173 replies to this topic

[mickey1938]

A big thank you all for your Ideas, after writting my question, I remembered that I always used Easy Off Oven Cleaner, and it did work!
Again Thanks to all that helped me out.
A Seniors Moment I guess!
mickey1938

[raildogg]

O.K. guys I hope I don't cause a fuss but, once and for all, "what is the all time best, and safest non toxic way, to de chrome parts". I just got a Lone Star kit and want to de chrome some major parts of it and I do not want to sacrifice or ruin any of them. I need a sure fire, works every time, best of all time technique. O.K. Let the solutions begin!

[cchapman195]

I use A1 Totally Awesome. It is $1-$3 depending on size of bottle. Strips chrome and paint and usually in a few hours. Great, cheap, solution plus it is a great all around home cleaner as well.

[jamesG]

check out my post a few posts down in tips called castrol super clean and chrome. there are others as well.

Edited by jamesG, 21 August 2012 - 01:25 AM.

[Harry P.]

This is a question, not a tip or trick or tutorial. It should have been posted in the Q&A section.

[crazyjim]

Wesley's Tire Bleach (it has a new name).

[raildogg]

Sorry about the wrongness of my question. I just wanted it to be in the best forum possible. Tips and Tricks seemed the best place to ask for a comment on this issue. Thanks guys.

[Deathgoblin]

I use brake fluid. doesn't hurt the plastic at all. It's not fast sometimes, but it does the trick. I've also heard of people using bleach.

[raildogg]

Re Dechromeing solutions, I went to the stores the other day to buy some of the recomended products. I looked for the Castrol purple stuff, the L.A. stuff, and many of the rest at the stores mentioned in the posts I read. Well I could not find any of them. Not at The Dollar store Home Depot, Lowes or even PepBoys. The one thing I did see at all those retailers was, Blechle-Wite Tire Tire Cleaner by Black Magic. I bought a 1 qt. spray bottle for $4.99 USD. I hope it will work. Comments welcome.

[Deathgoblin]

Castrol Super Clean should have been in the Automotive section, usually in a big box store or auto parts store. The LA's Totally Awesome stuff is usually at dollar stores. Also heard of using bleach, and I generally use brake fluid.

[shafer]

i use bleach and water / soak for 10 minutes in sealed tupperware container.

[Der Bugmeister]

I just used some "original" Fantastik and it worked great. Chrome was mostly gone in 15-20 minutes, all the parts were clean within 45 minutes. Not as corrosive or difficult to handle as brake fluid or Purple especially living in an apartment.

The "subject" was a gluebombed all chrome engine kit.

Edited by Der Bugmeister, 09 September 2012 - 05:16 PM.

[Shardik]

Here's an odd one: Formula 409. The odd thing is that it stripped the chrome from an AMT '40 Ford down to bare plastic in about 20 min. It took about an hour to strip my MPC Bentley but didn't quite dissolve the lacquer under coating (just turned it gooey). I've had a parts pack motor in there for two weeks with no result, other than the chrome being very clean .
It would be interesting to get an explanation for this from someone in the industry so I could devise an approach tailored to each manufacturer.

[ll Brandon ll]

If you can get your hands on that stuff called Totally Awesome (yes, thats the actual name) sold at Dollar General, it is THE BEST chrome stripper Ive used yet. It strips in less than an hour if you want to really give it plenty of time and it seems to be resin safe. I cant praise this stuff enough.

[raildogg]

Yes I found that stuff, L.A. Awsome at my local Family Dollar Store. This stuff is fabulous. I sampled it with one chrome wheel rim, and over night it's as clean at the proverbial baby's bumm. I also sampled 90% Alchohol and that also did fine. Got a handle on this now, going back for more L.A. Awsome. YIPPY!!!!!

[Art Anderson]

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

If you look closely at that very shiny base coat that is applied to parts before they are plated (the plating is actually aluminum, which is vaporized in a vacuum tank and transfers almost instantly to the plastic parts), you generally will see that the clear coat has munged, sometimes even obliterated a lot of fine detail. Stripping that clear coat away will reveal, often times, very sharp, clear surface details that you paid good money for.

Art

[raildogg]

Well it worked at 90%. I left two sprues overnight, from the AMT Parts Pack, Custom and Competion set, the Allison Engine and almost all of it was gone. I'm a little bummed that all of it wasn't off, but beggers can't be choosers. I even put it in full strength Chlorox Bleach for three more hours and it remained the same. That pesky clear coat is stuborn some remains.So I guess it does works and I am happy with the results.

[raildogg]

Some thoughts added to my last post. I had never de chromed parts with a solvent before. I just painted over the chrome. I never realized the amount of detail covered up by the process. I have been maticulously going over my parts pack Allison engine since I dropped it in LA Awesome, man there's a lot of stuff under the clear coat, just gads of stuff. I will do this from now on.

[cwobeaman]

Another great point, it's good to lacquer over...

[topher5150]

I didn't feel much like looking through the entire thread but how do you re-chrome?