Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Recommended Sources for Parts and Services => Topic started by: toucheturtle on February 05, 2017, 06:13:30 PM
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Need 4 downpipes re-chroming, can't believe the prices these days, so far Niphos is the cheapest at £240 plus VAT. Anyone know any good platers at good rates?
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That is a good price, it's a process that is very involved.
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You could try Classics & Chrome in Hinckley, Leics. Ashimoto on here has spoken highly of their work, don't know how prices compare.
http://www.classicsandchrome.co.uk/1.html
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php?topic=7891.0
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RS Chrome and Colonnade have each quoted £40 each plus VAT, Colonnade have had a couple of dodgy reviews so may go with RS. Might email classicandchrome and see what they say.
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A "good" and "cheap" chrome plater is probably mutually exclusive. I had the 4 down pipes re-chromed by S&T in Yate (near Bristol).
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5737/23574612670_ecd9f4cc1c_z.jpg)
Cheers Geoff
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Hi pipes look good did you have to rub them down or did they do it all as i'm want to get some rechroming done on my k7 & was going to rub the parts down first
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Hello Zed.
The art of the chroming process is to first polish the parts, usually all done by the chrome shop. Obviously you cannot polish out any major flaws, sometimes deeper scratches/dents are filled with braze and worked back. It is this work, before the item hits the plating baths, which contributes to much of the cost. You can see on the end of the far left pipe the pitting where it went into the silencer, as it is hidden it was not worked on but it could have been.
Cheers Geoff
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Hi pipes look good did you have to rub them down or did they do it all as i'm want to get some rechroming done on my k7 & was going to rub the parts down first
Under no circumstances rub them down, the only thing you could do would be to clean the carbon out of the insides and that is not easy, best leave the rest to those that know what they are doing, but be careful as you will get what you pay for if you try to get the job very cheap, find the company that puts most nickel on first.
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Thanks for the replies i will leave the prep down to them & ask if they nickel plate it first 👍
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It has to have a nickel or copper sub strata as chrome is not waterproof and the pipes will rust in absolutely no time at all.
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Hi Zed,
I stand to be corrected but the 1st process with chrome plating is stripping the old chrome from the base metal. The old chrome/nickel/copper is stripped electrically, think of it a reverse of the plating process where the item is used as the sacrificial anode. Polishing then follows with copper/nickel/chrome in sequence after. This is often referred too as "Triple" plating and used to described the process for the best results.
I have also had very good results from a company called Marque Restore Chrome Plating Ltd:
http://www.marquerestore.co.uk/ (http://www.marquerestore.co.uk/)
Cheers Geoff
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Read a few dodgy reviews on here about RS Chrome so ended up going with Chromefix at £55 each all in. Posted them off today and supposed to get them back in 6 weeks
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I used RS Chrome on a couple of parts, had to send them back as they were still rusty (which did not come as a surprise to them?) (£60)
Used RCJ, Nothing more to be said!! (£180)
Nottingham platers, left hole in my indicator bases, but still chromed them, £180 straight in the bin. Had rust left on the middle of my cable adjusters, apparently it was the only place to hold them? Nuts and bolts, kick start and gear changer, the last two were the only ones i actually used. (£160)
In the process of sending a part back to Ashford chroming as it still covered in pit marks and a dent. (£325) (waited 6 months)
Most of the parts so far i have had chromed, from various chromers, about 40 ish, I have not been able to use as they were all still pitted, rusty or unuseable.
If anybody has used a chromer that they have had good repeatable results, could they let me know!!!!
Michael.
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Used 2 chrome platers, RS in Manchester, no complaints (image attached CD175A restoration) and Ashford Chroming (CB750 luggage rack) chroming OK but not as good as RS. Mark @ RS prefers the simpler parts as he declined to do the luggage rack
Alan
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Used RS for chroming a headlight rim.
Had to send it back as there was rust spots all over it. He rechromed it, sent it back and i went out and brought a NOS part to replace it.
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Original head light rim by Mark @ RS (as image) which was and still is spot-on. Did Mark give a reason for the finish, images would help.
Alan
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.... Ashford Chroming (CB750 luggage rack) chroming OK but not as good as RS. Mark @ RS prefers the simpler parts as he declined to do the luggage rack
I followed a recommendation and had my rack rechromed at Classics & Chrome in Hinckley, Leics; see earlier post in this thread.
It's OK but there is still some signs of pitting around the joints. They said this was due to being unable to get in to these areas to polish the part properly. Other than that the work seemed good and I would probably try them again if I had more work that needed doing.
Having said that I seem to recall some places would not touch the job because of the problems in preparing well - one place wanted to undo all the welded / brazed joints and dismantle the rack to its component parts so they could polish all the pieces properly (an offer which I predictably declined ....).
It does make me wonder what sort of tools they use to do the prep - surely something smaller and hand-held would be able to better get into the awkward to reach places.
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I used Classics and Chrome at Hinckley on Ash,s recommendation for quite a few parts including an original Rim which was badly pitted. I think he made a reasonable job of all of them although he usually needs a couple prods to get them finished and they are nearly always a few quid more than the quoted price. I'd use them again.
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Used RS for chroming a headlight rim.
Had to send it back as there was rust spots all over it. He rechromed it, sent it back and i went out and brought a NOS part to replace it.
I used RS a few years ago for a few bits and bits come back with rust still evident in some places. If I'd known, I would have removed the rust myself but thought that I would leave it for them incase it disturbed there process. Not sure I would use them again
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Picture of rim
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Marks reason "the rim is a problem as we had problems trying to seal the metal and looks like it has spotted out"
They still sent it back to me and i had to return it back to them.
Wouldn't it have been more logical just to fix it first????
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RCJ Chromers, Rear mudguard.
The only decent chrome i had done were handlebars, that to be honest, where in reasonable condition to begin with, from Nottingham platers.But they did destroy my set of indicator bases after >:( >:(
I never argued the price with any of the platers, even offering a little extra on a couple of items, so i wasn't trying to be cheap.
Only a couple of parts left to do, so may be lucky.
Michael.
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Thanks for posting the images, I would have reacted in the same way. But the work he did for me was spot-on
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Had quite a bit of stuff done by Classics & Chrome in Hinkley, can be bit grumpy sometimes but generally pleased with his service. Last thing I had plated was a front wheel rim for my 750K0 and I gave that to Aaron Walkinshaw in Coventry (dropped off at Stafford as he always has a stand in the main hall not far from DS's stand).. Quality looks OK (£100) and he left the DID diamond logo intact and in full relief.I will probably use both of them again. Both were about 4-> 6 weeks turnaround with no chasing involved from me. Both will do exhausts and Walkinshaw's have their own tinsmiths and evidently they do repairs too.