refinishing chromed die cast rims, need painting advice

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
I have some extra die cast hoops that I want to refinish so that they're black. The die cast's are chromed. I have black hardware on my drums and want to try die cast, because they tune much easier IMO than the triple flanged hoops. The chrome die cast hoops look horrid with the black lugs on my drums, so I want to refinish my chrome die casts so they are black.

If anyone knows the proper way to do this I would be grateful.

Goal: To get the hoops black forever with zero chipping.

Questions:

Do I have to remove the chrome or can I just rough it up real good with abrasives?
What kind of paint do I use so it won't chip? Is paint the best method?
Here's a dunb question, because I'm concerned about chipping, would ink work if I removed the chrome? It doesn't have to be shiny, just black.

Thanks for any help offered.
 
Sorry for the bump, but really trying to get some painting advice here from someone who knows.
 
Larry---having built custom drums for years, the best "black" hardware I ever got was the anodized. Looks like black chrome, just beautiful in person and did not chip, but it may be expensive to replicate. They may have "minimums" they have to do before they will anodize anything. Check for a company near you that can anodize metal and tell them what you want to do and they can let you know if it's possible. OTOH, you could locate someone that does powdercoating... much easier but if hit enough it will chip at some point. That's what I got...let us know how it turns out.
 
See I don't want to spend any coin on them. I wanna do it cheap. Sandpaper and a can of paint, hey I'll use a sharpie if it works. I'm not looking for awesome right now, just black. But thanks!
If I had the dough, I'd just buy Tama black nickel die casts. Work is unbelieveably slow for almost being May.
 
Ok,,,I hear ya...I'd go steel wool on them bad boys--sandpaper will show grit marks--then a coat of primer then the black spray of choice. Good idea to shoot some clear on top of the black too.
 
Try some Krylon Fusion spray paint. It is made to stick to plastic because plastic is not very porous. It should stick to the chrome, but how long it will last I'm not sure.
 
OK Steel wool and (fusion primer?) and Krylon fusion. Thanks fellas. Hey if it chips it's not the end of the world, and if I like the die casts on my DW's I'll eventually buy the black nickel ones. In the meantime, since I have some die casts lying around, (and more time off than I'd like) I'm gonna try my hand at refinishing them. Thanks again.
 
If you want them to look good you should take them to a powder coating shop.
 
Use a light sandpaper or foam sanding block to scuff them, I dont think steel wool will do it.
Clean & dry them well, then spray with Duplicolor Self-etching primer (at any auto parts place or Wallyworld). Do 2 coats, following the directions on the can.
Then spray with whatever paint you like - Rustoleum if you want glossy black. Make sure it says "for metal" on the can. Clear coat is optional. I think that should hold up pretty well for you.

Krylon fusion works on smooth plastic because it reacts chemically with the plastic. Don't think it will stick to metal, esp. chrome.

Post pics if you give it a try.
 
Hey 73 thanks. I haven't tackled it yet but I plan to.
Self etching primer eh? Cool. I never knew they made such an animal.
Sounds like the way to go.
 
I'm not sure what kind of adhesion you're going to get to chrome, but the more "tooth" the paint has to adhere to, the better off you'll be.

Sandblasting would be the best choice but you probably don't have that option. Fairly rough sandpaper (60-80) would be my next choice. Get it as dull and smooth as you can. Black oxide primer paint, and then top coat of barbecue grill paint or whatever you can get would be the ghetto option.
 
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