172 replies to this topic

[CB]

Thanx guys. finally got me an Allison, and it's all chrome--for now, anyways. Hopefuelly while I'm painting it, I'll figure out what to put it in! Nice truck, Kenny.
######'n

[MikeMc]

Thanx guys. finally got me an Allison, and it's all chrome--for now, anyways. Hopefuelly while I'm painting it, I'll figure out what to put it in! Nice truck, Kenny.
######'n

If its a parts pack motor...household bleach(clorox) will dechrome in 10 min or so..DOT3 brake fluid is for strippin paint!

[evilone]

If its a parts pack motor...household bleach(clorox) will dechrome in 10 min or so..DOT3 brake fluid is for strippin paint!

you can also use oven cleaner the blue top
works good for me

[Bernard Kron]

I use liquid Drano. It works quickly but is gentle in case you forget overnite! I suspect it's just a very strong bleach from the odor and the effect it's had on some of my clothing...

[MrObsessive]

you can also use oven cleaner the blue top
works good for me

Easy Off works for me...........but the yellow can version works much faster if you don't want to wait until next year for the chrome to be dechromed!

Also the blue can (Fume Free) version doesn't remove the lacquer base underneath which is recommended if you want a flawless rechrome job.

Unless they reformulated it recently, I've not had the Fume Free Easy Off do the job for me. Just be sure to wear rubber gloves if you use it!

Edited by MrObsessive, 20 May 2008 - 02:24 AM.

[Smart-Resins]

Hello. Windex works well, 90 denatured alcohal works well and so doesnt purple power. The last two can also be used for stripping paint. Purple power works well stripping paint unless its automotive paint. Scalecoat also works well for both. Thanks. Jody

[Biscuitbuilder]

I use liquid Drano. It works quickly but is gentle in case you forget overnite! I suspect it's just a very strong bleach from the odor and the effect it's had on some of my clothing...

Drano, Liquid Plumbr, Easy Off (yellow can) all have, as their active ingredient, lye, or as it's chemically known--sodium hydroxide. This eats the aluminum vacuum plating (which is what model car chrome, in the kits, actually is), along with the clear protective coating, and the wet-look glossy base coat off the plastic entirely.

The least expensive, AND in my experience, the easiest to use sodium hydroxide is Lewis Red Devil Lye, which comes in crystalline form, in plastic cans--find it at the supermarket in the middle of all the cleaning supplies.

You simply add Lewis Lye crystals to a glass, china or plastic bowl of cool water (NEVER use aluminum vessels, as lye just gobbles up aluminum!), stir gently until dissolved, then just drop the plated parts in it, and watch the chrome disappear. Leave the parts there for say, an hour, and the base coat will be gone, or at least soft enough to be scrubbed away with an old toothbrush.

Sodium Hydroxide in any form is highly caustic, will burn skin, and if you get it in your eyes, cause severe eye damage immediately, so hand and eye protection are to be a requirement. It rinses with water, and can be just poured down the drain as it not only is biodegradable (lye occurs naturally when wood ashes are soaked in water), but also helps clean sink drains. Just be sure to read and follow the instructions on the label. Price? I think about $2 a can--less expensive, and much lower fumes than sprayed on Easy-Off.

Biscuitbuilder

[Clay]

I use Super clean in the 5 gallon purple jug at wal-mart, works awesome and it is safe for the plastics (can leave in for months) Works well on chrome, I dont know how long it takes, I usually check next morning and its gone.

[Biscuitbuilder]

I use Super clean in the 5 gallon purple jug at wal-mart, works awesome and it is safe for the plastics (can leave in for months) Works well on chrome, I dont know how long it takes, I usually check next morning and its gone.

The active ingredient in SuperClean is.............guess what? Sodium Hydroxide (lye), that time I looked at the label.

Biscuitbuilder1

[Clay]

The active ingredient in SuperClean is.............guess what? Sodium Hydroxide (lye), that time I looked at the label.

Biscuitbuilder1

Sorry I didnt read all the posts, just giving my experience with Super Clean, dont know whats in it, just know it works well.

[DWR]

What is the best way to strip chrome from parts w/o damaging the parts?

[Peter Lombardo]

Window cleaner with Ammonia. Sorry to all of the "save the earth" crowd, but the Ammonia does the trick and the plastic is not harmed.

[highway]

Window cleaner with Ammonia. Sorry to all of the "save the earth" crowd, but the Ammonia does the trick and the plastic is not harmed.

I'm not part of the "save the earth" crowd, how could I be driving an old diesel pickup and helping the ozone disappear every time I spray paint a model outside, but I guess you could maybe call my chrome stripper environmentalty friendly.

Ok, back to all seriousness and sanity, Dwanye, you honestly will get as many answers as people who post answers because we all have our favorite chrome stripper that works for us, and here is what works for me, Dawn Power Dissolver.



You can find it whereever you get dish washing liquid, and works great in not only stripping the chrome, but the yellow undercoat underneath. The parts in front of the bottle were done in about 4 hours. Since it's for getting the stuck on gunk off of pots and pans, it has no harmful fumes. Even though I've not tried it yet, a few members have also said it works at stripping paint, too.

[envious8420]

good old straight bleach, works quick and its a buck at the dollar store.

say you only want to strip a part of the piece, cover what you don't want stripped with petroleum jelly to seal it off, works like a charm.

Edited by envious8420, 26 September 2010 - 09:25 AM.

[charlie8575]

I like bleach also. For best results, use it in a plastic jar with a plastic lid. The chlorine fumes will corrode metal (which is why it strips chrome.) I find parts will strip in anywhere from about 10-15 minutes to an hour, depending on size, number of pieces, etc.

Charlie Larkin

[Brutalform]

I can never get the yellow undercoat off using bleach. I will give the Dawn Power Dissolver a try next time.

[MikeMc]

I can never get the yellow undercoat off using bleach. I will give the Dawn Power Dissolver a try next time.

Why remove it Tom? It acts as a primer for lacquers.

[charlie8575]

Why remove it Tom? It acts as a primer for lacquers.

Or for any other paint for that matter, and it works beautifully.

Charlie Larkin

[midnightprowler]

I use Simple Green.

[slapshot]

I use bleach as well & found this puppy to be handy little find.