Chrome removal from Bumper

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rod7515

rod7515

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Do I need to take a bumper to a chrome shop to have the chrome removed or is there a way I can remove it? I want to paint them and the chrome is ruff and would show thru if i let it on.
Thanks Rod
 
I would think you could have them sandblasted. When I wanted painted bumpers I got them from glasstek. Preety much prep, pant and bolt on ready

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Chrome is super tough. I`d imagine unless you send it to an industrial blaster, you`ll be relegated to 36 grit sand discs and/or even regular grinder discs. Then filler for the scratch marks/prep.
 
I was thinking of sanding with a DA but I was wondering about the scratches. Sound like b they work!! Yuk!!
Rod
 
Not many places do this due to environmental reasons. At least in the Virginia area from what I am told
 
rod7515 said:
I was thinking of sanding with a DA but I was wondering about the scratches. Sound like b they work!! Yuk!!
Rod[/QUOTE
We did the bumpers on my sons car, just treat them like a body panel. Get them as smooth as you can with a DA, prime as many times as needed until you can sand smooth. Shoot the color.
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rod7515 said:
I was thinking of sanding with a DA but I was wondering about the scratches. Sound like b they work!! Yuk!!
Rod
Click to expand...
We did the bumpers on my sons car, just treat them like a body panel. If there pitted and rough, get them as smooth as you can with a DA, then let the primer fill in the rest. Shoot as many coats needed to sand smooth. Shoot the color.
 
Tried blasting with 80 grit aluminum oxide and 60 psi and not much success. Tried recycled glass at 100 psi with better results and too slow. $50.00 of hydrochloric acid from HD and let it sit for a week and most of it was gone. 4 - 5 lbs boxes of baking soda and the job was done. Considering all the electric for the compressor and grit, acid is the better. That's what a bumper shop would do.
 
A/MP
How did you soak it for a week? Is the hydrochloric acid a liquid and how much did you use. Can it just be rinsed off when done? Would like to know more. What type of container did you use for soaking? Did that removed the chrome?
Thanks Rod
 
Built a plywood box and double lined with 6 mil plastic. Build the box with just 6 " extra in all dimensions. Cuts down on amount of acid needed. Soak in warm water with just a 1 lbs box of baking soda to kill the acid after the job is completed. Rinse and air dry air dry and shoot a quick primer. Chemistry is based on temp. Do it on a warm day, sunny area. Cover top of box with the plastic to avoid evaporation. Lots of safety issues involved.
 
A/MP
Does it actually remove the chrome from the metal? How do you dispose of the fluid? let it evaporate? or does the baking soda neutralize it? Very interesting concept! Any pics of yours after it soaked? Before primer?
Thanks Rod
 
SOunds like a lot of money, time and work.

Glasstek bumpers are ready to paint and cost 100$.
 
When I was in high school, I had a Pontiac Sunbird that I wanted to Black out all the chrome. Body guy I knew painted bumpers with something he called adhesion promoter. It was a yellow product, dull like primer, but I don’t know if he DA’d them first. Lasted a couple years at least, don’t know after that.
 
rod7515 said:
Do I need to take a bumper to a chrome shop to have the chrome removed or is there a way I can remove it? I want to paint them and the chrome is ruff and would show thru if i let it on.
Thanks Rod
Click to expand...
40 grit and a DA sander will do the trick then 80 then 120 then k2 primer sand and paint
 
I hooked a chrome wrench up to my electrolysis rig and it blasted the chrome off in like 3 minutes! I used the wrench on the + side. liquid was washing soda and distilled water. would take a pretty good amp power supply. I was using 2A of a a 2/10A Battery charger.
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pishta said:
I hooked a chrome wrench up to my electrolysis rig and it blasted the chrome off in like 3 minutes! I used the wrench on the + side. liquid was washing soda and distilled water. would take a pretty good amp power supply. I was using 2A of a a 2/10A Battery charger.
View attachment 1715180242
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Never had great results trying to remove rust with process. May take several days at 2A. Certainly cheaper in basic materials if it works.
 
pishta,
Thats an interesting method. Ive never done anything like that. I guess my first question would be have you actually done a bumper? If so how big of a tank did you use? How deep and wide would I need it to be? As for the solution your saying washing soda. Ive never heard of that so where would I find it and what kind of costs would I see. I would be interested in trying this if its feasible to do at home. When you say chrome wrench are you talking like a regular snapon wrench? The pic show copper, will i need a copper bar? what is the key?
Thanks
Rod
 
No thats just a pic I saw with the tanks and stuff mounted up. Washing soda is Arm and Hammer $4 at Walmart. ITs not baking soda.
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The process is like this: You want the chrome part to be the sacrificial + lead while the iron rod is going to the be - lead. I did a wrench just goofing around and the darn thing came out stripped. The same way they plate metal in a chromium solution, the chromium is taken out of the liquid and is attracted to the plating piece. Your bumper will become the chrome source to plate the rebar conductors. Its opposite how they derust stuff. please try with a scrap part before you find the process pits your bumper. The amount of time is what dictates how much the stuff comes off.
Rust removal by electrolysis
 
PH up for swimming pools (Walmart) works well also. I derusted my brake drums & rotors and other parts with electrolysis. Good for cast iron pots, pans, grills & stuff too
 
Both have said rust removal but does it remove the chrome plating from a bumper
Rod
 
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