pfenlon Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 the plastic housings on the rear lamps are shot and dull. This affects the luminosity of the side and brake lamps, I bought some chrome spray paint, but it didn't do what it said on the tin. I read today that if a small piece of alloy wire is connected across the housing? then put the unit in some sort of vacuum tank, and connect the 2 ends of the wire to your arc welder, a dead short will then occur and the wire will be immediately atomised and blown to buggery and will favourably then coat the inner housing, making it bright again. has anyone any further details of this Heath Robinson experiment? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Hi Pete, rather than blowing yourself up why not line the housing with bacofoil - a bit better than the paint idea and less deadly than the arc welder. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeF Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Hmmm... there are some essential elements missing from the industrial process, but sounds exciting! You'll either be able to come back to us and say how it worked or we will hear from the evening news. Meanwhile you could always press a piece of foil into the housings as a temporary [to permanent] fix. I found the ones on Mr Kipling tarts to be just about the right size and rigidity. They lasted several years till I replaced the housings. MIke Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drewmotty Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 I'm with Roger. I've had good results in the past by glueing aluminium foil to the reflector and polishing it flat before the glue dries. A final going over with metal polish gave surprisingly good results. Andrew W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Pete, You could try these beads sprinkled onto white paint when sticky http://www.phosphorescentpaint.co.uk/retroreflective-paint-/485-reflective-glass-microbeads.html I used a lab-grade reflective white paint years ago, and its fine. Peter Edited October 2, 2015 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted October 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) I had heard of the foil adornment which I thought would be a 60 ish % improvment. But the glass beads really interest me, after all the yorkshire tyke made squillions when he put them in the middle of the road, thanks Peter. Christ I hope that comment doesnt attract the "I love yorkshire" bin man currently doing penance in the sarf somewhere. Edited October 2, 2015 by pfenlon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 You experiment sounds possible...many optical films are made this way (vacuum evaporation). But why not consider white instead of silver...Titanium Dioxide (the white in almost everything including emulsion paint) has excellent reflectivity....not as good as Silver....but better than crumpled foil or exploded welding rod i bet...So, just paint it with white paint...ideally gloss.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_coating Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rodbr Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 To get a passable chrome effect you need to use black first. Perhaps this is why chrome back light is usually black plastic. Flat the chrome area required to be coated. Stick the item to be coated in the dish washer to get it clean. Coat with black. leave to dry Coat with silver/chrome effect/ You will get a better result although in my view not as good as chrome. Check out Utube as there are some videos on chrome spray painting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 ....or, why not get them resilvered !!!!!!!!!!! Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 http://www.amazon.co.uk/MIRROR-CHROME-SILVER-VINYL-x1-52m/dp/B009KUIORC ? ATB Graham Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) Pete I have a roll of silver foil with an adhesive backing with a paper backing , ideal for cutting to shape prior to sticking in position. If you are interested in this stuff pm your address and I'll send you some. Mark Edited April 14, 2020 by Mark69 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi Peter, which lamp housing are we talking about.? Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted October 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi Peter, which lamp housing are we talking about.? Roger De Tomaso Roger, they were fitted to Alfa Romeo cars of the same era in the 1970's, but If new ones were available, I doubt that I could afford them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi Pete, can't they be re-plated or whatever the coating is.? Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 and LED bulbs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dpb Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 I put copper grease on some battery terminals on a mini a while ago. When next I looked there was a lovely thin plating of copper over the battery well. Not sure what happened, but it has some interesting possibilities. Maybe a battery, some chromium grease (?), and your light fittings connected to earth? Sounds good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 Pete I have a roll of silver foil with an adhesive backing with a paper backing , ideal for cutting to shape prior to sticking in position. If you are interested in this stuff pm your address and I'll send you some. Mark20151003_094041.jpg The foil arrived today, thank you very much for your efforts Mark. It looks pretty good stuff too thanks and best regards Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Glad to assist, hope it does the trick. Best Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cmdr19 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Glad to assist, hope it does the trick. Best Mark It will. It's the same stuff I used. bought from B&Q i think - it's the tape used to stick foil insulation together. Once stuck it doesn't come off very easily. I've used it to 're-chrome the side indicator surrounds on my '6' as nowadays they're all supplied in plain orange. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) I'll have a chat with my plating guy. Printed circuit-board manufacturers have an "electoless-copper" process for putting a copper layer down drilled holes to make through contacts. This is some kind of cream that is pushed down the holes with a squeegee rubber. The layer is thin and gets built up by electro-deposition. Chrome on copper is the usual way. But much of the "sparkle" with chromed parts comes from the polishing of the surface. If you have a rough surface they look more like aluminium of paint might do. The "oval ring" round the lights is a fibre-glass moulding with chrome paint: Edited October 10, 2015 by AlanT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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