Bubber Posted April 21, 2012 Share #1 Posted April 21, 2012 YO! I have asked a couple of knowledgeable people how to remove the chrome from ABS Digny and Freebird and we still haven't got a way to do it so I thought I would open it up to the whole group for ideas. Here is the info: the chrome is metal not plastic and it is plated to the headlight bezel. It had a long bubble in the chrome and I punctured it and started to peal it. It would not come loose except for the little bit under the bubble. so now I have a ABS bezel with partially pealed chrome patches. ANY body got any ideas? I wanted to paint it black along with a spare front fairing I have. Already removed the eyebrows and may paint those too. A LITTLE HELP PLEASE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 21, 2012 Share #2 Posted April 21, 2012 [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDpObLuJVeQ]Stripping chrome from Plastic parts - YouTube[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted April 21, 2012 I have a sample soaking in bleach but after two hours there is still nothing happening. Most of the stuff I saw on the net is plastic chrome being removed from plastic, usually models or RC type stuff being stripped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 21, 2012 Share #4 Posted April 21, 2012 takes 24 hours and you have to change it has well during that time I believe. check video. In that vidoe it is showing chrome plastic parts from a car. I would think it would be about the same thing that you want to do. make sure your bleach is strong enough as well. at least 5% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 21, 2012 Share #5 Posted April 21, 2012 I believe you can buy stronger grades of bleach at a janitorial or pool supply places Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eck Posted April 21, 2012 Share #6 Posted April 21, 2012 (Quote) the chrome is metal not plastic and it is plated to the headlight bezel. Need to know one more thing before I can offer my 2 cents worth.. Is the headlight bezel plastic or metal? Just want to be certain.. Need to know BOTH part materials in the "stack-up". Metal chrome piece bonded to a metal bezel or metal chrome piece bonded to plastic (ABS) bezel. Post here or send me an email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtop69gs Posted April 21, 2012 Share #7 Posted April 21, 2012 Take a look at THIS link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted April 21, 2012 (Quote) the chrome is metal not plastic and it is plated to the headlight bezel. Need to know one more thing before I can offer my 2 cents worth.. Is the headlight bezel plastic or metal? Just want to be certain.. Need to know BOTH part materials in the "stack-up". Metal chrome piece bonded to a metal bezel or metal chrome piece bonded to plastic (ABS) bezel. Post here or send me an email. Eck it is metal chrome bonded to ABS bezel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 21, 2012 Share #9 Posted April 21, 2012 I have a ABS bezel with partially pealed chrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrenchrob Posted April 21, 2012 Share #10 Posted April 21, 2012 Take a look at THIS link. That is so cool. I got to try this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie1965 Posted April 21, 2012 Share #11 Posted April 21, 2012 Take a look at THIS link. Now that was some good reading! Too bad I don't have anything I need to de-chrome:whistling: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share #12 Posted April 21, 2012 Take a look at THIS link. Looks like a great way to kill myself..........NOT! Keep thinking. I just checked on my sample and spare dash I had and the sample is dissolving and dash is at least turning black or shall I say dark. So I will keep checking. I have it outside covered with a small vent area open so it doesn't build up gas. If this works then I will do the headlight bezel and take some pictures and post them. Maybe there is a better way, keep the ideas coming. I'll keep . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share #13 Posted April 21, 2012 I have a ABS bezel with partially pealed chrome Hold onto it I may need it from you, especially if mine dissolves in the witch's brew I mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 21, 2012 Share #14 Posted April 21, 2012 Bubber, no that was a copy paste to ECK I have no extra bezel He still wants to know if you have steel or plastic your working with. I know that your working with plastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 21, 2012 Share #15 Posted April 21, 2012 If there's already some Damage in the chrome Plating, you can dechrome such Parts by using an Ultrasonic Cleaner. I know this because we placed a hard-chromed Exhaust-Valve into a cheap chinese Ultrsonic Cleaner. to clean it up. After 20 Minutes in there, a small Dent in the Valve Seal Area has expanded to the Point that the Valve wasn'r good further use. We left it in the Cleaner for another Hour or so, the whole Area where the Valve Seal was having Contact with the Chrome was gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Owl Posted April 22, 2012 Share #16 Posted April 22, 2012 Have you tried Muratic Acid? Have absoluely no idea if it would work. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dacheedah Posted April 22, 2012 Share #17 Posted April 22, 2012 Did u try soaking it in regular coca cola? Its supposed to safely remove chrome on plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share #18 Posted April 22, 2012 No on the Muratic acid...told it won't work. Heard about Coke but have not tried it. Cougar...... I guess I am a little slow on the up take. I emailed Eck but have not heard back. Just check the mixture and the sample is turning black so it must be working. The dash is darker but it seems to have stalled and doesn't seem to be doing much. Will check it in the morning. Maybe it is just to cold outside to be working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eck Posted April 22, 2012 Share #19 Posted April 22, 2012 Bubber, You can use a small grinder with soft wire brush and grind the chrome layer off. Grinding sounds like a "harsh' word, but I dont mean pushing the plastic bezzel into a grinding stone... Harbor Freight has small hand held grinders that arent expensive, that have interchangable harsh/hard ..to soft...attachments.. You would be basiclaly sanding the chrome layer off "SLOWLY' on the grinder...using soft wire wheel attachment or light sandpaper (trials in areas not visable to eye...) In the tighter spots (crevases/ seams) a dremel tool would work..again using soft wire wheel and light sand paper wheels.. A lot of work to save the bezzel, but it could be done if you take your time and use a lot of elbow grease.. Keep in mind..the more chemicals you play with (soak it in) may end up effecting the ABS and crack it or make it very brittle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted April 22, 2012 Share #20 Posted April 22, 2012 # 11 Thou shall not remove chrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share #21 Posted April 22, 2012 OK here is what I found this morning: The dash was still just sitting there and looked like it stalled. On the way home from church I got a bottle of tolet bowl cleaned that has 20% bleach (hydro chloride -?????) not a chemist. I poured that on the part, sitting in the house hold bleach and .....$hit started to happen. I moved everything out to the middle of the yard just to be safe. I guess it just likes the copper that was open up to the surface. The whole soup turned green right after the 20% was added. So I took the headlight bezel and put it in a old oil drain pan and poured the 20% on it and stood back. Nothing... I guess that the process takes time to get a foot hold and then it goes nuts. I will take the first picture of the bezel in the 20% and post it later. I am wondering what to do with the residual bleach when I am done. IDEAS???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtop69gs Posted April 22, 2012 Share #22 Posted April 22, 2012 I am wondering what to do with the residual bleach when I am done. IDEAS???? It is now contaminated with heavy metals and considered hazardous waste ! Take it to a recycling center. OR If you have a neighbor you hate, pour it in his yard and call the EPA from a pay phone ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share #23 Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) So here is what I have so far. Dash was partially sanded so it stripped a lot better. The bezel was just put in the solution so I am guessing it will take a few hours to eat it's way to the substrate. The picture didn't turn out I will have to post some later. Edited April 23, 2012 by Bubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted April 23, 2012 Share #24 Posted April 23, 2012 Looks delicious..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share #25 Posted May 3, 2012 Last reply on this subject. Don't! It was a total waste of time. I finally took it to a platter who stripped it but by that time it it was a mess. It also left a lot of the copper on the part. Live and learn! On a good note I did find a chrome platter that specializes in old car parts and motorcycles. I will have to check him out with some parts sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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