Coloured chroming...?

[shabz]

Sorry this isn't exactly about welding but I didn't know where to ask...

Could anyone tell me whats involved with achieving a coloured chrome finish on metal? and is it possible to buy some equipment/chems and do it at home?

Also is it electroplating? powder coating? or chroming I need to achieve this kind of finish...like the pink centres of these wheels...

Thanks

 

[wyn]

It's probably anodising if they are aluminium rims

 

[rtbcomp]

I've moved this to a more appropiate forum where it might get more responses

 

[Hitch]

Id have thought that is anodised aluminium?

Only certain gardes of aluminium are suitable. A basic read here...

 

[series2]

I worked for a platers for a few years, and they specialised in such coatings.

It could be anodised as stated above, or chromed.

There are two ways that this type of finish can be achieved with chrome. It's either a dye added to the chrome plating solution, or more likely a laquer applied over the chrome.

If you need some chrome plating done, pay to have it done. The chemicals involved are highly toxic, and the item to be plated has to be polished to a mirror finish as any imperfections will show through.

 

[bigbadbugga]

That effect is done with metallic opaque powder coating.

It could be done using paint as well, paint the centre, mirror polish the rim, clear laquer the lot.

 

[shabz]

It could be done using paint as well, paint the centre, mirror polish the rim, clear laquer the lot.

What kind of paint would achieve a similar effect? and how far off would it be?

Also whats metalic opaque powder coating? I'm confused...so many different types of treatment to get the same effect? Is there anything that would safe/easy/cheapish to use at home except paint?

 

[KTMMICK]

My advice would be to befriend someone who works at a wheel refurbishing company......lol

 

[bigbadbugga]

In paint you would use a silver metallic basecoat, then the pink over the top, this would be a pearlescent colour, then a clear laquer to finish.

The pink pearl colour is an opaque colour, so it shows the sparkle of the silver basecoat through.

As for the powder coat, the colour choice available in powder coat these days is almost as wide as paint colour, but you would need to search about for a company who stock the wide ranges.

 

[Robotstar5]

Try this place, even if they can't give you the finish you want they may be able to point you to some one who does.

 

[bigbadbugga]

Here you go, there was an ad on VZI with someone doing this.

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=595681

£90 a wheel seems a bit steep in my opinion, but it is what you asked about.

 

[buybuybuy]

To get the chrome around the edge you could spray a black gloss as a basecoat and then apply some reflective chrome over the top of that. If you dont use a black basecoat the wheel wont look right. Oh and dont buy the crap from Half*rds or other car accessory shops. You want the proper stuff. You would probably need about 200ml to do a set of four wheels.

With regards to the coloured chrome in the middle, I would recommend that you spray the whole wheel with the chrome spray and allow it to dry. Then apply some clear lacquer to protect the chrome. You could then mask up the wheel, leaving only the area to be coloured and then buy some coloured tint for your lacquer and apply it as you would a normal lacquer. Be carefull with shades of red because they have a habit of leaving tiger stripes if you dont know what youre doing.

When this has dried, you can then remove the masking, give the wheels a scuff using a fine scotchbrite pad and then shoot a few coats of lacquer.

Its alot of work and the price mentioned in one of the answers is about right.

If you did it yourself it would probably cost you £100 in materials for all 4 wheels and take a weekend to do them (allowing for drying times etc)

 

[spoiltbrat]

metal polishing

hi sorry to but in to your thread i have just started to get 2 wheels from my kawasaki 636 done in a very similal style to what your looking for i had a metal polisher do the rims and i,m doing the paint and its only cost me £60 for the 2

 

[souljah]

these guys are the mutts nuts the prices are very good as well there scooter and bike work is outstanding
http://www.aerocoat.net/scooterpowdercoating.htm