Chrome shop using dull nickel .

David J

David J

Well-known member
Read somewhere there is a chrome shop that uses the old style dull nickel .
I have a NOS 33-34 roadster windshield frame [std-painted] that I want to plate and some trim pieces also .

Thanks
Dave
 
David J said:
Read somewhere there is a chrome shop that uses the old style dull nickel .
I have a NOS 33-34 roadster windshield frame [std-painted] that I want to plate and some trim pieces also .

Thanks
Dave
Click to expand...
Any shop that does chrome plating can do nickel plating.
Just do a Yellow page search for chrome platers in your area.
Bet you will find one within 50 miles.
 
Sorry bout not being more clear here .
I am looking for the chrome shop that I read about that uses dull nickel in the plating process .
Look at a original 34 grille and you will see the non-polished areas are dull grey .
That is what I seek .


51 MERC-CT said:
Any shop that does chrome plating can do nickel plating.
Just do a Yellow page search for chrome platers in your area.
Bet you will find one within 50 miles.
Click to expand...
 
Hard for anyone else to know what or where you may have read something...

There is a house in Madison that has a variety of restoration finishes - including nickel. I've seen his work at the Jefferson meet several times. Worth a call:

Madison Custom Polishing and Plating - John Allen, owner 608 273-1929
 
David,
Looks like the nickel plating that Ford used in the '30s is something of a secret shared by too few. Unfortunately, when they shifted from dull to bright nickel, the demand fell for the former version to the point of near non-existence. We replicate the effect of chrome over unpolished dull nickel, such as on the sides of '34-'37 grille bars, etc., mechanically, Fewer that 5% of the restored grilles on '34-'37s that are shown at V8 Club national meets have the correct finish. Less than 1% of the restored '33 grilles that I see have completely dull grille bars as original.
 
David J said:
Sorry bout not being more clear here .
I am looking for the chrome shop that I read about that uses dull nickel in the plating process .
Look at a original 34 grille and you will see the non-polished areas are dull grey .
That is what I seek .
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I and I suspect many others do not have an "original 34 grille" to look at but have you in fact contacted any platers to see what they offer?
 
You add brightener to the plating solution.
Even zinc comes out very dull without brightener.
That said platers would probably charge a high rate if they have to change the mix of the plating solution for a few pieces...
You have to come together for a group buy ??
 
Yes, it requires a dedicated tank at the platers and that gets expensive in a hurry for just a few items. Some years ago the two premier platers in Toronto knew the correct finish for the subject grilles and both of them had a dedicated tank for the dull nickel and they would only pre-chrome polish the surround and the leading edges of the bars, just like Ford did back in the day, which adds a whole extra buffing round They were small shops and you paid for the privilege, but boy, do I miss them (RIP).
 
We do maintenance for this chrome shop ,To get the affect we bead blast the bars then just polish the fronts ,a friend needed a wiper motor the supplier in the states didn't have his Chromer any more so he sent down to this Chrome shop then back for assemble ,
 

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St. Louis plating will plate dull nickel, they are on Franklin Ave. They have plated several things for me in dull nickel.
Tom
 
Good to know; thanks. The Grafton plater has an excellent reputation among classic era car restorers. However, given that clientele, they are also known as being very pricey.
 
Thanks all for the guidance . Thought it was here that I read about this . I will post how it goes .
 
Who's the guy at Hershey who does the Butler nickel? I think he's really into old Buicks.
 
Good point; that's what a Butler finish is, namely chrome over unpolished nickel. Three more examples are '32-'34 accelerator pedals, '32-'37 cowl vent lever handles, and the lower two-thirds of '32-'35 hand brake handles.
 
The gear shift lever and cowl vent handle on early fords was known to me as satin chrome plating finish. Some called it butler finish. Nickel has always had a yellow tinge about it and different to any chrome. Not sure if satin chrome is the result of the finish on the metal surface before plating or something to do with the plating process. Different countries maybe call various plating finishes by different names. Regards, Kevin.
 
Kevin,


Good catch! The shift lever, shift lever washer, and retainer should have been on my additions in #17.

The finish is created in the plating process and not dependent on the finish of the bare metal before plating
 
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