Gathering some parts together to get rechromed and can't make up my mind if I want to redo the console. Have heard that once you get it rechromed you'll never get the brushed chrome effect back. Not going to be a show car so I'm thinking a few pits in the gunnel isn't that bad compared to loosing the brushed effect. Have heard of guys painting the top but not going there. Anyone know if you can get the brushed chrome when rechroming or would you just leave as is? Thanks Jim
Tough call.. No experience here... I'm interested in the comments too...!
4SPEED427 said
Jul 30, 2015
I've seen those rechromed and didn't like the look of it.
I've seen the channel sanded smooth, then painted black. I didn't like the look of it.
If it was me, I'd leave it like it is.
Your top is that brushed aluminum, not the sort of matte silver/gray/argent like some of the Nova consoles I've seen?
If so, crazy as it sounds, I took one of those metallic loop style pot scrubber and just kept "sanding" away on the top of my brushed console top when I had the automatic in my 65 Acadian. It had some pits beforehand but it turned out real nice, I was real happy with it, and to me it looked better than any refinished ones I've seen.
Would that work (pot scrubber) on a rechromed one Carl or do you think the rechromeing wouldn't give it the right effect? Kind of a catch 22, lose 1 effect to gain another?
-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Thursday 30th of July 2015 10:54:08 PM
4SPEED427 said
Jul 30, 2015
I think the rechroming will not look correct. It seems like nobody can make that brushed aluminum look from anything I've ever read.
I think the pot scrubber will only work on the original brushed aluminum like Acadians had. It seems some of the Novas had that look, others have that matte colour I was mentioning. It looks more like a dull silver paint but not quite 100% like paint. Hard to explain, but that surface I would NOT touch with the scrubber. The surface I mean is the one that looks like a kind of rougher textured aluminum/chrome combination, not smooth like that matte look.
hawkeye5766 said
Jul 30, 2015
Thanks Carl, you just helped me make up my mind. Can get chrome anywhere, brushed look not quite so easy. Can live with a few pits unless someone knows another way????
GaWajn said
Jul 31, 2015
The pitting is what is bugging you correct? I have had some success getting rid of rust pitting on chrome by rubbing the piece with balled up aluminum foil. I can expand of this method in detail if you want me to.
hawkeye5766 said
Jul 31, 2015
GaWajn wrote:
The pitting is what is bugging you correct? I have had some success getting rid of rust pitting on chrome by rubbing the piece with balled up aluminum foil. I can expand of this method in detail if you want me to.
Please do. Thanks
GaWajn said
Jul 31, 2015
Here you see a steering bar from an early 70's Ski Doo. The chrome plating has some moderate to heavy pitting on it.
I take some household aluminum foil ...
Ball it up, and start rubbing it on the chrome surface ...
After about 10 minutes total ... you can see the result.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to try this on an area of the part that will not be too visible because if the chrome is not hard or thick enough, you might just end up with a scratched part.
This method will remove the rust associated with the pitting, but it will not remove the pitts. The rust will reappear if exposed to moisture. I know of some people who have clear coated the chrome with OK results.
This will never replace rechroming, but in a pinch, is a low cost option.
Gathering some parts together to get rechromed and can't make up my mind if I want to redo the console. Have heard that once you get it rechromed you'll never get the brushed chrome effect back. Not going to be a show car so I'm thinking a few pits in the gunnel isn't that bad compared to loosing the brushed effect. Have heard of guys painting the top but not going there. Anyone know if you can get the brushed chrome when rechroming or would you just leave as is? Thanks Jim
I've seen the channel sanded smooth, then painted black. I didn't like the look of it.
If it was me, I'd leave it like it is.
Your top is that brushed aluminum, not the sort of matte silver/gray/argent like some of the Nova consoles I've seen?
If so, crazy as it sounds, I took one of those metallic loop style pot scrubber and just kept "sanding" away on the top of my brushed console top when I had the automatic in my 65 Acadian. It had some pits beforehand but it turned out real nice, I was real happy with it, and to me it looked better than any refinished ones I've seen.
My two cents...
Would that work (pot scrubber) on a rechromed one Carl or do you think the rechromeing wouldn't give it the right effect? Kind of a catch 22, lose 1 effect to gain another?
-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Thursday 30th of July 2015 10:54:08 PM
I think the pot scrubber will only work on the original brushed aluminum like Acadians had. It seems some of the Novas had that look, others have that matte colour I was mentioning. It looks more like a dull silver paint but not quite 100% like paint. Hard to explain, but that surface I would NOT touch with the scrubber. The surface I mean is the one that looks like a kind of rougher textured aluminum/chrome combination, not smooth like that matte look.
The pitting is what is bugging you correct? I have had some success getting rid of rust pitting on chrome by rubbing the piece with balled up aluminum foil. I can expand of this method in detail if you want me to.
Please do.
Thanks
Here you see a steering bar from an early 70's Ski Doo. The chrome plating has some moderate to heavy pitting on it.
I take some household aluminum foil ...
Ball it up, and start rubbing it on the chrome surface ...
After about 10 minutes total ... you can see the result.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to try this on an area of the part that will not be too visible because if the chrome is not hard or thick enough, you might just end up with a scratched part.
This method will remove the rust associated with the pitting, but it will not remove the pitts. The rust will reappear if exposed to moisture. I know of some people who have clear coated the chrome with OK results.
This will never replace rechroming, but in a pinch, is a low cost option.
Stephen, thanks for sharing that amazing tip.
Thanks for the tip !
WoW what a difference! Thanks for the tip! I'll give a spot a try.
-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Friday 31st of July 2015 11:15:22 PM