Chrome Paint VS. Chrome

[wrongway]

Just wondering, when restoring an old bike has anybody opted for Chrome Spray Paint over sending parts out to have them chromed? Would it look good? Can somebody post a picture of how it turned Out? Just thinking...........Thanks,Scott

 

[bikecrazy]

Chrome paint is just very fine silver paint. It works well for headlight reflectors, but it is not a good substitute for chrome.

 

[jpromo]

It doesn't have any of the mirror or sheen of chrome. I find that it is closer to the look of stainless steel. I use it on plastic chrome parts to touch up riders.

This picture shows the difference really well on a Spaceliner I just finished. The light switch plate had faded to white so I sprayed it with duplicolor chrome whereas the fender is original chrome.

 

[partsguy]

That is how I did my first resto...DON'T DO IT!

 

[wrongway]

Gee, but the cap on the can looks so much shinier.....that is false advertising! It doesn't look bad, but I guess I'd better use it sparingly and not on the fenders if I can help it. I was already planning on painting the Sprocket Hub and the Fender taillight with it. Maybe I should have the plastic professionally chromed?
Oh, what is the color of that red on your bike jpromo? I am sure that is very close to the color of my Rear Bike Rack and, if I ever find one, Tank. I just can't figure that red color out. Help.....

Thanks for the responses!!! Scott

 

[jpromo]

Gee, but the cap on the can looks so much shinier.....that is false advertising! It doesn't look bad, but I guess I'd better use it sparingly and not on the fenders if I can help it. I was already planning on painting the Sprocket Hub and the Fender taillight with it. Maybe I should have the plastic professionally chromed?
Oh, what is the color of that red on your bike jpromo? I am sure that is very close to the color of my Rear Bike Rack and, if I ever find one, Tank. I just can't figure that red color out. Help.....

Thanks for the responses!!! Scott

Sounds like you are doing a Spaceliner or similar bike as well? Mine wasn't a resto, just a touchup of original stuff to make a rider that looked decent. Since all the tank parts had faded to white, I did have to paint the whole tank and am happy with how the color match came out. I know it was a Ford paint code but I'll look at the color name when I run outside.

Here's the bike before and after a detailed overhaul. Not perfect, but it's definitely an improvement (no photoshop either just a different time of day)

 

[BrentP]

Chrome paint, if applied carefully, looks pretty good on its own but definitely is nowhere close to real chrome when you compare them side by side.

I repainted the chainring cap on my Spaceliner with Duplicolor Chrome paint and got a pretty good result (pic below without the inner bezel painted red yet), but I'm not sure yet whether I'll keep it as is or uprgrade it with metal deposition paint.

For plastic parts, the best approach is to use one of the spray metal deposition paints which actually lays down a light coat of silver particles. After dusting the part with a few coats and letting it dry for a minute, you dust off the excess surface particles with a microfiber cloth and the result is like a factory original chromed part. It can be used on metal as well and if you're doing sections of a frame etc. that can be masked off from adjoining areas to give a logical break, you would have a hard time spotting the difference. This is the type of metal deposition paint I'm talking about.

 

[videoranger]

http://www.sprayonchrome.com/ads.html
never tried this, but it looks very interesting

 

[wrongway]

Well, it's a 1966 (I think) Western Flyer 26" Boy's Bike. Sort of is like the Spaceliner I have seen on here. Just enough different to not be, though. They sure made a LOT of different models back in the day!

 

[KansasJack]

Sometimes the cheapest and best option is to find a rust-free replacement part. Clean, used handlebars might cost you $20, but having a set of rusty handlebars rechromed might cost close to $100. Same thing with fenders; clean replacement fenders are pretty cheap.