Removing Rust from Chrome before painting

[HeadRusch]

Can you just sand-off rust and pitting that has occurred on chrome legs (like you might find on..oh..A MOON ALIEN II coctail cabinet..heh heh)....I'll ultimately paint them black or some color to match the cab, because the chrome is a little too shot and I don tlike the way that rustoleum "chrome" Paint looks...

But, is it enough to just sand it off?  Or is there a better way to get this pitting off.....

[paigeoliver]

Hey, put away the paint can.  

Try this first.

Go to the auto parts store and get a little can of chrome polish. Then polish the legs. You may be very surprised with the results. I have brought some very rusty chrome back from the dead with that stuff.

If nothing else. the chrome polish will eat most of the rust, and make your repaint job easier.

[HeadRusch]

but...but...but I dont want it chrome..

hehehehe...I'll give it a try.....

[paigeoliver]

but...but...but I dont want it chrome..

hehehehe...I'll give it a try.....

I understand you, and whatever you want is what you want. But remember this. Paint scratches off, while chrome doesn't. Much more durable.

[HeadRusch]

Yes but where rust once was, chrome does not remain underneath, no? I mean I clean up all that rust (see pic in my other thread from tonite) and I'm left with spotches of bare metal, not chrome plating..I'd have to get the things re-plated, no?

[paigeoliver]

The rust is likely on top of the chrome plating, or something like that. I am not sure how it works, I just know chrome polish can usually fix rust most of the time. I have done it so many times over the years.

[mpm32]

if you want to paint over it use navel jelly.  You paint it on and then let it stand per directions and then scrub it and the rust of with steel wool.

[rampy]

if you want to paint over it use navel jelly.  You paint it on and then let it stand per directions and then scrub it and the rust of with steel wool.

Just be sure to get all the lint out first  

rampy

[Amra]

I put this in your other post, but Ill re-iterate here

Another thing that takes rust of without marring the surface, is good old dirt.  Find some soft dirt outside, pour water on it, take a washcloth, pick up the mud, and rub the rust.  It will look shiny in NO time flat.  Then simply rinse the lesgs off and wipe with soft dry cloth and be amazed at the power of dirt!

Also, if you are not trying to save money, and dont really want to trust me, even though I know what im talking about.  Then any fine medium to fine rubbing compound will get rust off, though those will cost you money and dirt wont.  Its up to you.  

[HeadRusch]

I dunno, if the neighbors see me out there cleaning with Dirt.....
Ah, rubbing compound...I think I have some of that in the garage.....

[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.

[Amra]

cant stress the "soft dirt" enough, lol....

[HeadRusch]

Yeah I did it a little quickly

To be fair, it was coming off with the jewelers rouge....but it was going to take forever to get those "really nasty pits" taken care of, and I just got lazy.

The chrome paint I put over the existing surface chrome (and rust) seems to be adhering pretty well.....I think if I do paint them again, I'll use one of Rustoleums hard Industrial strength Enamels...those dry thick and hard and are pretty difficult to chip....We shall see.

[wee beastie]

You can use "fullers earth" instead of dirt.  It's a supper fine powder that they use for dry cleaning.  You can pick it up at a pet store.  Just ask for "chincilla bath" it's a dust like substance that chinchillas scrub themselves with to stay clean.

[HeadRusch]

mmmm...Chinchillaa.......

[DeathMonk]

Aluminum foil will remove rust from chrome AND polish it to a pretty good shine..  Try it, you'll like it!

[spidermonkey]

The only way to paint over chrome is to remove the chrome ie. sandblasting or glassbeading. One other alternative would be to use self etching primer. You can purchase it in aerosol cans at any auto body supply store or order it online at "The Eastwood Company" .  Its 10 to 15 dollars a can but worth every penny if you don't have access to a glassbeader. Etching primer has an acid in it that actually eats into the slick chrome surface and well.. etches it creating an ideal surface for your top coat to adhere to. Don't confuse etching primer with epoxy primer as these are two completely different types of primer. Epoxy primer will NOT give you the adhesive results you're looking for. Can't remember the actual web address but just do a search for the eastwood company and it should come up. Once you pull up the page type etching primer in the search window.
S.M.

[HeadRusch]

In light of all this information, I have decided to do my entire MAME cab in Aluminum Foil and Duct Tape.