Unique part question.

[Geno]

Hi guys, I have a bumper for a Franklin Mint '55 Chevy that I modified to remove the butt wart. The part is plastic but FM used copper & chrome to plate it. I have most of the plating removed but am curious if you guys know of a good way to remove the rest that's on the ends other than filing and sanding it off. I see the tight areas as being a problem trying to do it that way. I want to get it cleaned up so I can send it off for rechroming. Please see pic. Thanks, Geno.

 

 

[stitchdup]

use something like a kitchen cleaner that has bits in it. In the uk id say use cif cream but theres bound to be an equivelent usa band. oven cleaner would probably work too as it destroys chrome and copper but it would take longer than normal kit chrome

[peteski]

Diecasts often have their plastic "chrome" parts electroplated with real chromium (not the typical fragile vacuum metalized aluminum used for most model car kits).  This process results in the same very tough plating that is used on 1:1 scale chromed parts.  Basically the part is coated with electrically conductive paint, then copper plated, then chrome plated.

Chromium is a very hard and durable metal, resistant to most chemicals.  Maybe some very strong acid could eat away at the chrome.  If you could sandblast the chrome layer, you could then remove the copper with Ferric Chloride.  I wonder if you could just try peeling off the metal, since the base coat that is under the plating is conductive paint (which is probably the weakest link of the bond with plastic.

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

If the stuff is that tough, just sand it as smooth as you can get it, prime the part, and send it off to the chromer.

Apparently, it's not going anywhere.

 

 

Steve