How do you remove chrome from brass? - Page 2

#11: Post by **cagiva905** » December 5th, 2009, 3:27 pm

Before turning to the grinder if a plating shop is not an option, how about a diy plating or deplating kit? For sure something like that is available in your country?

This is something from the UK:
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp? ... &subCatID=

December 5th, 2009, 4:24 pm

cagiva905 wrote:Before turning to the grinder if a plating shop is not an option, how about a diy plating or deplating kit? For sure something like that is available in your country?

We're back to cost plus hassle plus chemical dangers equaling less of a bother than the manual labour involved in abrasive techniques. But thanks! Yeah, I've contemplated both stripping and plating as a DIY project in the past, but so far I've successfully avoided it.

December 19th, 2009, 1:51 am

Working Metal was my life for 30+ years..

Two ways Abrasives and Electro-Chemical (reverse of how it was put on)

Method one is use a sand blaster or sand paper and after it would need to be polished on a rag wheel with jewelers rouge (polishing compound)

Method two you need a battery charger, a 5gal bucket, scrap piece of metal, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda,

Mix 1cup of washing soda and 5gals of water hook red wire to PFH black wire to scrap steel and place both in water mix without touching ...

In end it will look pretty bad and need sanding and polishing so I think sand blasting would be best..

December 19th, 2009, 3:46 pm

Johnny Kleso wrote: In end it will look pretty bad and need sanding and polishing so I think sand blasting would be best..

With no access to a sand blaster, is wire wheel a decent alternative?
I'd like to end up with something that isn't too far out of spec, so just removing the chrome without removing a whole lot of the brass seems tricky. Brass is like buddah, chrome is pretty tough. As I understand it, chrome is used to protect the brass, both from oxidation and from dings and dents.

December 26th, 2009, 10:35 am

Yes wire wheel will work if chrome is thin..
Chrome is super hard and brass will eat away faster..

You want a fine wire size or you will get a deep scratch finish...

I would try an looking in the phone book for a automotive machine shop and call to see if they have a sand blaster, most will I think... Might cost $20 bucks most..

December 26th, 2009, 11:21 am

A wire wheel will probably be more work than you expect. It will take some time and you will end up with scratched/gouged brass that has to be sanded out to smooth it up. I do some metal polishing as part of a hobby, trust me, it would be a pain. Acid would be the easy way, you can get it at the local swimming pool supply shops.

Best bet is a local body shop and have them sand or soda blast it clean. Then you can use a buffer, not a grinder. You need a slow speed 1700'ish rpm buffer with some hard fabric wheels. Then Tripoli to smooth it out, white rogue to polish it and smooth then chromium oxide for final polish. After that you could go with a metal polish like MAAS for a final near mirror shine. But just the buffer supplies will add up. The buffer, 3 wheels, compound will probably be in the $200 range if you shop around for good deals. A bench grinder will not work for buffing. Way too fast. Figure you will spend a 15 minutes each compound minimum, being a first time user, you will probably spend twice to three times than learning how to do it. You also have to worry about the buffer grabbing a corner and throwing the portafilter across the garage at 30 miles an hour. For something that small, it would probably pay to have someone do it for you.

December 26th, 2009, 3:12 pm

cannonfodder wrote:...more work than you expect... ...take some time... ...end up with scratched/gouged ...sanded out... ... it would be a pain

...buffer, not a grinder... ...hard fabric wheels... ...Tripoli... ...white rogue... ...chromium oxide... ...After that ...metal... ...supplies will add up... ...$200 range... ...bench grinder will not work... ...15 minutes each compound minimum... ...spend twice to three times than learning... ...worry... ...throwing the portafilter across the garage at 30 miles an hour

OK, that's what I heard... ; >

What I'm getting from the subtext is, "Whyncha try the damned nekkid, with the spotty chrome still on it and see just how disappointed you are before you go trying to rule the world!"

I think that I'm starting to like my decrepit looking (but perfectly functioning) new nekkids, but thanks for all of your helpful suggestions.
I got a second hand wheel, 1950 RPM, and it kinda looks as if someone modified a cooler motor. I have some other metal buffing to do, so I'll experiment and see how steep my learning curve is, and may come back to this someday. It is officially on a back shelf as of now, though...

December 30th, 2009, 6:44 pm

Do you think the chrome is thick?

IE: Copper> Nickle> Chrome> Plated the type that peels off in thick layers? Much tougher that aluminum foil, This will be tough to buff off..
Or just a flash Chrome much like aluminum foil that the chrome is worn through in places and flaking in others..

If you have a Rag Wheel buffer get some Gray buffing compound the coarse stuff and start with that, then finish with the Red (Rouge) you should be fine as its made for brass and non ferrous metals.. If you want you can go to the green or cream type like Simi Chrome (http://www.simichrome-polish.com/) for even higher polish.. I used this stuff for years and like it a lot..

#19: Post by **mgwolf** » December 30th, 2009, 9:17 pm

Boil it in citric acid 1 Tb/liter for a while. 45 min will probably do it. Brass comes out nice. I just did this to a chromed part recently by accident and it is now 2/3 brass showing. Citric acid is readily available in Indian grocery stores, brewing supply stores, and eBay. Michael

#20: Post by **CRCasey** » December 31st, 2009, 5:53 pm

Ok, that one lost me, Why would citric acid crystals be in Indian grocery stores?

I am just being curious.

-Cecil