the same color as the car.
Thanks Gordon I looked them up and they were powder coat process using heat. So my fiberglass part would get burned I guess. As Lane says too.............Bruce
@aircooled posted:Thanks Gordon I looked them up and they were powder coat process using heat. So my fiberglass part would get burned I guess. As Lane says too.............Bruce
I would have thought a guy like you would be intimately familiar with powdercoating, Bruce.
I've been spraying powder on parts for years. Eastwood sells a home powdercoat system. The entire process involves electrostatic attraction - the powder in the gun is positively charged (electrically), and the piece to be powdered is grounded. The powder moves from the gun to the piece with some air pressure (albeit a very small amount), and sticks to the piece by means of static electricity, primarily. Once the layer of powder is on the piece, you move it into an oven where it melts out to a smooth and rock-hard finish.
It's a gillion times more durable than paint, but the piece has to be conducive and able to endure 350+ deg to work.
I'm pretty sure Gordon just missed that the air-cleaner was FG.
Stan....Nope......I've never tried to do my own powder coating but have had lots of it done on projects I worked on over the years. It's the heat that would worry me if I tried to powder coat fiberglass. Chico here in Arcadia has had a company out here powder coat (chrome) a DTM fan shroud and it came out well but it was a risky endeavor that came out ok.
Watching on you-tube, I see they lay a chemical soluble "carbon fiber" film over the surface of the water, spray a solvent on it, and then dip the part. I'm hoping there is a chrome film like that but so far no luck. I'll be calling a few more places this week.
Bruce
I've seen some wraps that are very close to chrome. Maybe that's an option.
I'm checking them out now Lane.......Thanks
Bruce,
I had some wheel covers hydro dipped carbon fiber a few years back and they held up really good till this day. Of course it would depend on the person who applied it and if they clearcoated it properly. He had all kinds of designs including chrome but unfortunately is not in business anymore...
There is UV Powder Coating that can be applied to plastic, fiberglass, and even wood.
Digital Demo: UV-Cured Powder Coating on Carbon Fiber | CompositesWorld
I know Eastwood has chrome spray paint that seems to be quite good at covering just about anything ... they say.
I've used Alsa Corp's chrome paint and it is as close to chrome as I've ever seen. It's a tedious and expensive process. You have to paint and clear it black, buff it to a perfect shine and then do the chrome paint and their special high solids clear. At least that was the process 10 years ago. They might have more advanced products by now also.
Curious if this is for the "rain hats"? Know you said air filter.
Wolfgang.......Nope, not rain hats....This is what I plan to "chrome Plate". Or at least have it look like polished aluminum. I'm curious what carbon fiber would look like too..........Bruce
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" Chrome powder coating has a similar look to semi polished aluminum, this is the driver's side hoop I had powder coated for $110 It was a decent match to the windshield frame aluminum.
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OK, Thanks guys, I found a guy locally that does it. The biggest obstacle so far was finding the right name or nomenclature for this process......Bruce
Which is?
Out here it's called Hydrochroming........Bruce
Very interesting process. I wonder how durable it is.
dlearl476....The final top coats are acrylic or other. Since it's real silver it doesn't have the hard mirriorlike finish that real chrome plating over copper and nickel has. It is shiny and reflective like in the video but has the soft glow of polished silver. For what I'm using it for, it will be perfect because I wanted a polished aluminum shine. When I'm at the shop I will ask them if they can make it highlighted by making the little nooks and crannies dark so it will look like an aluminum casting that's been polished.
I will know the price in the next few days after I take the air cleaner housing in to LA to the shop where they can look at it..................Bruce
I forgot to mention that I have made only 6 of these air cleaners. One for me of course but the others are in VW Buses with Subaru engines. Those guys love this little accessory ! When you open the engine lid, he's staring at you, gasping for more air! Most of them have asked if I will make a cast aluminum version. Having done sand mold castings several times, It would be pretty expensive to make the plugs and patterns and not all foundries are set up to do such a short run. So the next best is fiberglass that looks like aluminum..........Bruce
Hydrochrome.com is in Tehachapi Ca........Take a look at their website.........Bruce
@aircooled posted:Since it's real silver it doesn't have the hard mirriorlike finish that real chrome plating over copper and nickel has.
Matisse used nickel plating for their frames. I was going to do my Ducati cafe racer with it, until the plating guy I used in Las Vegas got chased to TJ due to environmental concerns. It’s basically the same process except you omit the final chrome plating.
After bare magnesium and semi-polished aluminum. It’s probably my favorite finish
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I think nickel looks the best too. Rolls Royce used it on their classic grill shell. It has a rather soft chrome look. Sort of a satin appearance ....very nice bike by the way..........Bruce
@aircooled posted:very nice bike by the way..........Bruce
Not mine, just an internet pic. But yes, Rickmans are very nice. Still made, btw. The old fashioned way. Two guys welding them up by hand.