After the part to be chromed is smooth and straight, the color coat is applied, and in the plating process that means a coat of nickel. Nickel provides the shiny reflective surface, but if left unprotected, it will tarnish. Like the clearcoat on paint, to protect the nickel the final step in the plating procedure is an application of chrome. Surprisingly, this is the least time consuming step of all the processes, taking only a few minutes in most cases. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some tricks involved. Depending on the shape of the piece being plated there may be high and low density areas—that means areas that are prominent are high density and will attract more current and consequently a thicker layer of chrome, areas such as concaves are low density and won’t receive as thick of a deposit. The cure for this is experience and specialized equipment.
While chrome is found on bumpers, grilles, and other parts, stainless steel was often used for various trim pieces; over the years most trucks were treated less than delicately so it’s not unusual for the stainless trim to suffer dings and dents or worse. Fortunately, stainless is a tough material that can often be saved. Much like bodywork, the procedure is to use hammers and dollies to remove dents. In some cases, silver solder is used to repair rips and tears, which are followed by sanding and buffing. When done properly, most stainless repairs are impossible to detect.
We followed the crew at Sherm’s around the shop to get an idea of what it takes to get the kind of results from chrome plating and stainless repair that sets one truck apart from another. CCT
To show how bad a pot metal...
To show how bad a pot metal part can be, check out this door handle before...
...and after.
The first step in the plating...
The first step in the plating process is a layer of copper after which they are thoroughly washed in deionized water.
Art Holman demonstrates how...
Art Holman demonstrates how to make chromed parts perfect. Making the surface flat makes it more reflective—copper is used as filler, then the surface is made flat until it all the highs and lows are eliminated. Often this involves hand sanding just as it would be done on a body.
Once the copper-plated part...
Once the copper-plated part is prepped and given a coat of nickel, it goes into the chrome tank. One of the tricks of the trade is to use a wand to direct current to low-density areas to ensure adequate material thickness.
Out of the chrome tank the...
Out of the chrome tank the part is rinsed, then thoroughly washed and inspected. A final cleaning, one more inspection, and the newly plated part is wrapped for delivery.
Over the years, the stainless...
Over the years, the stainless trim on most trucks takes a beating. One pass over the belt sander will show all the imperfections such as those marked here.
Removing the dents takes careful...
Removing the dents takes careful work with a body hammer. The trick is not to stretch the metal, which can be difficult if not impossible to fix.
Careful use of a sanding belt...
Careful use of a sanding belt will remove some small imperfections and reveal others that will require hammer and dolly work. In any case, the secret is not to get the piece too hot.
Once all the dents are removed...
Once all the dents are removed the stainless is polished on a variety of wheels with an assortment buffing compounds.
Careful polishing results...
Careful polishing results in a part that looks like new.