Chrome wheels

[RoyJackson]

That's a helluva tractor you have there !! :laughing:

Yepper, Arrabil has a mighty fine tractor!!!

But I don't think that's what he was writing about...

 

[arrabil]

:thumbsup:

 

[peterc38]

Most reputable companies would probably stress relieve after plating, but it is something to ask about.

Its highly unlikely a plating facility doing decorative work would bake to relieve hydrogen embrittlment. In fact they would not be bound to do so unless the customer supplied the rockwell hardness or tensile strength of the material being plated and called out a specification where it is applicable on a purchase order. My guess would be these wheels are not of sufficient strength where embrittlement would be a concern.

 

[RoyJackson]

Its highly unlikely a plating facility doing decorative work would bake to relieve hydrogen embrittlment. In fact they would not be bound to do so unless the customer supplied the rockwell hardness or tensile strength of the material being plated and called out a specification where it is applicable on a purchase order. My guess would be these wheels are not of sufficient strength where embrittlement would be a concern.

Read post 18...that's why you need to ask.

 

[peterc38]

Read post 18...that's why you need to ask.

I read post 18 already. Sure go ahead and ask by all means. And if you ask that question of a decorative chrome shop, don't be surprised if you get a deer in the headlights look. If you think those guys have large industrial ovens with the capacity to bake wheels and calibrate those ovens in accordance with an accepted industry standard for pyrometry control such as AMS 2750 all the power to you.

Industrial hard chrome by a reputable shop doing work on high strength steels etc. for aircraft industry would be different. Its not the same animal at all. I have over 30 years experience in this field and have been involved in FAA investigations into hydrogen embrittlement failures.

 

[8N Boom]

I tried to find somewhere near where I lived but wasn't able. I have an 8N Boomer and I saw the little special edition model and I liked the looks of Chrome. Something to think about... I often see Modified Tractor Pullers and Lawn Mower Pullers with Chrome wheels. Maybe you could contact someone that has one and see what they did.

 

[RoyJackson]

I read post 18 already. Sure go ahead and ask by all means. And if you ask that question of a decorative chrome shop, don't be surprised if you get a deer in the headlights look. If you think those guys have large industrial ovens with the capacity to bake wheels and calibrate those ovens in accordance with an accepted industry standard for pyrometry control such as AMS 2750 all the power to you.

Industrial hard chrome by a reputable shop doing work on high strength steels etc. for aircraft industry would be different. Its not the same animal at all. I have over 30 years experience in this field and have been involved in FAA investigations into hydrogen embrittlement failures.

Actually, we have really nice decorative chrome plater just outside Harrisburg, PA. They do a lot of work for Harley Davidson, but will plate for anyone with the bucks. Their name is Librandi's.
I worked with them as a supplier to HD (we made the handlbars and kickstands as well as other component, Librandi's did the plating). They are well aware of hydrogen embrittlement, so a blanket "deer in the headlamps" statement is unjustified. I know they had ovens, but IIRC, they sourced out stress relief work.

 

[peterc38]

Actually, we have really nice decorative chrome plater just outside Harrisburg, PA. They do a lot of work for Harley Davidson, but will plate for anyone with the bucks. Their name is Librandi's.
I worked with them as a supplier to HD (we made the handlbars and kickstands as well as other component, Librandi's did the plating). They are well aware of hydrogen embrittlement, so a blanket "deer in the headlamps" statement is unjustified. I know they had ovens, but IIRC, they sourced out stress relief work.

Sounds like you got it all figured out. I didn't make a blanket statement, I said "don't be surprised" if you get a deer in the headlights look. Good decorative shoips are few and far between. For every true craftsman, there are a lot of hacks. I went to Librandis website and they also do industrial plating, which they began doing in 2001 and as I stated before is much more applicable to hydrogen embrittlement vs. decorative plating. FWIW, most chrome parts on a harley davidson are aluminum where hydrogen embrittlement is not a concern. Also, whoever is doing the baking needs to have the hardness of the material and know what it was tempered at as one can do more harm than good. I have seen thousands of dollars of 52100 bearing steel ruined because it was embrittlement baked at a temperature to close to what it was tempered at. I have been doing this for over 30 years and my company does multiple tests for hydrogen embrittlement every month.

Here is a good resource regarding hydrogen embrittlement as relates to plating:

Omega Research Inc. | A Guide for the Metal Finisher

 

[RoyJackson]

FWIW, most chrome parts on a harley davidson are aluminum where hydrogen embrittlement is not a concern.

Actually, most is steel (handlebars, engine guard, luggage rack, kickstands). Those shiny heads on an HD engine are just finely polished (polishing is the key to a good plating result).
However, there may be other components on an HD that are aluminum and are plated...not a Harley fan so I really don't know them all.
Haven't seen too many "hack" platers....the EPA and state EPA regs weed them out pretty quickly ("No, Orville....don't dump the in the crick no more").

 

[RobertN]

Try these guys. They have done custom wheels for years

http://www.stocktonwheel.com/

 

[peterc38]

Actually, most is steel (handlebars, engine guard, luggage rack, kickstands). Those shiny heads on an HD engine are just finely polished (polishing is the key to a good plating )

Gee whiz, thanks for the tip, so thats what that industrial polishing lathe that I have owned for 25 years is for!

 

[peterc38]

Haven't seen too many "hack" platers....the EPA and state EPA regs weed them out pretty quickly ("No, Orville....don't dump the in the crick no more").

Environmental regs in the metal finishing business have absolutely no bearing on the quality of a shops work.

 

[RoyJackson]

Environmental regs in the metal finishing business have absolutely no bearing on the quality of a shops work.

No they don't, but "hack" in this context was discussing knowledge of hydrogen embrittlement, not the cosmetic quality of their work. I've looked at the chromework on other (non-HD) motorcycles (for professional comparison). As I wrote, not an HD fan (not a motorcycle fan), but HD does demand high quality chrome work.
Believe me, most folks wouldn't notice the cosmetic defects that would reject HD chrome.

Do you work in the plating industry?

 

[4shorts]

I can't even imagine what the cost would be to chrome wheels on a tractor but I have had many things replated because of my restorations. To give you a small sample look at the small rear rack on my "65 Honda Dream. That rack cost $450. to get plated. You want plating done right, your going to pay BIG dollars.

 

[Danno1]

....You want plating done right, your going to pay BIG dollars.....

Meaning get a copper under plate.


.

 

[4shorts]

Meaning get a copper under plate.


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YEP along with each step being polished. :thumbsup:

 

[RoyJackson]

Meaning get a copper under plate.


.

It's called copper striking...but it's a very thin plate, just enough to smooth out the polishing marks on the steel.
For our handlebars, it wouldn't have added that much extra cost (but cost is a relative thing) considering the cost of stripping the plating on a rejected handlebar. Also, once copper struck, they cannot be stripped.

However, we're discussing a tractor wheel here and I surely wouldn't want to hold that to Harley cosmetic standards (the "defects" they rejected wouldn't be seen by most owners).

 

[nwltruck]

It's called copper striking...but it's a very thin plate, just enough to smooth out the polishing marks on the steel.
For our handlebars, it wouldn't have added that much extra cost (but cost is a relative thing) considering the cost of stripping the plating on a rejected handlebar. Also, once copper struck, they cannot be stripped.

However, we're discussing a tractor wheel here and I surely wouldn't want to hold that to Harley cosmetic standards (the "defects" they rejected wouldn't be seen by most owners).

There are new powder cotes that when polished look just like crome. If you go this way the prep work and finish work is less involved. It is cheaper in the long run and will not effect wheel integrity

 

[CCWKen]

Egads! :confused2:
Even at $450 Canadian makes that rack a royal shafting. They must have had to rebuild the thing or something. Did you phone ahead? They sure saw you coming. :licking:

 

[4shorts]

Egads! :confused2:
Even at $450 Canadian makes that rack a royal shafting. They must have had to rebuild the thing or something. Did you phone ahead? They sure saw you coming. :licking:

Actually I had three quotes and that one was the least expensive. The rack was an original for the Dream but it was pitted bad. One company wouldn't even take it on. It was triple plated and when I got it back it was flawless and to say I was pleased was an understatement. It was the best work I've seen done and very happy I used that company. I've had them do other plating for me since with the same results. You want quality, you should expect to pay.