Whats left after stripping chrome question

[cooltc2004]

I have a question about stripping chrome. I read on here that Simple Green strips chrome. I went down and put my parts into Simple Green, and within a day or two, all the chrome had melted away. Great I thought, til I realized that the clear coat or something was left underneath it. Am I able to just paint over this without problem? Or do I need to strip that as well. Thanks.

[MPWR]

Often before chrome is applied to parts, a clear gloss agent is sprayed on to increase the adhesion and finish of the chrome. The content and quality of this agent varies greatly. Sometimes it is perfectly fine to paint over (Tamiya chrome is often like this)- it can be a good painting surface. But sometimes the gloss needs to be removed (Simple Green, alcohol, or household bleach will usually do it). Occasionally the clear becomes a gummy mess as it's stripped- a good scrubbing with an old toothbrush and some dishsoap usually fixes this nicely.

[cooltc2004]

So if I were to put the parts back into the Simple Green, it should eventually remove the clear coat? This is the AMT Camaro Concept model, if brand makes a difference.

I can try and paint a apart and see how it turns out. Thanks.

[MPWR]

It may remove it, especially if you give it some time and scrubbing. If not, bleach will likely do the trick. Brand does make a difference (as different brands use different agents), and some are more resilient than others. I don't know about AMT's particular formulation. But if it's undamaged, the clearcoat generally takes paint just fine.

[rsxse240]

I have never had a problem with painting over the clear that is used as a base for chrome. Infact, I have never had a former chromed piece end up with a bad paint job. I mostly build american kits, such as AMT, and Revell/Monogram, so I think you'll be ok. If you are still leary, just shoot a primer coat on top of it, and you'll be fine.

[cyberkid]

Bleach is my favorate 'de-chromer', works fast and leaves the clear underneath undamgaged.. which is great as the clear works as a great primer for alclad 2.

[cooltc2004]

Well I stripped the chrome off, left the clear, and when I went to paint them, they immediately cracked. I put them back into Simple Green to get the cracked paint off, but will brake fluid remove the clear?

[gionc]

Originally Posted by cooltc2004

Well I stripped the chrome off, left the clear, and when I went to paint them, they immediately cracked. I put them back into Simple Green to get the cracked paint off, but will brake fluid remove the clear?

Yep, sure. I know Andy hate brake fluid so I said nothing, but this is the only stuff I found to strip clear they use under chrome (tamy, Hasegawa, Fujimi, RoG). Isopropilic may do something, but DOT is a warranty in that case.

Also: I found time ago a guide to do a perfect chrome job, where they adviced to use clear insthead glossy black under the chrome, exactly like done by our models manufacturers. Looks like the first hand of chrome would etch the clear, and more, often the chrome/gold coat is very thin, but not for the clear coat, quite thick.

Go for DOT, DOT3 or 4 is exactly the same (just a different boiling point in use on brakes, but etching power is the same, I tried both...)

[Pippin1974]

To take chrome off I use a product call Forza, the chrome dissapears in 20min. and then just wash with water and paint with alclad.

[cooltc2004]

Alright, thanks. I'm going to go put my parts in the brake fluid to get the clear off. I'm stripping the clear to put on an aluminum finish, so maybe the alclad reacts differently to the clear that AMT uses.