Chrome plating or polishing

[Radnor]

I've been toying with the idea of chrome plating or polishing a spare petrol tank I have for my bike.

I believe the tank is steel so is it possible to polish it to a good shine or is chrome plating the only way to go to get that mirror(ish) finish and what sort of costs would I be looking at?

Thanks for any advice on this one!

[Ichy]

You can polish steel parts up to a mirror finish, the trouble is that you need to protect it in some way. You can use a laquer but it affects the finish and you have to be careful that you don't mess it up since you can't really flat it back. The other problem is that the laquer doesn't have much of a surface to hold onto, if it gets chipped it tends to break off in bigish bits.

Chrome is strong and easy to look after, don't know any places tbh, enviromental legislation made a lot of the smaller ones close down.

[Radnor]

I've been thinking a bit more about this, how would a chrome type paint come out? I'm sure I've seen this done somewhere else.

I'll look into some sort of lacquer coating for now and get some prices for plating

[craigs23]

Chrome will usually give a better finish than polishing, plus would require less maintenance to keep as shiney. Higher level of mirrorisation as well.

[Ichy]

[Nath]

Your profile says you are in Loughborough, but your little map icon shows you in Manchester?

My dad has had quite a few bits chrome plated on his bike, and was also considering having a tank done recently (changed his mind in the end). The place he has used is in Nottingham (a small place in Netherfield I think), which isn't too far if you are really in Loughborough. the quality on the bits he had chrome plated there seem pretty good, I think it was surprisingly cheap as well. I'm not sure how much they'd charge for a tank, but I think my dad reckoned around £50. If you want the number for this place I can ask my dad for you.
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[Radnor]

Thanks for that Nath, I'm from Manchester but living in Loughborough at the moment, fixed it now

That sounds good, if you could get hold of the number that'd be really helpful, I reckon I can stretch to £50, I've had a fiddle with photoshop and it looks quite neat with a chrome tank

Cheers guys!

[kenny]

i find chrome tends to blister and pit easy when the weather is let lose on it but it will give a more shiney finish then polished steel unless you really go at it with the polisher
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KeNNy 100cc peugot speedfight 125cc Honda NSR125R 650cc suzuki SV650R 125cc suzuki GZ125 600cc yamaha YZF-R6

[sickpup]

It's quite hard to chrome a tank. you have to block up all the holes and then they tend to float in the chroming tank.

[BFG]

Chome isn't a filler. You have to get it to a mirror finish and then have it chromed.

You'll also need to get the tank utterly empty, not a whiff of fuel. It's going to cost a lot more than £50 I would have thought.

You'll be forever cleaning it. You know when some fucker comes up and points at something on your computer screen by touching it? They leave a smear of grease on the surface, well, chrome does that.

[Nath]

[Radnor]

So from what you said it's probably worthwhile getting it to a mirror finish myself and seeing what that looks like, then either a coat of lacquer, or see about having it chrome plated

[owdamer]

https://www.chromapart.co.uk/

https://www.chromapart.co.uk/Chrome%20Nissan%20Skyline.jpg

[The Tot]

I guess the L1000 has moulded himeself into the shape of a nissan skyline now?

I'll deffo be able to give you a help with the sanding down and all that, i've got quite a bit of spare nitro Mors. I think all we need now is a sanding head on dremel to get it as smooth as possible. Reading that quote, 200 quid is bloody excessive and we can try what we can do to achieve a mirror finish.

Told you my bling wheels were having an effect around uni. I might offer a polishing service for people's bikes. Make em look bling for very little cost.
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The Tot 2007 Yamaha R1 4C8 2002 Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer &
www.youtube.com/Titot182 for your bike gear reviews and pop punk covers
Earl Of Easycore Pop Punk Will Never Die!

[BFG]

[0ddball]

Close up that would look black, it's a photoshop.

[Nath]

Impact Metal Finishing
23 Meadow Road
Netherfield Nottinghamshire NG4 2FR
Tel: (0115 987 9302)
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[craigs23]

[Sparky]

hmmm might be over the top but would definatly turn heads for the posers out there!

led to believe this is Chrome Paint which is available in america.
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Previous zxr400 - Current ZXR636 late'03
*Who ever said nothing is impossible never tried slamming a revolving door!*

[riichy]

why would anyone do that to a R1
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.......... PLOD ............ zx636 2004

[kenny]

its not that bad at least its different
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KeNNy 100cc peugot speedfight 125cc Honda NSR125R 650cc suzuki SV650R 125cc suzuki GZ125 600cc yamaha YZF-R6

[Sparky]

If that was at a show i would definately look at it!
If that drove passed i would definately look at it!

i think people do stuff like this to bikes for many reasons! show off its potential, to see if it can be done, to achieve "wow" factor. i also think they would do it to an R1 as they will try and use top of the range bikes as it wouldnt look the same doing that to say a 50cc moped! ha ha
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Previous zxr400 - Current ZXR636 late'03
*Who ever said nothing is impossible never tried slamming a revolving door!*

[Whosthedaddy]

[Radnor]

I'm about to start polishing this to see what kind of finish I can get, do I just need to borrow Nitro Mors off titz to remove the paint and then rub the metal down with wet and dry going up in stages.

I remember someone saying that as it gets smooth the paper kind of glides over then you should change grades, does that sound right?

What kind of polishes will I need and also any recommendations for a lacquer?

Cheers