Shaving Chrome Bumpers

[Bart]

I'm going to be shaving the bumpers for a project car that I am building. I have never modified or built something that was eventually going to be chromed and was wondering if there is any important tips that some of you can give me. Some of my concerns before starting this project is 1) is regular mild steel ok for use as filler metal, 2) is there certain methods of grinder or certain abraisives that I should or should not use 3) what kind of condition should the final preped be before I send it to the chromer or does the plating process help to fill in minor scratchs and pin holes. I plan on practicing on some junk bumpers before I do the good ones.

Thanks
Frank

[HMW]

Chrome

I've made some sissy bars for motorcycles and they came out good. I'm no expert but I used mild steel through out. It seems like the chroming process will fill small imperfections but my opinion is the smoother you can make it the better it will turn out. You can use flap discs instead of grinding wheels and they come in different grits so as not to scratch to much. Chroming is expensive so you don't want to have to practice much.

[link523]

you can brass for small impectections the less scratchs the better you could da it then polish it! then send it out but the smoother the better it will end up

[wb5jhy]

Chrome plating will show whatever finish texture is on the metal when it goes in the tank. However, most chrome shops have the ability to polish out metals before they do their thing. The better condition you send it to them, the cheaper the price because they have to charge you labor for doing that polishing job.

[Bart]

Thanks for all of the advise. Nice to talk to people who have some experience in this area, gives me a little more confidence that I'm doing things the right way. Looks like once I get all the welds filled in good I'm going to have to slowly work down on grits until its almost polished.

I'll try and post some pics of my practice run to make sure its coming out right.

Thanks
Frank

[Leons2003]

A few of the hot rodders around here use the smothe bumpers from, I think, The Smothe(sic) Brothers from Ca., less hassel, good chrome. Just my 2¢
L*S