Quote:
Originally Posted by fordgarage
Chrome plated plastics are made of ABS.
The ABS part is etched to remove the butadiene and create porosity.
The parts are treated and copper plated to provide a mechanical interlock to the etched plastic substrate, and to provide a metallic base coating.
Then they are nickel plated to provide the color.
They are then chrome plated (near transparent) to provide a hard surface protection for the nickel below.
Yes, chrome plastic parts like a car grille are copper/nickel/chrome over plastic.
A truck bumper is copper/nickel/chrome over a steel stamping.
I already explained how stainless was plated.
This likely won't mean much to you, but others may be interested.
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Question: A few years back I got some plastic dash board items for a 67 Ford "rechromed" as they were chrome before. The company in Texas that did it (beautiful,by the way) told me they put the plastic in a vacuum chamber and pipe in powered aluminum dust to simulate chrome plating. Was he doing it a different way back then or are they many methods of doing it? I dont see how you can "plate" plastic since it can't attract the metallic particles.