Door handle bowl refurbishment service

[Richard Saunders]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Stag-Door-Handle-Refurb-Service-/151343210962?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item233cc221d2

Anyone on here? Anyone tried it?

[Davenott]

I was looking into plating mine myself, but the process is very complicated and the outcome likely to be unpredictable. I worked out that it would take me a whole weekend of work to do them if every stage went to plan without complications, so this seems a good price if the quality is good and durable, for what would take me probably 20 hours a pair to do. ( and this would be for a final plating in replica chrome rather than real chrome)
The metal is masak, which is used for a lot of other trim parts on a Stag (rear light chrome etc) so if this guy was able to do the door handle bowls well (and the chrome stood the test of time well) then it could be very useful for the other masak components as well.
Dave

[DJT]

Who is going to try it first?

[Mark Shutt]

what is replica chrome? is it something that could be done at home?

[Andrew S]

tin foil?

[edd]

Almost sounds to good to be true . Could it be a form of plastic coating . I posted a thread on chrome paint a while ago.
I have two new handles on mine but know how rare they are becoming .
Edd

[Princejohny]

I was speaking to Pete Edwards from The Stag Workshop in Poole last year and he mentioned that he'd given some door handle bowls to someone who reckoned it was possible to refurbish them. I believe the chroming process is in several stages. Pete described using the initial one several times, polishing in between coats and slowly filling the pits. Maybe it's that guy?
The other possibility is metal spraying which I read about, again last year, being used on a VW to build up and fill rust holes. Something involving zinc, I believe. I guess this could be polished and plated.
Cheers Johny

[Davenott]

The 'conventional' way of doing them, is to strip the original chrome off, then drill out every single little pit in the masak, then to lay down a nickel base plating, then to fill the drilled out pits with solder (needs the Nickel coating to stick ) then to flatten, then 2 platings of copper, polishing each layer flat, then to do the chrome plating process. (Replica chrome follows the same process, but is a type of nickel plating which uses less toxic chemicals then chromium plating (eg avoids the use of arsenic etc)
Dave

[Davenott]

The Ebay advertiser for the replated bowls, claims it involves a new process. I guess this probably involves a way of stabilising and filling the voids and pits in the base metal [masak] allowing a more predictable plating process.
Plating masak/pot metal, is generally considered more tricky then plating steel components such as bumpers etc.
Whereas steel components rust through the chrome, masak has a tendency to pit instead.
Dave.

[staginhiding]

I'm having one done,I will let you know how I get on..

Sam

[Richard Saunders]

Please do. I've been hunting a new set for ages and I'm hoping this could be an alternative answer. Thanks.

I'm having one done,I will let you know how I get on..

Sam

[David Lloyd]

A complete aside but the ebay picture shows a Stag I believe was written off..... is it back? I hired it once from Cornwall Classics.

http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?6084-R-I-P-PAK-871M&highlight=written+off

[MRB]

Sam,

Any chance of some before and after photos when you get it back? Following this with interest as wanting to get mine done too.

Mark.

[staginhiding]

Good idea,I forgot to do that,but I can arrange that I'm sure..

Sam

[new to this]

I'm having one done,I will let you know how I get on..

Sam

Sam

do you have to send your handle for him to redo, or is it on exchange bases ,been watching this post with intrest

dave