Metal Buffing

[mswaggerty]

Just bought the new 3/4 motor, pedastal, & kit from Eastwood. Planning to restore chrome and stainless still. How can you tell if you should rechrome an items because of pits? What is the best way to remove pits from chrome vent glass?
Mickey

[baz]

there is no way to remove pitts from chrome .
the pitts come from underneath the chrome layers so only way to fix is to remove the chromeplating and any other plating under the chrome( copper , nickel) fix the part and have it rechromed

[mswaggerty]

Thanks for the post. Having that said, would it be better to sand down the chrome first before having the pieces re-chromed? I have seen pieces that have been recently re-chromed with some residual pitting still on them and I don't trust the re-chrome process to remove all the pits. Any suggestions?

[baz]

i don t think sanding down the chrome is the right way to do it .
chemical stripping is more apropriate , and like i wrote before remove chrome then repair the partthen send for rechrome .
the chroming process by itself does not repair or fill in any pit holes

[bigpop]

This sounds like pot metal,ugh ! The correct and most effective way,is to drill out the pittiing and refill the space,with copper/zinc.I am going to a plater to learn the exact procedure and chemicals/metal filler this week.I hear it is a nasty process( the use of cyanide??) .

Pot metal,for castings,and the like,trap O2 during casting,and over the years,do to exposure to environmental things/weather,temperature changes,/chemicals in the air,the O2 expands and rises,and you get pits!!!!!!!!!!