Painting a partially chromed tank

[Dodgyiti]

I have never done the paint/chromed tank thing before and was wondering what paint prep I should do after the chroming?
I was thinking of etch priming the unchromed parts, then carefully scuffing up around the area of chrome that stays chrome with green scotchbrite then undercoating with spray putty.
Is that going to give the paint a good purchase on the chromed area?
Should I etch prime the chrome that has to be painted or will undercoat suffice?

This is one of them olden days tanks with paint/chrome on it.

When the painting is completed I was going to 2-pot clear the whole thing, or should I mask off the chrome parts and leave them out of the paint process all together?

The 2-pot clear is petrol resistant- don't you hate that? Companies nowadays never have the balls to back up their products, like watches being water resistant instead of water proof:angry:

[Cloggy]

http://www.ehow.com/how_4422511_paint-over-chrome-surface.html
According to these instructions, you can't clear coat over the chrome as it will need an etching primer first to make the subsequent coats stick.

[Motu]

I think chrome is porous,which is why triple plating is important otherwise it will rust.Definitely etch prime the painted chrome,it's going to be tough getting paint to stick to something so slippery.I've had 2 pot practically melt of a tank - if I had pay for the job I wouldn't have been happy.

[Dodgyiti]

Interesting.... Alsa Paints have a specialist chrome paint. I have used their normal clear over their Crazer paint. I may enquire with the local agent to see how it covers enemal or acrylic enemal automotive paint. It may be agressive or something.

http://www.alsacorp.com/products/clear4chrome/cl4ch_price.htm

This would also action the porosity of the chrome Motu, hopefully. Triple chroming is quite dear.

[Owl]

The 2-pot clear is petrol resistant- don't you hate that? Companies nowadays never have the balls to back up their products, like watches being water resistant instead of water proof:angry:

They're just covering their arse from the "moron" factor. 2-pot clear holds up well and is resistant to many nasty products, but that doesn't mean you can leave a solvent soaked rag on the surface for an extended period.

[Ixion]

"Flash' chrome plating (chrome direct on steel) is definately porous and will rust within a few years. Chrome on nickel on copper is the only way to go for a decent job.

IMHO clear coat over chrome looks shit after a few years. But that's just me

. Old skool painters used to etch the chrome plate down to the copper with acid. Acid it until you see the coppery tinge showing through - that leaves a micropitted surface that the paint will take to. Then prime with a metal primer and proceed as normal. However, this was in the days of nitrocellulose coah finishes, modern stuff may be different.

[Pixie]

POR15 Glisten PC is a clear isocyanate that is designed to go over chrome and polished metals.Colorchrome is tinted Glisten PC.

http://www.por15.co.nz/POR15Prod/glistenpc.htm