Thinest chrome ever!

[zardoz]

I was taking my old mum round Sainsbury's for the weekly shop when i spied some tools on sale. So of course i wandered over. Nestling among the Chinese Bosch hardware was a small socket set of indeterminate origin, I think 1/4 and 3/8 size. Well the 1/4 wrench already had the chrome pitted and flaking off, and it was still in the packet! This was the thinnest coating of Chrome that is scientifically possible. Damn those inscrutable Chinese know there stuff when it comes to cheap tools
I could tell it was literally thinner than cooking tin foil, which looked a thick coating by comparison.

Dear Norris & Ross is this a record ?

 

[Hitch]

Sainsburys, the 'Quality Tools' shop

Sounds really nice

 

[irondarren]

zardoz chrome is expensive and of course the thinner you can get it on the cheaper it is. one of the ways of saving money so the consumer can have it cheaper. Its the way of modern life now days

 

[ian of fev]

i know zardos go buy your self a set from sainsburys and a roll of cooking foil and rap the sockets up problem solved custom tin foil crome sockets then get em on ebay listed as zardos custom sockets and co. lmao

 

[Robotstar5]

I inherited a socket set from Tandy's (are they still going?) they were "triple chromed to prevent rust" the box proudly declared - yes you guessed it, they were rusty!

 

[piman]

Hello Zardoz,

even on good quality plating, the chrome is a relatively thin layer as that is the top coat. There is initially a copper plate as a base then nickel then chrome as the finish as it is a very bright and hard metal.

I would guess that one or both of the base coatings were omitted on that 'cheapo' tool. Having said that the plating is basically an anti corrosion layer and what really counts is the quality of the metal the tool is made from, although you would have to guess that those were made from less than the ideal material?

Alec

 

[snowcat]

A few years ago I had to learn all about chromeing for a job I was on, basicly thin or thick has very little to do with the end product again its mostly about the base material and how well the coatings are applied.....Soft chromes are used on all decrotive finishings which id imagine includes all spaners, and the Hard Chromes, which are far more expensive are used for industry chromes, the later which I had to use as well as being far more durable is much more controled ie you can machine to a so many thou, undersize then have that chrome applied to very high tolarance....

 

[storm monkey]

Our Linkage pins (big ones that hold hoes onto excavators) are usually either plated or electrolytically primed. Plating is about 6um (0.006mm) and priming is about 25um. The quality of the finish is determined by the finish of the part, quality/purity of the coating, cleanliness of the part and reliability of the process.

Obviously these coatings are rated in the "Industrial" category, and are harder than nails. The real good stuff is saved for hydraulic cylinder rods though, for obvious reasons.

Phil

 

[FireStorm]

doesn't the surface have to be dead smooth for crome to stick ?

 

[piman]

Hello Firestorm,

not as such, the surface must be clean and the final result reflects the surface finish of the base metal. Some items are plated unpolished and the finish is quite dull.

Alec

 

[bill_gj]

A good example of hard chroming and refinishing is the refurbishment of the 'oleo' legs on aircraft undercarriages.
A friend-of-a-friend is in this biz. They take the worn piston thingies, hard chrome them and then grind them back to spec.
A nice example is the landing gear on the Fokker Friendship. You get a good view of how much the landing legs do if you're in the right seat.

 

[piman]

Hello Bill,

I ahve done my share of flights in the Friendship on desert air strips.
Noting the right seat, you are not a co-pilot are you :-)

Alec