SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Painting over chrome

1036 views
7 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Summerville, SC
Painting over chrome
Posted by jeffpez on Friday, December 17, 2021 7:39 AM

I have Heller's Mercedes 500K roadster kit and numerous parts are chromed that shouldn't be. I'm OK with removing the chrome before painting but am wondering if it's necessary. Can it be primed and then painted or should the chrome be removed?

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Friday, December 17, 2021 9:53 AM

I'd just strip it. Can't imagine paint would stick to it very well..

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Friday, December 17, 2021 10:45 AM

jeffpez

I have Heller's Mercedes 500K roadster kit and numerous parts are chromed that shouldn't be. I'm OK with removing the chrome before painting but am wondering if it's necessary. Can it be primed and then painted or should the chrome be removed? 

I second cbaltrin's advice and strip the chrome, before assembling, really.  At the very least, scrape the chrome away from attachment points, for better glue adhesion.  I just remove it before assembly because I find it easier that way, than to work around the chrome.  I remove the chrome, I can clean up sprue gates, seams, etc, then prime and paint.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Friday, December 17, 2021 11:19 AM

I agree with Cbaltrin and Baron. Remove the chrome prior to painting. Either scrape it off or try soaking the parts in Purple Power. 

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    June 2021
Posted by rocketman2000 on Friday, December 17, 2021 12:58 PM

I have used auto primer with good results.  Also, if I want a chromed part to look like Aluminum instead of chrome I spray it with Dullcoat.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Summerville, SC
Posted by jeffpez on Friday, December 17, 2021 1:12 PM

Thanks for the replies. I've decided to strip the chrome. Some of the chromed parts are very large such as the doors. Both the outside piece as well as the interior part of the doors are chromed, something I've never seen before. 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Friday, December 17, 2021 1:28 PM

JohnnyK

I agree with Cbaltrin and Baron. Remove the chrome prior to painting. Either scrape it off or try soaking the parts in Purple Power. 

 

 
Clorox works great too........ just let it soak a bit.

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Friday, December 17, 2021 3:02 PM

I use SuperClean.  It dissolves the thin chrome layer in about 2 minutes.  That was how I first learned about the product. I saw a build online of the old Tamiya chromed P-51D kit, and the modeler used SuperClean to strip it.  I was building the old Monogram Red Baron Hot Rod, and I wanted to remove the chrome.  Worked like a charm!

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.