What acid is used to strip pot metal of chrome?

[Wollfen]

Hey guys i have got the bug now to work on my pot metal and having seen the video about soldering pot metal i have an idea to strip my pot metal of chrome plating before taking care of the pits. So the obvious question is, what is the acid they use to strip pot metal of chrome plating?
Once i have started doing this, i will post progress pics and report on how easy/hard it was to do it all.

 

[Big_John]

Muriatic acid or sodium hydroxide (lye) can remove the plating, but it will most likely destroy the pot metal.

Sand blasting the part is your best bet.

 

[Wollfen]

Muriatic acid or sodium hydroxide (lye) can remove the plating, but it will most likely destroy the pot metal.

Sand blasting the part is your best bet.

I am sure the sand blasting would destroy the pot metal too since it is softer than the chrome plating, The chrome plating shops use an acid to strip the pot metal in the first place that would be the way to go.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Soooo Wollfen. Why not find ah plating co. and pay 'um to strip off the plating only? They get paid for doing it right and disposing of the Haz-Met crap too. Win Win?

 

[oldtinkerer]

Soooo Wollfen. Why not find ah plating co. and pay 'um to strip off the plating only? They get paid for doing it right and disposing of the Haz-Met crap too. Win Win?

when you find the shop that will do just that operation -not take 2years to do it -and not loose or destroy your parts please send me the phone# and address

 

[commando1]

:laughing4:

 

[Big_John]

If you really want to do this chemically, I suggest posting this same question on the Caswell forum. http://forum.caswellplating.com/

I occasionally buy some polishing stuff from their store, but have never done much more than take a look at their forum. I would think that they should be able to tell you how to set up to "reverse electroplate" with a battery or DC rectifier and acids like a plating shop does to strip a bumper.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I understand that EASY OFF oven cleaner will strip chrome off plastic parts... but I don't know if it works on Pot Metal parts...

 

[bluefury361]

Hey guys i have got the bug now to work on my pot metal and having seen the video about soldering pot metal i have an idea to strip my pot metal of chrome plating before taking care of the pits. So the obvious question is, what is the acid they use to strip pot metal of chrome plating?
Once i have started doing this, i will post progress pics and report on how easy/hard it was to do it all.

Don't even try..........! Unless you don't care if the part survives. The process is electrostatic, reverse of the plating process.
Likely you will lose hair, destroy the part, find another, send it to a plating shop.

 

[bluefury361]

As far as soldering pot metal, find some junk parts and see what happens when you apply heat. It's amazing, There's a point where the pot metal will turn to a pool of metal, no in between and no warning.
The plating is the cheapest part of restoring pot metal.

 

[Carmine]

Hey guys i have got the bug now to work on my pot metal and having seen the video about soldering pot metal i have an idea to strip my pot metal of chrome plating before taking care of the pits. So the obvious question is, what is the acid they use to strip pot metal of chrome plating?
Once i have started doing this, i will post progress pics and report on how easy/hard it was to do it all.

I applaud your effort. I do know a guy who had a shop remove the plating and then fixed his own pits to save $, but I have imagine he had photos to blackmail the plating shop owner.