Painting over chrome

[03fxst]

To all the paint gurus. What prep is needed to paint over a chrome part? I am figuring sanding with 180 and then 420. Then priming, sealing, color, and clear. Would this be good for a lasting paint job? What tips can you give me?

Don

[cowboyup]

sand like hell!!

[BadgerOctane]

Originally Posted by 03fxst

To all the paint gurus. What prep is needed to paint over a chrome part? I am figuring sanding with 180 and then 420. Then priming, sealing, color, and clear. Would this be good for a lasting paint job? What tips can you give me?

Don

Honestly... blast it. Its the best way to ensure you're going to get a quality end result. Yes, you can add graphics to chrome in this same fashion. Meaning you can have some chrome, mixed with some graphics. Those that say you can't....................... good I appear to be one of the few with this knowledge, but in all honesty it was a technique used long before I was born. I see so many today doing it the wrong way, and in a short time they'll be re-doing it. Here's a tip/hint for those wanting to check out the original technique, think Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.

You can remove certain sections of chrome only so that you'll get good adhesion for painting. Picture chrome and paint side by side, on one piece of metal. Yes, it can be done.

Badger

[cowboyup]

Badger, I looked on your web site and did not see any of this technic. Do you have a photo?

[BadgerOctane]

Originally Posted by cowboyup

Badger, I looked on your web site and did not see any of this technic. Do you have a photo?

I have only one photo of this technique done on a front fender, but its in the folder with many others that I can not post publically without proper, prior approval. As many here know, I've done quite a bit of work for local M/Cs. They have no problem handing out cards and bragging about the work I've done for them, but posting a public image of their ride would be just as bad as pasting their face on a 'wanted' poster if you know what I mean. I respect their anonymity on this which is why I don't have their pics on my site and I won't display them at shows. I will only show certain ones, in person, in my shop.

But if you do a search on Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth you'll see he used this technique on a couple of his crazy creations, hence its been around a while now. Though we can't use the same chemicals they used back in the day, there are new methods and chemicals we can use to achieve this. Its not an inexpensive process however. It takes quite a bit of time, money and care to pull it off. Thus the reason it isn't seen a whole hell of a lot.

Badger