Rechroming Recommendation |
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nautique5454
Groupie Joined: August-15-2010 Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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Posted: September-28-2010 at 7:37pm |
Looking to have my Correct Craft emblems rechromed, any recommendations? How much would I be looking at?
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Chris, First you'll need to find a plater that can handle a zinc die casting. Not all are equipped to do it. Depending on how bad the pitting is, you may end up with a bill of a couple hundred or more. The worst the pitting is, the more they need to plate. The pits are filled with multiple "coats" of copper and buffed between each until the pits are filled. |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Chris,
I just looked up the phone numbers of three platers I'd recommend. Graves Plating at 256 746 9487 B&L Plating at 586 778 9300 Wade Technology at 215 765 2478 |
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MartyMabe
Grand Poobah Joined: February-21-2006 Location: High Point,NC Status: Offline Points: 3974 |
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Bruce Middleton
Absolute Classics Marine 250 807-2194 Says he can get the pair done for $100 shipping and handling included. |
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nautique5454
Groupie Joined: August-15-2010 Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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I'll have to give Bruce a call. I got a few estimates from some websites I found on Google. They are asking for around $300 for both, much more than what I had expected! Thought it would be a nice touch up though
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Marty, Do you know this person? Done work with them? I'm just wondering why you would recommend a broker/restorer who's just going to take the job to a plater especially one who's way out in BC. Why not just work with the plater directly? BTW, I'd be very surprised if they can do them for $100. That price may be without getting any of the pitting out???? |
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Kevin's '79
Senior Member Joined: March-05-2004 Location: Florence, AL Status: Offline Points: 178 |
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I agree with Pete about recommending Graves Plating. I have had items done there in the past and have seen a lot of there work. They always do excellent work. Their shop is less than 2 miles from where I live.
Kevin |
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FINS
Senior Member Joined: August-04-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 170 |
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I have met Bruce at several shows here in the Northwest and he is a top notch guy. If he quotes you $100, I am sure that it would be done for that. The catch is that the $100 he quoted to Marty was for new bronze castings that he had made. Anyone that has tried to rechrome vintage boat parts knows that it is not easy. The prep, polishing, and cleaning of the parts prior to chrome is where ALL the money goes. I had a vintage finned (of course) bow light at a plater for a project. After four tries, the copper base kept blistering because of the impurities in the metal. With close to $250 invested, we decided to give up and now I have a blistered copper plated bow light on my desk. Stick with the guys that know marine parts and make sure they know the condition of the part prior to sending it across country for a "deal".
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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This is what most people don't understand. They think the plater simply sticks the metal part in a tank of chemicals and when pulled out it's bright and shiny! What you put in the tank is what comes out. If the part is dull, pitted and scratched going in, then that's what comes out. Old parts are even tougher since all the original plating must come off first so the part can be buffed out. When I did my Atom, being familiar with plating and wanting to save big $$, I did the labor intensive work myself. Lots of man hours stripping and buffing!!! Then when I took them to the plater, he was actually pissed!! I had done the work where he made his profits! BTW, I stripped the old plating by sand blasting. Bad idea!!! The resulting surface finish required more buffing!!! |
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FINS
Senior Member Joined: August-04-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 170 |
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The original material makes a HUGE difference as well. Some of the 1955-59 glass boats I have been playing with have emblems made with metal that is one step above Play-Doh. If these are pitted, you are almost out of luck. The metal acts like a sponge and contaminates get in the metal. You can grind right through all the detail on small name plates to try and get to good metal.
The older the boat, the easier the cleaning process. Solid brass items can be cleaned and plated FAIRLY easily. The solid brass parts ended in the 40's though for most of the boat companies. |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Brian,
I lucked out on my 54. The only zinc die casting was the bow light. He was able to do a decent job on it however the top broke off next to the burgee staff socket. It was very obvious the platter did lots of metal removal with buffing that area out. |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Chris,
I was just wondering and curious if you made any calls to platers yet as well as Marty's recommendation to call Bruce about the reproductions. |
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nautique5454
Groupie Joined: August-15-2010 Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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Pete,
Not yet. I was hoping to pull them off this weekend and get some pics so I can get the most accurate estimates. I'll keep you posted.. Thanks, Chris |
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