Pewter Chroming

[Mark Green]

Does anyone know who might be able to chrome plate pewter in the UK? I am in the process of remaking the Frisky front badge and the people Grant uses says that they do not do pewter. I am trying to source a better price than I can offer here in the States since most of them will be shipped to the UK.

[Big Al]

Pewter, I like pewter. But I prefer the old fashioned alloy to the modern shiny stuff. Seems an odd base for a badge. Is this used as you have a moulding tool that is not tough enough to be used with something harder, like copper or brass? No idea if pewter would chrome. It sounds unlikely but what do I know. It would silver.

[Mark Green]

I have a plating company near me that can plate pewter so some of them can do this. What the difference is I do not know.

The reason I am using pewter is after some attempts with brass and bronze casting companies I received some ugly badges. I think the original badge was from a stamping and very thin. I did some research and found a silicone that withstands temps up to 575 degrees for use with casting pewter. I am amazed at how strong the badges are after casting thinking they might bend or break. The best part about using pewter is if the badge does not look good you just get the torch out and re-melt it back into the pot. Most of the time you will get 6 scrap ones to 1 good one.

[AndyL]

The London Chroming Company come highly recommended.

If they can't do it, not sure who will.

They're not cheap, but the work is really good.

http://www.londonchroming.co.uk/

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

I did come across Caswell kits in the UK when I was researching plating. Again, not cheap, but they do offer a kit that says it can plate onto pewter as well as other metals. Might be worth thinking about if you've got other things that might need plating.

http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/chrome-plating-kits/triple-chrome-plating-kits.html

[richard]

Well I can get chrome on my com-pewter is that of any help at all ?

[Big Al]

Is that the one with an LEAD screen?

[AndyL]

You can only cast low melting point alloys into rubber tools.

if you want to cast in higher melting point metals I'd look at lost waxcasting. You could have them cast in aluminium or stainless steel and polish them. The rubber tools could be used to make green wax casts for the slip to surround.

[Big Al]

Allowing for shrinkage. Was not going to mention casting as I assumed this was rejected for some reason.

If I had a non original Frisky I could have one made with a couple less gear cogs on the outside, proclaiming its faster speed. More a Rodeo than a Frisky, perhaps.

[AndyL]

The lower the melting point, the lower the shrinkage, so pewter will have very little shrinkage.

Does it matter that much if a badge is 1 or 2% smaller? CAn't imagine anyone would notice the difference.

[Big Al]

If I did it in a chrome-able casting, I would know. It made a difference to the Messerschmitt door handles, as they failed to work. Are you going to be happy supplying 'wrong' bits for money?

[richard]

for my twopennuth it looks a lovely job , best of luck with them Mark

[AndyL]

Clearly for something that has to function, then tolerances become more critical, but a badge just has to look right.

[Big Al]

Think I will agree to differ on that one. I never see the point in going to a lot of trouble to do something incorrectly. I spent a lifetime slinging wrong bits 'that fit' from my good cars. Ultimately a built that fires still kills you.

[Mark Green]

Last winter I tried a lost wax casting company to only have my original badge vacation in California for a couple of months. They where never able to get it made correct at a hefty price and I was lucky to get it back as that company was destroyed by fire. The winter before I sent to a foundry to try sand casting and they where very ugly. This year I decided to try pewter on my own. It as been a challenge but I am learning from my mistakes.When I start a project I try not to give up. I have been working on get a rubber gaiter made for the Friskysport also and finally have succeeded. This project has been going on for 2 1/2 years. I am lucky to have Frisky owners that understand that it takes time to make some of these replacement parts.