Reworking chromed knobs

[Brian Sherwood]

What I have done, when the chrome has started to blister, is attack them
with WD-40 and a power-driven rotary wire brush [messy but effective] to
blow the original chrome off [in later years I found a jeweler's beadblaster
is less of a pain to accomplish this] then degreased in a methylene-chloride
vapor bath [no longer legal, but lacquer thinner works almost as well in
these environmentally-conscious times] to get the impurities out fo the
pores of the metal, then followed up with Tripoli compound, then Simichrome
brand rouge, on a flannel buffing wheel, then another degreasing to pull the
aluminum [?] oxide and buffing compound out of the pores of the metal.  What
this does is impart an almost-chrome look to the base metal of the knobs.
The buffing compounds and wheels I buy at Ace Hardware.

Frankly, unless you;'re already set up to do this, just take them to the
local custom Harley shop and ask to be referred to whoever they farm their
buffing out to.  It's a REALLY dirty, messy job that requires coveralls and
a face mask and a separate buffing room.  Do NOT try this within your house,
or anywhere else you don't want covered with a layer of oily, sooty oxide.

True chrome plating is copper, then nickel, then chrome.  Copper will bond
to the base metal [especially steel] better than nickel, and is
cheaper...the copper layer is nice and thick and is buffed out mirror-smooth
for the application of the nickel, which is what gives the shine.  The
chrome is a flash layer to protect the nickel and impart the bluish
tint...straight nickel plate is a little yellowish.  The little
do-it-yourself  ersatz chrome kits, plate nickel with a bit of cadmium
directly onto the workpiece--the cadmium is a tinting agent to give the
bluish tint reminiscent of chrome.  They do an OK job IF the workpiece is
glass-smooth and nonporous.  The problem is the porousness of those
castings.  How that ersatz plating holds up to abrasion and finger oils is
another story.

I bought my plating kit from caswell http://www.caswellplating.com

Another possibility is "Chrome-In-A-Can" [not a brand name, just a
politically-correct translation of what it's commonly called in these parts]
spray paint from the auto-parts store.  I haven't used it so I can't say
firsthand, but it is said to be indistinguishable from real chrome if done
right.  I'd try that first just because it's cheap and a little lacquer
thinner or acetone removes the paint if you don't like it without
permanently changing the underlying workpiece.

I HAVE used the silver-colored exhaust-header paint baked on the workpiece
for various stuff, and while it looks good, it doesn't look like chrome, it
looks like freshly beadblasted aluminum.

Perhaps if there's enough interest I can look into the costs of replating
those knobs.  There are some platers that cater to the medical-goods
industry that do small workpieces rather than most commercial platers who
are set up to do car bumpers and the like.  However, I gotta warn everyone
the prep on these fluted knobs, especially from a vendor who's used to
dealing with the medical industry, may well drive the price out of
consideration for most people.

Hope this helps

73 de ka9egw

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-----Original Message-----
From: Heathkit Owners and Collectors List
[mailto:HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV]On Behalf Of Brian Carling
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 7:22 AM
To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject: Reworking chromed knobs


Has anyone ever tried to restore the look of their CHROME Heath knobs?

What can be done?

If they are really bad, is there any way to redo the chromium plating on
them?

I know that there are plating kits available that are used by CAR buffs.

I considered that as a possibility, but I am just not sure how bad they
would have to be
to warrant such an effort!

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