If anyone is interested I finally got my vacuum metallizing system going. I can pretty much chrome plate any part. Quick turnaround too! Just post and let me know.

 

Hmm....if only you were in Texas.

 

What part or parts were you thinking of plating? The mail system doesn't take too long.

 

i thought someone said you can't chrome plastic? i don't know much about any of that but i read that once. how much do you charge for stuff?

 

Yeah how much $$$ for it cause I have a couple of engine parts i would like to chrome out.

 

The oem chrome grille and chrome handles are all plastic.

 

You can chrome XBoxes too, and they are plastic... they are sweet looking.

 

got any pics of before and after chromed pieces?

 

I can promise Brett (PHSInvent) is legit.

 

Would you possibly consider designing a chrome grill for the 95-96 like you did for the 97-99? I would be 1 definite buyer!

 

I would like to chrome the rear view mirrors so they look like the chrome Cefiro rear view mirrors. Are you game?


Dave

 

I was wanting a total of 26 pieces chromed. That includes pieces under the hood and inside the car. I checked with a guy locally and he quoted me a price of $1530. If you can beat that, I may have to send these to you. By the way, can you do colored chrome?

 

do you have any before and after pics of plastic pieces chrome plated. I want to chrome plate quite a few pieces from the interior like the vents, radio trim, and the rest of the pieces that a regular dash kit overlays covers.

Eric

 

Actually not many people or companies chrome plastic. The old fashioned way is chroming steel, brass or copper. If you want to plate aluminum then you have to create a special copper substrate to allow the nickel to adhere to the copper. It's a layered process. I actually have three ways of chroming things so plastic isn't that bad. I can either vacuum metallize coat them or use a special chemical reaction spray or also plate the plastic with copper first then coat the copper. Long story but plastic can be done here.

 

PHSINVENT,

if you have some pics of some of your work that would help.

 

Which engine parts do you want to chrome. Some parts under the hood will be easy if they are smooth to begin with. If they are rough then I'd have to do a lot of polishing first. Chrome really shows off what is underneath. It's similar to painting with all the prep work but the metal has to be smooth because chrome just doen't flow out like paint. It kind of loads up on the surface. I'll have a minimum of like $50 to start out. For example if someone sends me their brake fluid cap. I'd have to charge just $50 to do that since I'd have to prepare all sorts of baths just for one part. But if someone were to send me 3 or more parts then I'd charge around $25-40 for the small things and $100 for the larger stuff. Just let me know which parts you have in mind.

 

Colored chrome won't be a problem. If you want a factory body color match then I'd have to do some experimental color mixing to get the color to come close to your factory paint. $1530? That price is rather crazy. I can almost guess which parts you have in mind. The reason he is most likely charging you so much is because #1 chrome shops are rare nowadays and #2 he is only going to see you once so he is trying to get all your $ once since you won't be a repeat customer. Most shops are set up for larger size production runs. Plus the each and every part plates different and has to be carefully watched because if you leave a part in for two long then big globs of nickel will build up and ruin the whole job. I would never charge that much for your parts. Let me know which ones you have in mind. Thanks!

 

The plastic spark plug wire cover under the hood won't be that difficult. I'd charge $75 to do that part. I was also eye balling the heater vents in my maxima. My only concern was that there isn't much clearance for the movement of the vent parts. I might have to put a very thin layer on the vents. The radio trim and other pieces won't be that hard. I'll have to make up a list this weekend so you guys know what to expect as far as price is concerned.

 

I have a real busy weekend here. I'm in the middle of designing new grills and an underdrive pulley for the maximas and altimas. I'm going to plate some parts on monday and let you guys see what i'm talking about. If you guys want to see some of my past work then just log onto ebay and put "Motostorm" in the search box. I chromed all sorts of gauge rings and grills so you can check out my work. This chroming of plastic is a little bit different then just plating the gauge rings. I'll show you guys some pics on monday.

 

if its easier to prep for a certain parts and makes it easier for you why don t you consolidate the parts say 5 people send you the same part so now your material doesnt go to waste and both you and the buyer benefit off each other, and also you will blow up amongst us and other forums to the point that you will be busy all your life chroming parts for everyone and not just the maxima guys. Just an idea for you

 

What about the spark plug cover? How much would that run?

 

I was thinking about the intake manifold, crankcase cover and the valve cover not the plastic but the metal one. How much total for all three.

 

I would charge about $50-$75 for the spark plug cover. I haven't really done one yet but I have a good guess on how hard it would be.

 

The front valve cover is rather smooth to begin with so that one would be about $75. And I'd guess about $100 each for the other two. I'd have to sand and polish the intake and crank real good since they have that rough cast surface. Otherwise they wouldn't come out looking like a mirror. If you just wanted me to plate them how they are then I would charge about $50 for the intake and 50 for the crank. What would you drive if you sent those to me?

 

I like your idea about doing a larger quantity of the same part. But what part does everyone have in mind? I'd like to start with the plastic spark plug cover. If we got 5 people then I'd charge about $50 per piece. Keep in mind I will most likely do my cover and show you guys closer to monday of next week.

 

Are you talking about the side mirrors? Those wouldn't be that hard to do.

 

hey man what did that whole chroming shabang run for??

 

What chroming shabang are you asking about?

 

the muta uckin chromeing shabang!

 

I'm not real sure. I never really added it up. It was $600 alone just for some resistance coils to heat up the aluminum evaporate solution. I'll have pics in about one day. Thanks

 

Stillen fstb?
PR CAI?
radiator supports?
6 bolts?

 

You are looking at like $100 for the fstb and cai. Are those radiator supports rusted at all? If not then add like $20 for the supports. So $120 for all those items. I'll have pics tomorrow night. I'm going to plate the plastic plug wire cover tomorrow.

 

no rust on it. ill sand them for ya anyways. how much of a turnaround are we talking about? You gonna throw those 6 bolts in as well? FSTB bolts...

I dont see you on AIM or I would hit you up there..

 

I have one of his grills and guage bezels and the chroming is excellent!


can you please quote me on the following-

(3) brackets radiator support, and hood sensor one
(3) caps- brake, power steering, coolant resovoir

and about 5 or so various brackets about the same size as the radiator brackets.

 

Hey how's it going? That grill is looking good. Are your radiator support brackets rusted? Everyone seems to want them done but I've seen quite a few that are rusted. I'd charge like $50 for those three caps and about $50 for the brackets. Post and let me know. I still plan on posting some pics later tonight. Thanks!!!

 

how much would you charge for the 95/96 stock grill?

and various parts from the interior, the dome light housing, the lights right above the rear view mirror(i think they're called map lights), the end pieces on the oh **** bars, and the piece that is above the seatbelts, the thing that is on the piece that slides up and down. sorry that's a bad description.

basically, how much for all those random small interior pieces??

 

I want my headers chromed!! w00t How much? is that possible?

 

would probably be cheaper buying cattman's aftermarket ones. they come chromed and will add a lil hp.

 

WOW ... i never realized that chroming could be so expensive! Well, if any of you guys live in NJ, SPI (the official Apex'i Power FC Tuning shop) can polish parts in your engine bay. my friend's RX-7 got done there and my brother's S14 is getting his motor swapped by them now. they gave him an estimate for $300 for getting whatever he wanted in his engine bay polished. Polishing and Chroming looks very similar .. and Polished is much lighter.. i think i'll get my engine bay Polished instead

 

how much for the headers?