Stripping chrome

[Weaver]

What's the best way to strip chromed plastic parts, using products I can get here in the UK?

[Mossie]

Oven cleaner works well.

[Wardukw]

Yeah ..second on on that ..oven cleaner is great at doing that 👍

[zenrat]

Caustic Soda solution.  Active ingredient in oven cleaner is caustic soda but i prefer to make up my own nice strong solution.
If your solution is strong enough the "chrome" will dissolve almost immediately.  But leave the parts soaking (might take a while - possibly days) until the underlying lacquer coat has also been removed.  This'll bring out all the detail in the parts.

[Weaver]

Okay, well I am now the proud and only slightly terrified owner of a bottle of caustic soda.

And a stout pair of gloves.

If you read a headline later this week about "Stockport man dissolves in a puddle", now you'll know it's all Zenrat's fault.

Or Penelope Cruz's...

[Steel Penguin]

gloves and safety specs, care and dont mess around
youll be fine,  honest 

[kerick]

gloves and safety specs, care and dont mess around
youll be fine,  honest 

you might want to try it outdoors. I know the oven cleaner fumes can be very strong.
Any kind of acid or base will attack the metal coating. I used muriatic acid before.

[frank2056]

I use Clorox to remove the chrome - works in minutes. The hard part is the clear coat between the chrome and the plastic. Other than the nuclear option (caustic soda) I don't know of any friendly household chemicals that'll leave a clean plastic part at the end.

[Rick Lowe]

gloves and safety specs, care and dont mess around
youll be fine,  honest 

you might want to try it outdoors. I know the oven cleaner fumes can be very strong.

What they both said! 

Or Penelope Cruz's...

And what you said!!!   

[Dizzyfugu]

Foamed soda cleaner is "safe" but will take a while to work. Brake fluid is another more aggressive, messy and not-so-convenient solution.

[zenrat]

Excellent.  A convert to my cause...

Add Caustic Soda to water, not the other way around.
Don't use an aluminium container.
And let the solution cool before adding the parts.  Mixing NaOH and H2O is an exothermic process and it can get surprisingly hot.  Your parts may warp (don't ask me how I know this).

I can't believe I had to look up the chemical formula for Caustic Soda.  My last chemistry lesson was only 40 years ago.  You'd think i'd remember it...

In addition to gloves and goggs, if you are going to be scrubbing at the parts with a toothbrush (or similar) then wear either an apron or a shirt you don't mind getting pinholes in.

[Rheged]

To add my two-pennyworth............. Whichever method you choose, do it outside, or at least in a VERY well ventilated space,  wear gloves, goggles and if you can get one a waterproof apron and most importantly try out your preferred chemical on a small piece of waste sprue.  You are a highly  valued citizen of Whiffworld and none of us want you damaged!

[Weaver]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Won't be doing anything for a few days yet, and yes, I will absolutely be trying it out on scrap sprue first.

[Weaver]

Excellent.  A convert to my cause...

Add Caustic Soda to water, not the other way around.
Don't use an aluminium container.
And let the solution cool before adding the parts.  Mixing NaOH and H2O is an exothermic process and it can get surprisingly hot.  Your parts may warp (don't ask me how I know this).

I can't believe I had to look up the chemical formula for Caustic Soda.  My last chemistry lesson was only 40 years ago.  You'd think i'd remember it...

In addition to gloves and goggs, if you are going to be scrubbing at the parts with a toothbrush (or similar) then wear either an apron or a shirt you don't mind getting pinholes in.

Did it today and it worked like a charm. Didn't even need any scrubbing. I made the standard solution and left it in a bucket outside all day because I was re-organising the garage so I can actually get my bike out, and then doing some neccessary gardening.

Thanks Fred! 

[zenrat]

 

I put some 1/25 grille/bumpers/lights in the caustic tank about the same time this threads started.  I forgot about them and got them out two days ago.  They were fine and the extended bath meant the underlying lacquer was completely stripped off as well as the chrome.