Meg's PlastX

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Is PlastX good on chrome plated plastic trim?

 

[davey g-force]

Can you test it on an inconspicuous spot?

Depending on what you've got & what you're trying to achieve, I think it would help, and certainly shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Can you test it on an inconspicuous spot?

Depending on what you've got & what you're trying to achieve, I think it would help, and certainly shouldn't hurt anything.

Great idea... I was thinking along the same lines. My daily driver is loaded with plastic coated chrome (it's usually my test subject for most things). Think I might give that a shot this morning, answer my own question and the update this thread.

 

[Eldorado2k]

It works GREAT on chrome plated plastic trim. Great on chrome wheels too.

 

[2black1s]

If the plastic is truly chrome plated (which some are and some aren't) then the care of should be the same as any chrome plated part regardless of the substrate.

 

[Eldorado2k]

If the plastic is truly chrome plated (which some are and some aren't) then the care of should be the same as any chrome plated part regardless of the substrate.

Try taking some steel wool to plastic chrome... I’ve yet to see that happen without scratches occurring.

But Plastx works wonders on plastic chrome trim. Removes nearly all visible defects & blemishes i.e. staining/water spots/etching. [not scratches]

 

[FUNX650]

If the plastic is truly chrome plated
(which some are and some aren't)
then the care of should be the same
as any chrome plated part regardless
of the substrate.

What’s a fool-proof way of determining if
a plastic component is truly chrome plated...
versus it being faux chrome plated?

{I sure wouldn’t want to be the person
that, unwittingly, screws something up.}


TIA.


Bob

 

[Eldorado2k]

Speaking of Steel Wool & Plastx.. I decided to try a little experiment earlier today to see how each fared on 1 of my chrome wheels which had recently taken the abuse of having brake fluid constantly leak over it for a couple of weeks until I had it fixed. I went through four 12oz. bottles of brake fluid, to give you an idea of how much fluid leaked on this wheel.

1st up Steel Wool.

Close up view.

Polished most of it away within seconds.

Next up Megs Plastx.

Before.

Before.

After. Results were equally as easy.

 

[57Rambler]

What’s a fool-proof way of determining if
a plastic component is truly chrome plated...
versus it being faux chrome plated?

TIA.


Bob

If a plastic part is electro-plated with chrome, it must first be "seeded" in order to be electrically conductive. A metal (such as pieces of silver) is planted within the plastic part. Then, once it is conductive, it is plated first with a layer of copper and then plated with chrome.

The other method of "chrome plating" plastic parts is via vacuum metalization... the part is placed in a vacuum chamber where aluminum, which has been evaporated electrically, is deposited on the part surface via vapor deposition. After that the part is clear-coated for protection.

So, there really isn't any way to tell, short of a scratch test, which would be self-defeating. Since none of the metals used in the process will attract a magnet, that trick will not work.

 

[davey g-force]

If a plastic part is electro-plated with chrome, it must first be "seeded" in order to be electrically conductive. A metal (such as pieces of silver) is planted within the plastic part. Then, once it is conductive, it is plated first with a layer of copper and then plated with chrome.

The other method of "chrome plating" plastic parts is via vacuum metalization... the part is placed in a vacuum chamber where aluminum, which has been evaporated electrically, is deposited on the part surface via vapor deposition. After that the part is clear-coated for protection.

So, there really isn't any way to tell, short of a scratch test, which would be self-defeating. Since none of the metals used in the process will attract a magnet, that trick will not work.

Wow, interesting!

So I guess that's why some plastic chrome doesn't scratch easily (i.e. behaves like real chrome) and some is scratch sensitive?

 

[2black1s]

Try taking some steel wool to plastic chrome... I’ve yet to see that happen without scratches occurring.

But Plastx works wonders on plastic chrome trim. Removes nearly all visible defects & blemishes i.e. staining/water spots/etching. [not scratches]

I've seen my share of real chrome on steel parts damaged with 0000 steel wool too. To me, steel wool is a last resort for chrome in such bad condition that you never expect it to clean up perfectly, but rather are only looking for some degree of improvement.

Wow, interesting!

So I guess that's why some plastic chrome doesn't scratch easily (i.e. behaves like real chrome) and some is scratch sensitive?

Exactly. And that is the point of my initial post.