My first bit of polishing!!

look carefully in this pic where the throttle cables come through. nasty eh?

http://www2.css-networks.com/bay.jpg

here it is as it came off (doesn't look as bad in this light, but its nasty)

http://www2.css-networks.com/unshiny.jpg

and after lots and lots of elbow grease:

http://www2.css-networks.com/shiny.jpg

I'm going to buy a Dremel ASAP as this was a ballache and I got fed up. It's not perfect but it's a lot better!

On a different note, my friends dog had her pups today:

http://www2.css-networks.com/jen.jpg

http://www2.css-networks.com/pup.jpg

i hate to rain on your parade Carlos but you do realise that the bit you have polished is steel which also means............ rust, sorry mate

on a brighter note the pups look so cute

I thought about that, but then I thought naaa it's gotta be stainless. Surely?

If not, I can umm clear-something it can't I? Or I can learn how to powercoat.

How do you powder-coat anyway?

I have been trying to look into electrolisys (sp?) solutions and things lately but I haven't come up with much. It is something I'd like to play with. Or anodising.

I thought about that, but then I thought naaa it's gotta be stainless. Surely?

If not, I can umm clear-something it can't I? Or I can learn how to powercoat.

How do you powder-coat anyway?

 

I have been trying to look into electrolisys (sp?) solutions and things lately but I haven't come up with much. It is something I'd like to play with. Or anodising.

i'me sat here with some vino colapso but i'de hazard a guess i have'nt had as much as you carlos lol, if you really want it shiny take it to a chrome plate specialist...........quick before it rusts, and dont get any more ideas thinking Mr toyota has put lots of stainless goodies on your car cos, number 1 it weighs a ton and number 2 its expensive, if its got paint on and its metal its mild steel

anyway bollox to all this bling talk i say more puppy pictures

mm bugger. I guess I could paint it again. but I'd have to de-polish it to make the paint stick and that would be a real sickener

at least if I do the polishing, I should get a really good chrome finish and the chroming won't cost much, and I'll still be able to say "I did [part of] that!"

I should have a little while before it rusts, right? Maybe I'll have my own chroming bath by then

 

I should have a little while before it rusts, right?

summers hear carlos you might get a couple of weeks before the dreaded orange stuff appears, good effort mate, respect

You can buy kits for chrome plating at home, don't know what there like though !

You can buy kits for chrome plating at home, don't know what there like though !

they should be fine - it is just electro-plating I think. We've all done it with copper before haven't we I'd be interested if you copuld throw any urls my way

I remember I found a company who were offering some interesting new chemicals for use in electro-plating (I think the term they were using was ion-transfer) but I can't find the url any more. One of the partners of the business was some professor from one of the universities.

Nickel plate it.

Nickel plate it.

used to do this in chemistry at school, 3v battery, rheostat, and a nickel electrode with some nickel suphate.... make sure it doesnt bubble too fast!

used to do this in chemistry at school, 3v battery, rheostat, and a nickel electrode with some nickel suphate.... make sure it doesnt bubble too fast!

ISTR trying to create iron-oxide (rust) in a salt-water bath once for an aluminium/iron-oxide combo I was making and my home-tutor later on informing me that that gassy stuff coming off was highly explosive hydrogen hehe

Nickel plate it.

Sounds like a good idea. Do you know of any vendors for specific kits. Perhaps baths tailored for making the job easier or anything?

No need for urls or vendors thanks! - It looks as though Nickel Plating is much more popular for DIY stuff than Chrome plating. Searching for "Nickel Plating" brings up lots of kits, while "Chrome Plating" tends just to bring up people offering the service.

Thanks Chris! Nickel Plating it is

mmm goodies http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/

interested to see the results of this.

I have a powder coating kit that I have not used yet. Want to see how the 'chrome colour' coating comes out so will be buying some powder. Will post pics but it might be a while, I don't have an oven to do it in yet and you need an oven that will never have food in again.

Will post pics but it might be a while

how do you polish up like that by the way? is it just a matter of rubbing with metal polish or do you need to sand and smooth first?

and for larger parts, like the rocker cover, is it the same? just polish, time and elbow grease?

Will it be in the next four years?

haha, should be. why, what happens in 4 years?

haha, should be. why, what happens in 4 years?

Thread is from 2005...

haha. Didn't even notice!

Getting too used to the search button and forgetting to check dates

Gunk make a clear engine laquer which is temperature safe up to 250deg or so. I painted my power steering resevoir with it a couple of years ago and the finish is still perfect.

sounds good.

What did you use to polish it first? something like Autoglym metal polish?

interested to see the results of this.

I have a powder coating kit that I have not used yet. Want to see how the 'chrome colour' coating comes out so will be buying some powder. Will post pics but it might be a while, I don't have an oven to do it in yet and you need an oven that will never have food in again.

Nonsense, I have used our oven for powder coat curing. We sometimes get chrome coloured roast spuds, or matt black joints, but I blame `er indoors cooking myself.