PDA

View Full Version : Who does hard chroming?



Pedrostt500
15th September 2009, 17:24
I would like to find a company that does hard chroming, the fork staunchens on my VF are a little pitted with rust, not in the seal zone, but close.
I'm soon about to pull down the front forks for new seals, and it would be an opertune time to get them done, unless some one has or knows of a clean set of VF 750 sabre forks for sale.

cs363
15th September 2009, 18:52
Engine Components in Hamilton: http://www.enginecomponents.co.nz/HardChromePlating.aspx

Do very good work and not too badly priced.

Also Otahuhu Chromeplaters: http://www.chromeplaters.co.nz/products.shtml

Both these companies do good work and have been used and recommended by many on KB and in the m/cycle trade.

There is also this place in Rotovegas: http://www.chromeplating.co.nz/gallery_3.html

Though I'm not aware of anyone who has used them.

robinm
15th September 2009, 19:09
My brother used Rotorua platers to to the rechrome his XJ forks. Did a good job.

Cloggy
15th September 2009, 19:13
This guy may be able to help you. Nice guy too.

http://www.liquidmetals.co.nz/index.php

Pedrostt500
15th September 2009, 19:36
Thanks will give them a call.

jellywrestler
16th September 2009, 17:50
I searched for a while to get my hesketh forks done, for someone who had had this done, everyone using the should be able to line my mate i think got them done etc etc then the penny dropped, who does industrial hydraulics cranes etc leading me to roturua electroplaters, you need to check that they still do it.
also the may need some further polishing to come up perfect as often this type of finish is a not as smooth as bike forks need to be remembereing stiction is a big part of how a bike handles but in big hydraulics stiction is effectively non existant.
may be replacemnets from forking by frank in the states, quite cost effective sometimes too

classic zed
18th September 2009, 07:43
I had mine done at Otahuhu Chrome Platers, they did an excellent job, 4 years later they still look like new and whats more important they dont leak.

$350 for both legs as I recall but they were badly pitted.

Otahuhu Chrome Platers Ltd
20B Huia Rd Otahuhu Auckland
09-276 9689

Pedrostt500
3rd October 2009, 23:05
This guy may be able to help you. Nice guy too.

http://www.liquidmetals.co.nz/index.php

Yep spoke with him he was not interested on rusted staunchens, not easy for him to do, his process is more for garked rams etc

cs363
4th October 2009, 06:38
Yep spoke with him he was not interested on rusted staunchens, not easy for him to do, his process is more for garked rams etc

As a matter of interest and to make this thread useful for anyone searching, who did you end up using (assuming you've had it done?) and what were the results/cost etc?

Warr
4th October 2009, 20:37
................ unless some one has or knows of a clean set of VF 750 sabre forks for sale.

I have a spare set of '90 VFR forks that for the right $'s I would part with. If they be useful to you ???

Dirty Heathen
20th November 2009, 22:28
Just looking into getting mine done there is place called Advanced plating in H town I have sued a lot of all car resto work they do really good job really nice nickel plating to get a good finish.

Anyway called them today reckon $85 a side for hard chroming but they have to me machined first of coarse.

So only thing I am not sure about iis the clean up process my mates a fitter and turner with a lathe can you just clean them up on a lathe or does it need to be done another way?
was thinking in lathe you could just take the them down until you have no imperfections for rust left and I am guessing you just measure them first then when the nickel then chroming gets done there back to the right thickness would only be talking maybe 1-2mm

jellywrestler
28th November 2009, 08:09
then chroming gets done there back to the right thickness would only be talking maybe 1-2mm

1 to 2mm is huge when we're talking plating, its usually measured in thousands of an inch.
i'd be wary of having them turned down before plating as the turner will not know what the plater requires. once they're hard chromed they will need to be reground in a lathe. A proper plater that does this process will have the gear to both prepare the tubes and finish them afterwards

glegge
28th November 2009, 08:26
if your in wellington, you could try calling Valley Platers Ltd.
i have never used them, only ridden past and noticed they where there.

Dodgyiti
28th November 2009, 17:42
As a matter of interest and to make this thread useful for anyone searching, who did you end up using (assuming you've had it done?) and what were the results/cost etc?

Exactly, thread searching, takes about as long as typing out the initial post.

jellywrestler
28th November 2009, 17:55
Exactly, thread searching, takes about as long as typing out the initial post.
I used Rotorua Electroplaters for my hesketh, if you want to see the work I'm in the Hutt Valley

Pedrostt500
6th December 2009, 09:39
I ended up not getting the work done in the end, sold the bike.
Sorry for not getting back to this thread, Spoke with rthe Guy from Liquid metals, he said it would probably cost more for him to do the work than can be done through a electroplaters, he is more Industrial shafts that get garked, though worth knowing if you do big gear.
Both Rotorua and Otahu platers sounded reasonable when I spoke with them, Ceck that the Staunchens are not to badley worn before sending, as they need to know the original specs, The tollerances are very tight to work with in, so the better the condition the less cost.
As said above, they will need to give the Staunchens a pre grind and inspection, this will alow them to asses how much the work peace needs to be built up, I would also suggest that you let them do all the grinding work, just make sure that the staunchens are free of oil and dirt.

Corsa.co
23rd January 2010, 12:04
Hi i can get a large range of chrome fork s , most are about $295nz incl each, less if can combine with another order
Conventional and USD,Tarozzi made in italy.Use NZ if you can. Not sure how this compares with rechrome.
Fitment here www.motorcycle-parts.com.au/Tarozzi.htm

brett7777
20th September 2010, 17:54
I would not recommend Advanced Plating In Hamilton, I had a bad experience with them & had to go to Otahuhu Electroplaters instead.

jellywrestler
21st September 2010, 10:33
I would not recommend Advanced Plating In Hamilton, I had a bad experience with them & had to go to Otahuhu Electroplaters instead.
with hard chroming or in general? I've recently started using Advanced and would like to know what their limits.

Max Headroom
21st September 2010, 10:46
I would not recommend Advanced Plating In Hamilton, I had a bad experience with them & had to go to Otahuhu Electroplaters instead.

I used Advanced for a rechrome of a steel wheel-rim only three months ago, and was very happy with both the quality of the work and the price. Turnaround was less than initially estimated too. The guy who runs Advanced is a motorcycle enthusiast himself, and has a private collection of bikes.

FWIW, when hard-chroming fork stanchions, the forks can't be successfully refinished in a lathe unfortunately. The surface finish just isn't good enough. Instead, the stanchions need to be machined to size using a grinding machine, such as a crankshaft grinder at an engine reconditioning shop.

jellywrestler
21st September 2010, 11:11
FWIW, when hard-chroming fork stanchions, the forks can't be successfully refinished in a lathe unfortunately. The surface finish just isn't good enough. Instead, the stanchions need to be machined to size using a grinding machine, such as a crankshaft grinder at an engine reconditioning shop.
I had my hesketh forks done at rotorua electroplaters. After asking around pre internet days and not finding the answer i wanted was driving past a crane and figured that they have to have things spot on and sussed out who did theirs.
finish wasn't as glossy as the originals but a polish took care of that...

smmudd83_1999
11th September 2015, 15:00
if your in wellington, you could try calling Valley Platers Ltd.
i have never used them, only ridden past and noticed they where there.

Absolutely NOT recommended. Hutt Valley Platers/Zinc and Chrome in Lower Hutt/Gracefield prep work is terrible and they do not triple plate. I feel the hard chroming process for fork legs with all that precision grinding to achieve the close sliding tolerance is very much well beyond their abilities.
Very few people I know go there for repeat custom. I went once, they botched the job and were unrepentant. I will not go back.

Paul in NZ
11th September 2015, 19:03
All chroming is hard... I mean have you tried doing it at home... I mean its fuckin difficult

Ocean1
11th September 2015, 20:37
All chroming is hard... I mean have you tried doing it at home... I mean its fuckin difficult

You were looking recently wern't you?

Did you find anyone local at all?

jellywrestler
11th September 2015, 21:02
I ended up not getting the work done in the end, sold the bike.
Sorry for not getting back to this thread, Spoke with rthe Guy from Liquid metals, he said it would probably cost more for him to do the work than can be done through a electroplaters, he is more Industrial shafts that get garked, though worth knowing if you do big gear.
Both Rotorua and Otahu platers sounded reasonable when I spoke with them, Ceck that the Staunchens are not to badley worn before sending, as they need to know the original specs, The tollerances are very tight to work with in, so the better the condition the less cost.
As said above, they will need to give the Staunchens a pre grind and inspection, this will alow them to asses how much the work peace needs to be built up, I would also suggest that you let them do all the grinding work, just make sure that the staunchens are free of oil and dirt.

i've found that over different decades the original quality of the stanchions varys, so not all are drop in the bath and flick a coat over them...

neil_cb125t
21st September 2015, 09:28
i've found that over different decades the original quality of the stanchions varys, so not all are drop in the bath and flick a coat over them...

Hey guys - as its been stated before, your better off just getting new ones via the links stated above, or even Ebay for a good second hand set. My S2 needed a set, the new set I ordered was incorrect which sucked so I returned them and found a complete set of forks off Ebay for around $200 nz delivered. Rebuilt em and we were good to go.

Paul in NZ
21st September 2015, 10:24
You were looking recently wern't you?

Did you find anyone local at all?

Mr Jelly kindly took my munt up to Wanganui (h optional) for me....

Ocean1
21st September 2015, 10:53
Mr Jelly kindly took my munt up to Wanganui (h optional) for me....

Good. There used to be a good one in PN too, I should track some alternatives down as it looks like there's no longer a plating service in Wgtn.

I understand council environmental compliance issues closed the last one a month ago.

jellywrestler
21st September 2015, 11:32
Mr Jelly kindly took my munt up to Wanganui (h optional) for me....

the only time that filthy letter is acceptable.

Paul in NZ
21st September 2015, 12:02
the only time that filthy letter is acceptable.

LOL - thats pretty good. Stuff must be ready sometime soon do you think?

F5 Dave
21st September 2015, 23:18
Ahh, so Zinc and Chrome are gone? I was wanting some bright zinc done. And chroming later.

Drew
22nd September 2015, 07:34
We did some plating at school, surely the local polytechnic have the capability. Ring a few tutors Dave, see if they'll help you out.

Grumph
22nd September 2015, 09:46
I understand council environmental compliance issues closed the last one a month ago.

It's getting tougher to run a platers as a viable business. The couple left in ChCh are on borrowed time i understand due to rezoning/rebuilding and compliance issues after that. I was talking to Steve Winteringham of Classic Chrome in Invercargill a while back and he was listing the firms left - and those in trouble....
At the time even Shinybits in Geraldine was closed to be brought up to spec, they have since reopened. If that one in a small country town is in trouble, cities will soon be no go areas for platers.

F5 Dave
22nd September 2015, 13:03
The time consuming bit is the polishing. Preparation is key. Which with my attention span I'd make a terrible metal finisher.

F5 Dave
22nd September 2015, 19:53
FWIW I thought I'd stroll past Zinc and Chrome and they were still there apparently trying to make a go of it.
Chap showed me some bright zinc bike stuff, about an ice cream container $45 min charge. To be honest if my stuff comes up as well I'll be happy. The guy had cleaned them on the wire wheel before bringing them in which is what I intended to do. He advised they would de-embrittle the spokes which showed some care and attention.

Ocean1
22nd September 2015, 20:20
FWIW I thought I'd stroll past Zinc and Chrome and they were still there apparently trying to make a go of it.
Chap showed me some bright zinc bike stuff, about an ice cream container $45 min charge. To be honest if my stuff comes up as well I'll be happy. The guy had cleaned them on the wire wheel before bringing them in which is what I intended to do. He advised they would de-embrittle the spokes which showed some care and attention.

Ah, reports of their demise are premature then, excellent.