Main > Main Forum
Removing Rust from Chrome before painting
HeadRusch:
Hokay...rubbing the chrome with dirt...makes things real dirty and muddy. Yes....it does take off some rust. And yes, if there are any tiny rocks in the dirt, it scratches the chrome....*sigh*.
I tried some jewelers polish (aluminum mag cleaner I had out in the garage)....and I tried some rubbing compound (also had out in the garage). Both take off alot of rust...but not quite all of it. I got tired of rubbing, and noticed something:
The chrome on these legs is 20 years old.......when you remove the rust, you see the scratches...and frankly, I still didn't like the way they looked, even with some of the chrome cleaned up (not totally).
So I busted out with the old RustOleum Chrome Paint and that cleaned em up nice. Its not as garishly shiny as chrome, but it sure made them look clean.
Now...you're asking yourself "If the jack@ss doesn't want them to be chrome, why did he just paint them over with Chrome paint!?!?!"....I was trying to see how they covered up what was left with teh chrome..and I dug it...so I sprayed it on.
..and I got carried away.
Anyways when they're finally realy dry tomorrow I'll check them out (the legs I painted)...if I still dont like em, I'll hit em up with Rustoleum gloss black......which I dont own and gotta go get 2morrow....
Amra:
Im sorry to hear you had less then perfect results... :( Yeah, if your gonna use dirt, you definantly need a soft dirt, rocks are not the best thing for a surface. ;) I (still, and probobly always will) use dirt to clean rust off most everything, hubcaps, bike wheels, table legs, the list goes on and on. However, in your case, it sounds that the rust has been there so long that it has eaten into the metal so deep that no amount of rubbing will ever get the rust off.
Unfortunantly, in such cases the only thing to do, is use one of three methods.
1. Navel Jelly or other type of "Rust Treatment" that destroys rust. Followed by either rubbing, sealing, filling, and painting.
2. Sand Blasting
3. Simply coating with a sealer (primer, clear enamel, both are good) so no more can be eaten away. Then paint.
From your picture, it did not appear to be this bad. Sorry to have made you waste your time. :(
I hope they turn out nice!
AX:
wouldn't recomend painting over chrome. as a genreal rule they say not to paint over it as the paint does nto stick correctly. I have never had a painted chrome item keep paint for more than a month.
Amra:
true, but it also depends on if it is chrome dipped, or polished steel. If if is chrome dipped, electraplated or similar, then yes, you will need to either remove the chrome, or sand it rough. Then you should be able to apply some type of primer, then chrome paint, and have good results.
At least... in my experience.
SirPeale:
If you're going to use dirt, you must put it thru a sifter, or at the very least, on some fine wire mesh (like window screen) to separate the fine dust from the large particles.