"chrome" paint products

[anotherT34C]

Anybody have any experience with them? I have a few stupid little hatch hinges in the cockpit that look awful. I was going to replace them all, but the cost was ~$100, so I thought maybe I'd try spraying them with rustoleum chrome first.

If anyone knows a better product, I'll try that.

[hellosailor]

See if you can dig up a local custom motorbike shop, ask them if there's a local chromer. You may be able to have them replated as a batch, for a reasonable price.

[anotherT34C]

Thanks for the suggestion. I may do that eventually, when I get around to worrying about how the cleats look.

I wound up using the rustoleum chrome paint. As might be expected, it came out looking like unpolished chrome plating. Good enough for a small bit that needs to pass the 'two-foot test', but not for perfectionists. Total cost ~$8.

[Alan Wheeler]

Sorry I didn't see your question sooner as i would have said exactly that. The other thing you will not is that the paint wears off easy as well. Having the things re-chromed is not all that expensive.

[anotherT34C]

Alan (or anyone),

Do you have a guesstimate (re-chroming cost)? On my 36-year old boat, I have several 'perfectly good' pieces of equipment (winches, cleats, ports, etc...) where the old plating has long worn out. After I paint the hull, the shiny bits are next.

I'm pretty happy (for now) with how the rustoleum came out. I wouldn't use it anywhere substantial (like you say, I expect it to wear easily), but it took something (hinges) that was eye-catchingly bad, and made it into something that you don't notice at all. I certainly wouldn't recommend it for perfectionists who want their boats to look showroom.

[David M]

Chrome is certainly a lot more durable than paint. I had some cleats, chocks etc chromed about twenty years ago. I forgot the price but I do remember that it was not very expensive for what you got...brand new looking hardware.

[Alan Wheeler]

It works out about the same as if you sent the hinges to someone to paint them. The process is reasonably cheap. The additional labor involved is the extra cost. Chrome plating involves a couple of processes and the chemicals involved are highly toxic and not so enviromentally safe. But for a plating compoany set up, the overall process is simple and easy.