16/08/2014
When it comes to bringing back the gleam and glory to cherished automotive, household, or marine parts, Chromefix stands as a beacon of excellence in the UK. With decades of unparalleled experience and a deep-rooted passion for restoration, our highly skilled team operates a complete chroming service all under one roof, ensuring meticulous attention to detail from start to finish. We understand that your invaluable parts aren't just components; they're pieces of history, sentiment, or vital elements of your project, and we treat them with the respect and expertise they deserve.
Our reputation is built on delivering that unmistakable, show-stopping finish – the 'wow' factor that transforms dull, aged metal into a gleaming masterpiece. It's this commitment to perfection, embodied in our signature Deep Rich Chrome, that sets us apart. Whether you're a classic car enthusiast, a motorcycle aficionado, a boat owner, or simply looking to restore a vintage household item, Chromefix provides a reliable and comprehensive solution tailored to your specific needs.
A Legacy of Shine: Our Chroming Philosophy
At the heart of every successful chrome restoration lies an unwavering dedication to preparation. We firmly believe that good, solid preparation is not just a step in the process; it's the foundation upon which truly exceptional results are built. Our team has perfected the prep and polishing process for all types of invaluable parts, ensuring that the final chrome finish is not merely good, but reaches a showroom standard, radiating a mirror-like perfection.
To achieve this outstanding quality, we employ a sophisticated array of equipment. Industrial polishing lathes handle larger surfaces, providing a consistent and robust initial polish. For the intricate details and hard-to-reach areas, our skilled technicians utilise handheld polishing machines and commercial flexi-arm grinding and polishing machines. This combination of advanced machinery and human precision allows us to meticulously prepare every curve, crevice, and flat surface, ensuring optimal adhesion and a flawless final appearance. This meticulous approach is key to our unmatched Quad plating process, which is specifically designed to present only the best possible finish.
Comprehensive Chroming Services Explained
Chromefix offers an extensive array of chroming and rechroming services designed to cater to a diverse range of items and client needs. Our expertise spans various sectors, ensuring that whatever your metal part, if it fits in our tanks, we can likely restore it to its former glory. Our services are not just about applying chrome; they encompass a full spectrum of metal finishing and restoration.
Automotive & Motorcycle Restoration
For motor vehicle enthusiasts, our restoration services are second to none. We specialise in rejuvenating parts for classic, vintage, and modern vehicles. This includes:
- Motor Car Restoration: Bringing bumpers, over riders, hub caps, and other critical automotive chrome parts back to life.
- Motorcycle Chrome Plating: From intricate engine covers to forks and trim, we restore motorcycle components with precision.
- Scooter Chrome Plating: Giving scooter parts the same high-quality treatment, ensuring they look pristine.
- Bumper Rechroming/Chroming: A speciality service, restoring large and often complex bumper units to their original, dazzling condition.
- Wheel Chroming: Revitalising wheels with a durable and stunning chrome finish.
- Automotive Chrome Plating: A general term encompassing all chrome plating for vehicle components.
Household & Marine Applications
Our expertise isn't limited to vehicles. We extend our premium chroming services to various other applications, including:
- Household Restoration: Breathing new life into antique furniture fittings, decorative items, and other metal household pieces.
- Tap Restoration: Restoring the shine and functionality of old or tarnished taps, perfect for period properties or custom kitchens.
- Boat & Marine Restoration: Protecting and enhancing boat and marine parts against the harsh elements with our robust chrome finishes.
Specialised Plating & Finishes
Beyond standard chrome, Chromefix also offers a range of specialised plating options to achieve unique aesthetic effects or specific material properties:
- Brass Plating: Providing a classic, warm brass finish for various components.
- 24k Gold Plating: For the ultimate in luxury and prestige, we offer several stunning 24k gold finishes:
- Standard 24k Gold Plating
- Rose Gold 24k Plating
- Antique Gold 24k Plating
- Moonlight Gold 24k Plating
- Electrophoretic Lacquer: A clear, durable protective coating that can be applied after plating to enhance longevity and resistance to tarnishing, particularly useful for polished metals.
- Headlamp Silvering and Plating: Essential for classic car restoration, ensuring headlamps reflect light effectively and look authentic.
Core Chroming Processes
Our comprehensive service involves several key processes that can also be offered individually:
- Chrome Coating & Dipping: The application of the chrome layer.
- Chrome Finishing: The final stages of polishing and quality control.
- Chrome Refurbish & Repair: Addressing existing damage before re-chroming.
- Chrome Restoration: The overarching service of bringing parts back to their original state.
- Chrome Stripping: The crucial first step of removing old, degraded chrome and nickel layers.
- Metal Polishing: A standalone service for parts that require only a high-shine polish without plating.
Our Unrivalled Metal Plating Capabilities
One of the significant advantages of choosing Chromefix is our versatility in handling various metal types. Many plating companies are limited in the materials they can work with, but our advanced processes and dedicated facilities allow us to plate onto a wide array of metals, ensuring that a broader range of parts can benefit from our restoration services.
We have successfully plated on:
- Mild Steel
- Stainless Steel
- Brass
- Die Cast
Perhaps most notably, Chromefix stands out for its exceptional capability to plate on Aluminium. Aluminium is notoriously difficult to plate due to its rapid oxidation. However, we have invested in a dedicated pre-treatment plant specifically for Aluminium, which enables us to achieve consistently high-quality plating results on this challenging metal. This makes us one of the few plating companies in the UK capable of offering reliable and superior aluminium plating.
Metal Plating Compatibility at a Glance
| Metal Type | Chromefix Capability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mild Steel | Yes | Standard and robust plating results. |
| Stainless Steel | Yes | Excellent for durable and aesthetic finishes. |
| Brass | Yes | Can be chrome plated or brass plated for original finish. |
| Die Cast | Yes | Expert handling for intricate die-cast components. |
| Aluminium | Yes | Specialised pre-treatment plant ensures high-quality plating. |
The Chromefix Restoration Journey: From Part to Perfection
Every part that arrives at Chromefix embarks on a carefully orchestrated journey designed to restore it to its absolute best. Our process is transparent, thorough, and designed to deliver the stunning results we're known for. We believe in keeping our customers informed every step of the way, especially when unexpected challenges arise.
- Initial Assessment & Consultation: When we receive a part, our experienced technicians first assess its metal thickness and overall body condition. This initial visual inspection gives us an idea of what the part might need. We offer a free quotation based on this assessment.
- Electronic Chrome Stripping: The first physical step is to electronically strip off the existing nickel and chrome layers. This is a critical stage as it reveals the true base metal of the part, giving us a solid visual of its underlying condition. This electronic method is precise and controlled, minimising damage to the base material.
- Base Metal Inspection & Repair: Once the old plating is removed, the true body condition of the part is exposed. While many parts are ready for polishing at this stage, some may reveal damage such as pitting, cracks, or corrosion that was hidden beneath the old chrome. At this point, we discuss repair options with our customer. Repairs typically involve expert welding and brazing, followed by additional preparation time to ensure a seamless surface for plating. Our goal is always to find a solution to rescue and restore parts to a high standard.
- Precision Polishing & Linishing: After stripping and any necessary repairs, the parts move to our polishing workshop. This is where the magic of surface preparation truly begins. Our team meticulously linishes and polishes the metal, removing any imperfections, scratches, and preparing the surface to a mirror-like smoothness. This intensive polishing is crucial for achieving the 'deep rich chrome' finish that is our hallmark.
- The Quad Plating Process: With the surface perfectly prepared, the part enters our specialised electroplating tanks. Here, our unmatched Quad plating process is applied, building up layers of various metals to create a durable, lustrous, and mirror-finish chrome. Our electroplating tanks are generously sized, capable of accommodating parts up to L 2050mm x W 300mm x H 950mm, which is large enough for most motorcar and motorcycle parts, as well as many other items.
- Final Inspection: Once plated, each part undergoes a rigorous final inspection to ensure it meets our exacting standards for finish, durability, and overall quality before it is returned to the customer.
Who We Serve: Tailored Solutions for Every Need
Chromefix proudly offers its chrome plating and rechroming services to a broad spectrum of clients. Whether you're a large company with commercial restoration needs, a dedicated hobbyist working on a personal project, or an individual private customer looking to restore a single, treasured item, we are here to help.
We are happy to look at any job, from a single small part to a complete car's worth of components, provided it is metal and can fit into our tanks. Our long-standing history of working with and assisting our customers means we understand the importance of completing projects efficiently and to the highest standard. We pride ourselves on offering a simple, honest, good quality, and above all, a reliable service, making the restoration experience pleasant and rewarding for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I re-chrome a silencer?
This is a common question, especially from motorcycle and classic car enthusiasts. While Chromefix is delighted to re-chrome exhaust pipes, downpipes, and tailpipes, we are unfortunately unable to restore silencers. The electroplating process, which involves submerging parts in chemical baths, can cause significant damage to the internal baffles and contents within the silencer box. Furthermore, the materials and residues from inside a silencer can contaminate the chemicals in our plating tanks, leading to quality issues for other parts and potentially damaging our equipment. Therefore, to maintain the integrity of our processes and the quality of our work for all customers, we cannot accept silencers for re-chroming.
Why Choose Chromefix?
With over 100 years of collective experience among our team, Chromefix has established itself as a leader in chrome restoration. We have successfully restored thousands of parts over the years, embracing each new project as a unique challenge we genuinely enjoy. Our commitment to quality, from the initial assessment and meticulous preparation to the final mirror-finish plating, ensures that your parts are not just restored, but transformed. We offer a service that is not only professional and high-quality but also reliable, ensuring your pride and joy receives the care it deserves.
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