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Stripping chrome

JNHEscher

JNHEscher

Red Skull Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2020
Member Number
1892
Messages
2,999
Loc
Dogwood, MO.
There a more effective method other than having to sandblast?

I'm attempting to strip the chrome/nickel from some lug nuts with a muriatic acid bath. At the rate it's going, all the steel with be eaten away and I'll have chrome shells left. The threads were cleaned within a day, but the outside layers aren't really budging yet.

Electro bath? Tumbler? I can sand blast if I get my blasting cabinet here and some air going.

I should note that chrome removal is only necessary from the shank and chamfer behind the wrench hex. Need to retain the circumference of the shank to fit inside of DOM tubing.

IMG_20241001_121403705_HDR.jpg
IMG_20241001_121415964_HDR.jpg
 
Stop with the chemicals. The whole point of chrome is it's non-reactive.

Low speed belt sander and a steady hand? Set them up on a bolt/allthread with a 2x4 jig in front of a slack belt.

New nuts that aren't chrome?
 
subybaja said:
Stop with the chemicals. The whole point of chrome is it's non-reactive.

Low speed belt sander and a steady hand? Set them up on a bolt/allthread with a 2x4 jig in front of a slack belt.

New nuts that aren't chrome?
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I use the acid a lot to quickly strip galvanized parts. Guess it's not gonna to the chrome that well.

I can't find new nuts like these that aren't chrome-plated. Using these as tube adapters. Need the shank and threads in particular sizes.
 
Chrome shops of old put the parts in a tank and reverse the polarity and presto its removed
 
PAE said:
Chrome shops of old put the parts in a tank and reverse the polarity and presto its removed
Click to expand...
I toured one of those shops years ago. Two old brothers were trying to sell it. It looked like a medieval dungeon- roiling pits of glop set in the floor, green stalactites growing, buffing compound covering everything from the 4' wheels of death.
When they finally gave up and closed, it was a literal SuperFund site. .gov reeeally hates hexavalent chromium.
Now it's a weed store.
 
subybaja said:
I toured one of those shops years ago. Two old brothers were trying to sell it. It looked like a medieval dungeon- roiling pits of glop set in the floor, green stalactites growing, buffing compound covering everything from the 4' wheels of death.
When they finally gave up and closed, it was a literal SuperFund site. .gov reeeally hates hexavalent chromium.
Now it's a weed store.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure every single plating facility ever eventually becomes a superfund site.
 
XtremeJ said:
Buy a Ford, wait 25 years, chrome peels right off.

:flipoff2:

What about the reverse of using a battery charger to clean parts trick? Would changing the polarity or the solution perhaps encourage the chrome to depart?
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I'll check on the reverse polarity trick. I do have battery chargers.
 
JNHEscher said:
I'll check on the reverse polarity trick. I do have battery chargers.
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Look up what's in chrome plating solution. You're gonna need some juice that likes chrome to absorb it. Just electricity won't do much, IMHO.

For example, you can't just throw a gold coin in water, hook it up to leads, and plate. It takes cyanide to "alloy" with the gold as a carrier.
 
The battery charger most likely does not provide the correct voltage or amperage.

From memory of my working in a chrome shop and my chrome plating class at college the voltage was in the area of 30VDC, probably about 10/20 amps but not totally sure on that spec.

Google specs on a chrome plating power supply.


JNHEscher said:
I'll check on the reverse polarity trick. I do have battery chargers.
Click to expand...
 
Sceep said:
Take a 3/8 bung that is 5/8" OD, drill it and run your metric tap through it?
rodendsupply.com

Weld-In Threaded Alloy Steel Bung - Rod End Supply

WELD-IN THREADED BUNGS: ALLOY STEEL Call Rod End Supply inside sales personnel at 1-800-284-2902 with your specific application needs. CAUTIONS Do
rodendsupply.com rodendsupply.com
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That's one of the many ways I considered making these. Once I get my lathe and tools set back up, I may go back to grabbing some hex bar to machine.
 
PAE said:
The battery charger most likely does not provide the correct voltage or amperage.

From memory of my working in a chrome shop and my chrome plating class at college the voltage was in the area of 30VDC, probably about 10/20 amps but not totally sure on that spec.

Google specs on a chrome plating power supply.
Click to expand...
Noted. I have some 48v chargers (54v charging) that are 18a. Probably won't work or isn't worth messing with
 
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