Tank Prep for Chroming...

[Kendall Karmanian]

Aloha,

4 questions: 

1. If I am going to have a tank chrome plated, is the tin lining from a radiator shop just unnecessary?  I assume that would be stripped away during the chroming process?    

2. Can I line the tank at all before, after or during the process?  What is the norm,  if i wanted it done correctly?  

3. Do i need to media blast this puppy, or do plating shops submerge in a remove all solution??  the tank currently pretty scrappy with paint and rust inside and out.

4.   I am sure this has been talked about 100 times, but other than Tom at Griffin (he doesn't do tanks anymore)  I am looking for a competent shop IN THE CITY that will do it right the first time.  and price needs to be reasonable.  (not looking for show chrome)    One stop shop would be great!  

Thanks for your time!

Happy new year!

Kendall 

[Glenn Shriver]

KK,

This is just one guy's opinion.

I've dealt with m/c tanks and chroming for +/- 48 years, and offer the following:

I wouldn't concern myself about any preparation for the chroming of your tank--other than to insure that it is NOT leaking.  Often times, tin plating with cure any small leaks.  But if it is leaking, I would definitely have it either welded or soldered shut first(depending on how it was initially assembled at the factory.)  DO NOT use any of that horrible tank sealant.  It is bad stuff.  I can't stress this strongly enough.  Plus it's a waste of your time and money.  I've ruined 3 vintage carburetors because of the new, high alcohol % fuel partially dissolving old sealant into a gluey, mess.  An expensive lesson.  They say there is a new sealant on the market that works with the new gas--but what happens when they change the formulae the next time?

The chrome platers will take care of pre-plating prep.  It's what they do.  Make sure they use the copper/nickel/chrome process to fill in any anomalies in the tank's surface.

After years of disappointment with other, sloppy platers, I now only use Griffin Plating at 1636 W. Armitage, Chicago.  [AKA 2020 N. Holly--altho Holly Street no longer exists.]  773-342-5181.  They are just East of I-94 and may be a bit difficult to find, as their little brick building is actually not on the street, but in the parking lot S. of the Best Buy.

 

[A side story:  Best Buy tried to get Griffin to move some years ago so they could build their parking lot, but Griffin had a better lawyer, and altho BB had Holly St. removed, Griffin is still on the same exact spot where they have been on for many, many years.  Chalk one up for a small business not being bullied by a big national name.]

Good luck,

UG.

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[Kendall Karmanian]

Glenn,

Thank you so much.  Very insightful, alas Griffin is no longer doing tanks, cause some clown ruined it for the rest of us...   Got a backup plan??

KendallKarmanian.com 

312 498 0408

[Glenn Shriver]

2K--

Didn't know about Griffin's

"No T(h)anks" policy. 

I have seen tanks chromed by others where the heat caused by the platers' over zealous buffing dude caused so much heat that a tank actually warped!  Sloppy workmanship.  The original British Royal Enfield's chromed a lot of their tanks, and they were quite fine.

To answer another of your questions:

Yes--the inside of the tank will get plated at the same time--just not buffed.

Another place I might suggest you look into is Finishing Touch at 5580 Northwest Highway, Chicago 60630.  800-403-4545.  Just south of Bryn Mawr east of the Kennedy.

They only do what they call "Show Chrome".  They do excellent work, but they are VERY EXPENSIVE.  Be sure to get an estimate before you jump off the deep end.  Some people insist on 'show chrome', but regular, normal chrome is AOK for me.  Actually I'm not a big fan of chrome plating.  I've replaced almost every nut & bolt, handlebars, wheel rims, etc. with polished stainless steel--that ain't cheap neither, but it lasts forever.

Maybe one of the other CVM guys has a better idea.

Again, Good Luck,

'Uncle Glenn'.

[polishbeer]

Sucks he's not doing tanks anymore. My YD3 needs a chromed tank.

We were neighbors a block away from Griffin for 10+ years. We just moved to Addison. I don't think Tom can ever move. The zoning for his chemicals is probably Grandfathered in. Same with Cody plating by Home Depot.

I just handed Tom a box of parts last week. I shop nowhere else.

Beer Jordan

PS as long as I'm hijacking c.f. this, does anybody know of an outfit that will boil headers and exhaust pipe or do complete chrome removal for replating? There used to be a guy..

[Mark Roberts]

Do you know if Griffin does hard chrome, as in fork legs? Sorry to redirect slightly but a service that many vintage guys will use....

This email has been sent from a virus-free computer protected by Avast. www.avast.com

[Glenn Shriver]

PB--

I've had Griffon un-plate some stuff in the past.  All they have to do is to reverse the electrodes.  I've also had Griffon do some aluminum polishing for me & I was quite pleased with the job they did.

Un-plating something can be a bit of a hassle for platers, but as long as you're paying, I am not very sympathetic to why they can't or won't do it.

UG.

[Glenn Shriver]

I do not know if Griffin does hard chroming.  "It never hurts to ask."

Years ago now I used a place on Clyborne just south of Fullerton--west side of Clyborne.  They were quite good and were happy to add a thou. or whatever you asked for to bearing races, fork legs, etc.

But that area is getting so up-scale now, and City ordinances against plating chemicals being what they are, they may not be around any more.

UG.