Fixing badly pitted chrome

[Ash]

A guy with a couple pinball machines offered me some advice that you can 'fix' badly pitted/rusted metal with aluminium foil.


The Nishijin DX surround is very bad, I made it worse ages ago using some Peek metal polish; it made the corroded areas very dark.


Yesterday I bought some of the cheapest kitchen foil they had in the shop. It shows some promise, but has anyone successfully gone from dirt-black corrosion to near mirror finish?

Am I the only one to try this on a pachi?

[JACKSJE4]

There has been extensive discussion of this topic in many threads in the past, and several members have promoted the wonders of Aluminum Foil for removing rust and pitting. Here is a thread where I remember mention of this topic. Post #8 is where the "foil" is mentioned.

If you search on "aluminum Foil", you will see many threads where it is mentioned for removing rust and pitting.

cleaning rusted metal parts

[Ash]

Ah great thanks.

[Chumsize]

there's always the worst case solution - used on many a classic car bumper... Strip/grind down to bare metal, sand, and then send it to a company that can re-chrome it for you. Expensive, time consuming, but the best results... IF you know how to properly prep the metal.

(don't look at me... I had it done for my car by someone else...)

[rubberratt]

0000 steel wool

[Card Shark]

0000 steel wool

[mxfaiman]

I use wet / dry sand paper.

I go up to about 2500 grit and start with around 600 depending on the pitting.

Everyone has their own way of removing rust.

[Card Shark]

I haven't tried the aluminum foil method. Might experiment with it a bit on my latest project.

[yose]

Have you tried the new chrome spray paints like mirrachrome?.I have heard it looks close to a chrome finish and is durable. Just a thought

[Ash]

I'll be going down the paint route. It is a dire situation with this chrome plating. Just took the whole door off to IPA/Magic-Eraser the plastics and there's no hope for the metal unless it was sanded down and re-chromed. Can't afford that.

There's some bad pitting on the door as well. It's more like pimples than huge areas, so I'm hoping to leave it as-is around there and just worry about the main surround.

[cardwwi]

I soak it in Evapo-Rust for 24 hrs and then use Turtle wax chrome polish rust remover. I have tried many other methods but this works the best and looks as close to rechroming as I have seen.

Evapo-Rust Rust Remover Home

[mxfaiman]

Have you tried the new chrome spray paints like mirrachrome?.I have heard it looks close to a chrome finish and is durable. Just a thought

Mirrachrome? That is almost as expensive as plating. Especially seeing most true chrome paints need a special gun to be applied.

If you need to rechrome something go hunting for plating shops and find who will do it the cheapest. Trust me you don't want to use a chrome paint it just won't look right (plus it will ware off over time)

As for the front panel I have had good success doing wallpaper on it instead of paint. Many companies used wallpaper so it still looks right. Just don't get super cheap stuff you want something vinyl like that it hotel or restaurant grade. If you want I can send you a piece big enough to do a ball panel for cheap. (mainly be paying for shipping) Send me a PM if interested.

[Rival]

I have found the cheapest solution is just keep your eye out for a similar model that is junked, but has decent chrome. I find them at flea markets all the time for $20.00. Especially Nishijins and Sankyos.