CW Cali Boulevard Resto *Pg 7 update 22/6/11 Pics Added *

[superbikedan]

 unfortunately i think total perfection is something that seems impossible to acheive by any chromer,it stilll remains the holy grail of bmx restoration

This is what i don't understand though as i just don't remember a badly chromed frame back in the 80's. They did a great job then so why cant they do it now ??
With an extra 25+ yrs of industry knowledge, i just can't fathom out why there are seem real rough jobs around today. I'm not sayimg the frame above is rough by any amount of imagination, just obviously there are certainly parts that are up for discussion.
It just seems 25+ yrs on and we're taking backward steps rather than going forward.

Weird. 

my honest opinion, it's all about how much heart you put into the job, the love of

restoring and seeing some frame thats 20-30 years old brought back to life and some

times looking better than it did when new gives me the biggest buzz time and time

again, it's all about finding that one plater who loves what you do, understands what

your after and knows himself what he should achieve, every frame i paint gets the best

i can do whether it's worth £100 or £1000, it makes no differance, i bet if the chrome

plater loved custom cars and was into them than your  car parts would look the b0llox,

[Jamroll]

So, the frame and bars are back in with the chromers....maybe i went in the conversation today a bit like a bull in a china shop but to be fair I'm pretty fooked off with all this now  On closer inspection in daylight I found a couple of area's on the down dube with no chrome on at all, and on the inside of the gusset i took a knife and was removing a shit load of polishing clay after the chroming had apparently been attempted there.
After a full on row with the geezer I've managed to talk him into having another go at the them....i dont know how good they'll be but i said I'll keep on coming back until  there right. Or give me my money back and I'll take to a chromers who can do the job 
Was going to leave the bars chrome...may have to consider options if i cant get them bang on...Was considering powdering black 
 Thoughts please chaps

[dordymush]

like dan says.
some of the old school chrome plating firms would never let stuff back out like that.
had a bit of pride in what they did.
now days its just about the speed and the cash.

see if there any better this time round.
just hope he dont come the pratt and make em even worse.

[brettypeeps]

I think the bottom line is if the come back right next time the chromer gets a plug for good work and they get more chroming jobs from the forum.

But if they dont then come back good then they get the bad press on the forum and don get any repeat work. either way they know how dissapointed you are and rightly so and they are trying to sort it out

Hopefully you will have a real beauty in a few weeks

[Jamroll]

I think the bottom line is if the come back right next time the chromer gets a plug for good work and they get more chroming jobs from the forum.

But if they dont then come back good then they get the bad press on the forum and don get any repeat work. either way they know how dissapointed you are and rightly so and they are trying to sort it out

Hopefully you will have a real beauty in a few weeks

Really appreciate what your saying they brett, but I no longer have you confidence mate...
All this shit has left a really bitter taste now mate...and at the moment i cant be fookin arsed 

[ozone]

Was going to leave the bars chrome...may have to consider options if i cant get them bang on...Was considering powdering black 
 Thoughts please chaps

If they screw up again and you manage to get some money back, why not give the f+f and bars to Dan so he can hit them with the silver base/candy red.  That option seemed like a no-brainer to me and would have been much better for your blood pressure/wallet.  The silver base/candy finish was really nice - obviously the candy/chrome looked better but you need flawless chrome for best results and it doesn't look like those chromers can give you that.

You might be able to find a nice set of NOS or survivor chrome CW freestyle bars on US eBay but you'd have to be patient.

[Jamroll]

Was going to leave the bars chrome...may have to consider options if i cant get them bang on...Was considering powdering black 
 Thoughts please chaps

If they screw up again and you manage to get some money back, why not give the f+f and bars to Dan so he can hit them with the silver base/candy red.  That option seemed like a no-brainer to me and would have been much better for your blood pressure/wallet.  The silver base/candy finish was really nice - obviously the candy/chrome looked better but you need flawless chrome for best results and it doesn't look like those chromers can give you that.

You might be able to find a nice set of NOS or survivor chrome CW freestyle bars on US eBay but you'd have to be patient.

I cant waste £400 and then payout again for dan...I'll get finished see wot it looks like and then make a decision!
Been looking for Chrome bars now for 6 months...no many about !! 
IT WILL COME GOOD IN THE END 

[ozone]

Hang in there, I'm sure it will be worth it. 

There was a set of chrome CW freestyle bars on eBay.UK not long ago.  Not perfect but would have been easier to rechrome than your raw set.  Ended now so a moot point anyway. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-School-Vintage-80s-BMX-CW-Chrome-Freestyle-Bars-/200535460794?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item2eb0d84bba

[Rodgy1970]

Oh yeah anyone got a spare wedge for a tuff neck stem as the fookers have lost mine 

I might have one, will have a look in my mysterious box of bits later 

If the phantom photon can't sort you out PM Rooski as he makes these.

BTW the pro neck and tuf neck wedges are different.

[Jamroll]

Oh yeah anyone got a spare wedge for a tuff neck stem as the fookers have lost mine 

I might have one, will have a look in my mysterious box of bits later 

If the phantom photon can't sort you out PM Rooski as he makes these.

BTW the pro neck and tuf neck wedges are different.

How much different mate 

[kuwahero]

the bolts have different threads, the wedge is pretty similar

[Jamroll]

the bolts have different threads, the wedge is pretty similar

[currio]

A few good points have been made here.
Like Dan said, any good finish starts with the prep, whether it be paint, powder, nickel, chrome etc.
Like has also been said, it's easier to prep a frame for chrome before it's welded together.

Don't assume that all chrome plated frames BITD were perfect.The more philosophical may think, like most things we remember from the 80's, they probably seem better now than they probably were 

Generally, there are 2 types of chrome plating
1) hard chrome, which is more used for its hardness, wear resistance etc. This process gives a much thicker depth of plate, but it gives an ugly, uneven finish, which needs to be re-machined after plating.

2) bright chrome/show chrome, which is generally used for decorative purposes. This process gives the bright, blueish, shiny finish we all know and love. The downside is that this plating is only microns (millionths of a metre) deep.
Usually about 10-20 microns. A human hair is on average 100 microns 

Be cautious of the promise of 'triple chrome'. The bright chrome process is usually a three stage process, after the pre-plating (de-grease, alkaline clean, acid etch)
The three stages are usually a copper strike, used to give better conductivity to the part, then a nickel stike, to give the silver colour, and then the final chrome dip.
So, don't think you are always getting three layers of chrome, I doubt if that ever really happens, let alone if it's even possible.

Bottom line, have a look at the item before it goes for final plating, 'cos what you have then, is generally what you will end up with after plating.
Shaun

[GTnumber1]

mate you must be fumming you should have took your time and polished it up yourself, make sure you take that tuff neck disc back cos those deep scracthes will show throuhg the chrome 

[Rodgy1970]

BTW the pro neck and tuf neck wedges are different.

How much different mate 

I might have been wrong in that the early pro neck and tuf neck may have been the same but on later models they are definitely different which you can see in the pic below.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd35/electro808/DSCF0371.jpg

Two pots mod stems with different wedges, the way the shaft is cut seems to dictate the wedge you need.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj79/bmx_brigade_86/Tuf_00.jpg[/quote]

[Glynnyboy]

I know exactly how you feel mate. I had a very similar story to yours happen to me with a firebird a few year ago. I lost all love for the build and was totally dissilusioned by the whole thing and never finished it. I hope it all comes good for you  in the end fingers crossed.

[Glynnyboy]

BTW the pro neck and tuf neck wedges are different.

How much different mate 

I might have been wrong in that the early pro neck and tuf neck may have been the same but on later models they are definitely different which you can see in the pic below.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd35/electro808/DSCF0371.jpg

Two pots mod stems with different wedges, the way the shaft is cut seems to dictate the wedge you need.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj79/bmx_brigade_86/Tuf_00.jpg

[/quote]

I don't think your wrong mate. As kuwahero said they look the same but on some the threads are slightly different. Some of the early tuf necks are different thread sizes to some of the later too but you can't see it by just looking at them. The threads are slightly thicker so one bolt won't fit through the other and the one that will rattles about like hell because the shaft is too wide for the bolt. The wedges look the same though. Andy Rooski on here has encountered all the in's and out's on these and really knows what he's doing.

[Jamroll]

Soooo.
Frame origianaly got "turned around in two weeks".
Frame and Bars went back in on the 4th November....still haven't got my bits back 
I call and keep getting fobbed off, I think its got to the point of a revisit. fooking Custom Metal Polishers customer service is shite, workmanship  is shite....stay well the fook clear 

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

so sorry to hear all about this mate - when i dropped of the cranks in the summer we talk about colours and the build

I think that you need to turn up with a couple of huge mates - the kind that look like they would tear a new r-sole for fun

the chromers don't seem to take you seriously and need a bit of reminding that things can change - just let them see it your way

I really hope you get it right or some money back

 

[Jamroll]

After much calling Custom Metal Polishers, trying to stay calm I lost it today and went down and had it out with them  Frame and Bars were not there cause apparently they "sub contract" the chroming !!! 
Anyway I've got a date i can collect next Wednesday 19th January, only taken gettin on for 4 months to get this sorted out...still no guarentee on the quality of the work but I'll have everything crossed, If its still shite I'll take somewhere else. I just want my bits back now and get the Candy done by Dan 

[bobafett]

Good luck 

[markyp]

good luck for next wednesday,its a fookin mare this chroming lark and then the whole timescale thing,lets hope its all worth it,cant wait to see it

[Jamroll]

Thanks Lads, I'm trying to be a little more positive about the build again.....trying to stay optamistic 

[markyp]

ive got a cw zx at hockley chromers at the mo so im waiting in anticipation too,if they do half as good a job on that as they did on my flights i will be over the moon,its just the waiting and not knowing game which takes the fun out of it all 

[Jamroll]

ive got a cw zx at hockley chromers at the mo so im waiting in anticipation too,if they do half as good a job on that as they did on my flights i will be over the moon,its just the waiting and not knowing game which takes the fun out of it all 

Post some pics of the the chrome up after matky would you...may have to send mine there to get redone 
I think the frame will be fine...I'm anxious bout the freestyle bars and gettin inbetween to twin tubes