RE: [CR]Was chrome-plating: Now: Triple plating

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme)

Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 16:24:46 GMT
To: kohl57@starpower.net
Subject: RE: [CR]Was chrome-plating: Now: Triple plating
From: <brianbaylis@juno.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Peter,

Sorry you went through some kind of hell with a painter. I can't imagine what went wrong to the degree that you feel that way. Perhaps you went to the wrong painter.

The two painters I know best are the most fabulous, helpful, and friendly people I know. Jim Allen is one, Joe Bell is the other. None of us are perfect and we're all human and make a mistake occassionally, but maybe you should send it out west next time to see what happens. Do you have any special requirements or needs? Each painter has a slightly different specialty, I'm sure one of us dones what you need.

Brian Baylis


-- "kohl57@starpower.net" wrote:


Original Message: ----------------- From: Jan Heine heine93@earthlink.net Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:47:45 -0800 To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Was chrome-plating: Now: Triple plating

"Now that we have established that plating is a difficult job, I have a question:

Beyond the smooth finish, how do we get durability and longevity in chrome-plated parts?"

-------------

Indeed. And how pray tell can you get rechromed stuff today that duplicates the unique faintly blue-tinged hue of the wonderful Rhodesian chrome used on Raleighs in the 1930s-50s??

I maintain that the best chrome-plating in the cycle industry, period, was by Raleigh Industries c. 1948-58. Yes plain old ordinary Raleigh. They had what was the largest chrome-plating works in Europe in the 1950s and this turned out superb stuff. Even today, you can tell Raleighs because the chrome has survived so well, far better than anything from British Cycle Corp and certainly better than continental firms. But what distinguishes it is that blue-tint. This Rhodesian chrome was used on motorcars too and many purists won't replace it as the rechromed stuff looks "new" and different.

Me, I wouldn't get another bicycle repainted and would also give rechroming a miss too... just me. After my most recent experience with frame painters, I'd dig a hole and bury a bike that needed painting before going though that again!!

Peter Kohler Washington, DC USA

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