Has anyone had any success chrome plating the brushed aluminum and cast parts on your bike (i.e. switch housings, master cylinder)? I haven't seen any chrome OEM housings on the market although I HAVE seen the chrome covers, but they look like.... well, covers.
Yes, you can plate aluminum. At the plating shop where I used to work we did a lot of nickel chrome on aluminum.
It may or may not be affordable.
Call around to the plating shops in your area, maybe some will run you a deal just to stay in bidness until the economy turns.
An easier finish to use on Aluminum is Anodizing. And its probably going to be easier to find a plating shop that handles this finish than the Chrome.
Anodizing opens up the colors of the rainbow, it can look really cool and protect well.
Thanks for the info Tacgtriwer. I'll check with my local guys and post an update here later.
Never gave anodizing a thought, but the ability to match colors might be kind of interesting...
Out of curiousity... with so many blacked out Customs and Midnight Silverados on the road, has anyone pursued "Black Chrome" parts or plating?
I saw a chopper with black chrome back in the summer. It looked good. At first I thought the pipes had some serious heat on them.
There is a place, I believe in South Florida, SPS CHrome. They supposedly will plate almost anything you send to them with Chrome, Gold, Copper and other metals. I haven't used them yet, but was planning to send them a bracket from my Cobra exhaust that I think looks ugly in black (which is how it came from the factory). Their website appears to be down right now (hopefully they haven't gone under) but they had a price list for all the common motorcycle parts they did (rims, brackets, calipers, etc.) and the prices were not that bad. I'd post the link, but it doesn't work. Do a search for SPS Chrome.
Tacgtriwer,
Found a local shop that has done a number of custom bikes in the Portland area
starbrightchromeplating.com/
Thanks for the input.
Glad to hear you found a shop. When I left the metal finishing industry 5 years ago, it was a tossup if decorative chrome would be within the range of the average individual anymore. Bad stuff, and Uncle Sammy is all over it.
When you get your parts done, snap a few pics and put them up, I love to see others shineys!!
If you would like to try a DIY kit, check out: caswellplating.com/
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