Author Topic: PRO CLASS - Smoke/Black Chrome (Read 13224 times)

Steve P · « **on:** October 31, 2006, 11:42 PM »

I'm having major problems trying to find someone willing to take on my Pro Class F+F and refinish it in black/smoke chrome. I am now thinking about getting it powdered coated black instead, just because it's easier to get done and probably cheaper too. I've also thought about standard chrome but I prefer the original smoke finish

Help me decide . . . will I blitz a nice frameset if I get it powder coated in black $:-\$

Cheers

Steve

Flaz · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2006, 11:55 PM »

hold tight fella thers is a way of doing that smoke chrome black stuff and ive read it and talked to somebody about it but due to chemical abuse i cant remember how its done

but someone will tell you

(just not me)

so dont get it powdered just yet

Steve P · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2006, 12:12 AM »

I've heard that some powder coaters can achieve similar finishes but my local one frowned when I mentioned it. I've also spoken to several car wheel refurbishers to see if they can get a finish like these wheels on my car . . . they're not interested either

Steve

danny silverstreak · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2006, 12:16 AM »

stidds or pk radman are the fellas to talk to about this , lee (radman) , knows a fella who painted two sets of bars for a turbolite i had and a harry leary turbo i still have - and they came out really well - hope this helps

billstup · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2006, 12:46 AM »

I think Stidds done his himself, he just used some smoked lacquer (sp) and spayed it over the chrome, and it looks the bollocks

stidds · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2006, 01:18 AM »

Quote from: billstup on November 01, 2006, 12:46 AM

I think Stidds done his himself, he just used some smoked lacquer (sp) and spayed it over the chrome, and it looks the bollocks

Cheers Billy.

When I restored the smoked chrome finish on my Pro Class I used tinted lacquer, this is how the original Pro Classes were finished, they were not a chemical smoked chrome.

I went to a local car paint manufacturer and told them what I wanted and they made it for me. I asked for a light tint with a hint of brown (Mongoose used a hint of brown, Diamond Back used a hint of blue for the HL Turbo). I applied about 6 light coats until I had the shade I required.

What you need depends on the use, obviously powder coating is tougher, but as my bike is a show bike I wasn't so worried about the toughness of the finish.

This is the result.

AtariAger · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2006, 02:34 AM »

Hhhhmmm...in this lovely catalogue ad that was provided by Duncan...it says that the Black Chrome Pro Class was electroplated? Here is the catalogue page and a link to, "Electroplating".

http://www.finishing.com/faqs/howworks.html

Frosty · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2006, 09:41 AM »

Stidds I love that bike, and the finish as Billy said is awsome.

I guess what might help others would be if your guy still knows the mix he brewed for you!

gmac · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2006, 09:46 AM »

Steve, don't take the easy route. Wait and get the correct finish bud. I've got one I need doing as well, and I've been waiting months for my painter to get some 'black chrome' paint, which he says will do the job. I'll chase him up again.

Steve P · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2006, 05:30 PM »

Cheers everyone . . . been looking at pics of your Pro Class Stidds and it looks superb

Quote from: gmac on November 01, 2006, 09:46 AM

Wait and get the correct finish bud. I've got one I need doing as well, and I've been waiting months for my painter to get some 'black chrome' paint, which he says will do the job. I'll chase him up again.

LMK when you get an answer Guy and I'll make more enquiries in the meantime . . . cheers mate

Steve

selfpreservation · « **Reply #10 on:** November 01, 2006, 05:33 PM »

something like this would be ideal nigh on impossible though

http://www.steelnavel.com/category.asp'type=MI&ID=23&MID=185

http://www.ultra-express.co.uk/site.htm

Steve P · « **Reply #11 on:** November 01, 2006, 05:37 PM »

Never thought about a jewelers . . . always worth a try. Nice one

Steve

selfpreservation · « **Reply #12 on:** November 01, 2006, 05:39 PM »

check out this place the chamber is only 1m x1m mabe some one has a big enough one to PVD a bike

http://www.ultra-express.co.uk/site.htm

selfpreservation · « **Reply #13 on:** November 01, 2006, 05:44 PM »

cant you get the burner boy to superchrome it tinted smoke instead of black?

selfpreservation · « **Reply #14 on:** November 01, 2006, 06:14 PM »

what about this

dj_benice · « **Reply #15 on:** November 01, 2006, 06:57 PM »

What about the GT process of running an electric current through the chrome effectively "burning" it black, was a much sturdier finish than the DB n Goose though I'll agree not as pretty

BTW if anyone knows anybody willing to do this LMK tried quality chrome n they said nah don't do black

selfpreservation · « **Reply #16 on:** November 01, 2006, 07:01 PM »

the problem is that chromers do runs of chroming ie they do the brass one day, then the nickle next then the top layer chrome next , they cant do individual finishes , if you had a run of smoked chrome on an industrial scale they might consider it

dj_benice · « **Reply #17 on:** November 01, 2006, 07:05 PM »

whats classed as industrial? Am sure there are a fair few radsters that would be up for it

sawzall · « **Reply #18 on:** November 01, 2006, 09:14 PM »

steve,im going to see one of our paint suppliers within the next couple of weeks about paint for my leary,was speaking to the rep the other day and he said they have a new lacquer for alloy which he recons they can tint and would have more chance of staying on as its made for polished surfaces i will keep you posted mate

Steve P · « **Reply #19 on:** November 01, 2006, 09:22 PM »

Thanks Phil

My Pro Class is will need a rechrome before the lacquer and I reckon I'll have to get that done first. There's some minor flake on one of the rear stays

This is gonna be expensive

Steve

selfpreservation · « **Reply #20 on:** November 01, 2006, 10:43 PM »

it seems that there is a paint product called clear 4 chrome which can be mixed with a full range of candy tints to produce any colour paint effects , check out the website looks really good , maybe superbikedan could do this :laugh:for us

check the site out http://alsacorp.com/clearcoats.htm

or uk
http://www.chromepaint.com/index.php?cPath=2&osCsid=a8005b2325795eda4e9056ef71490360

« Last Edit: Today at 06:38 pm by selfpreservation »

gmac · « **Reply #21 on:** November 01, 2006, 10:53 PM »

That's what I've been waiting for my painter to get

Steve P · « **Reply #22 on:** November 01, 2006, 11:34 PM »

The smoke finish does come off with Solvol. I've polished the forks and they are now minty chrome . . . shame the rear stay has flaked otherwise I'd have a minter

Steve

FuNMoNsTeR · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:22 PM »

Quote from: AtariAger on November 01, 2006, 02:34 AM

Hhhhmmm...in this lovely catalogue ad that was provided by Duncan...it says that the Black Chrome Pro Class was electroplated? Here is the catalogue page and a link to, "Electroplating".

http://www.finishing.com/faqs/howworks.html

I already said this a while ago...the Pro Class was proper electroplated Black Chrome... not painted or laquered... No one believed me

I take it you had no Joy with the wheel refurbishers then

Isn't there a guy on here that does chrome finishes? Chrome UK or something... ?
Maybe he does Black Chrome

Steve P · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:40 PM »

Cheers Andy

I contacted the wheel refurbishers you told me about and still awaiting a reply. It looks like I'll end up getting the F+F rechromed instead now . . . shame, cause I do prefer the smoke finish

Steve