Rechromers: Any recommendations of where to get a stem done?

Didn't find anything definitive searching here, but I'm sure this must have been covered so feel free to point me to another topic if there's one out there...

Wondering if anyone can recommend somewhere to get a stem rechromed? Edinburgh or Scotland based would be ideal but not vital. Hoping direct to a platers would be cheaper than going through the likes of Mercian etc.

A recomendation would be nice as I read you need to be careful to use somewhere good because of the cleaning chemicals involved - making sure they're removed correctly before plating, and to use somewhere used to the thinness of the plating on bicycle parts? (Not sure if this is accurate info.)

It's actually in nice condition so might not bother, could just clean it up.

Final wonder is if it's possible to rechrome the barrels of Airlite hubs? Just got a set but they're not quite as nice as hoped for. I guess not though due to how they are pressed into the flanges.

Try classic car websites - commonly used for bumpers etc..

I believe that Airlites can be rechromed - but you have to split the hub first, by freezing it and then wrapping a hot cloth around the middle to separate quickly.

There's a chap at work who's into renovating motorbike stuff, I'll ask him on re-chroming.

Cheers for the Airlite info, interesting technique indeed... I might be being dumb, but then how do you get them re-pressed back together?!

Exactly the opposite - heat the steel part in the oven, bung the alu bits in the freezer...

In the old days I used to fit shafts for some aircraft bits that way - except I used liquid nitrogen... :shock:

hamster":2zwuoulg said:

In the old days I used to fit shafts for some aircraft bits that way - except I used liquid nitrogen... :shock:

Click to expand...

Now that sounds exciting! I'll just need to look up my cookbooks to decide what temperature to bake hubs!!!

100-150C, any more you can get blueing.

Well that's an idea for the hubs, many thanks hamster, we'll see if I'm brave enough to try it!

Now just need some suggestions of good chromers to possibly use?

Cheers, Dan