Chrome removal Meng GT40

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Malcolm
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Re: Chrome removal

Post by Malcolm »

Yes, I'm coming to the conclusion that I may just have to bite the bullet and paint over the chrome.

The Meng chrome is far from the worst I've seen and from the builds I've looked at on line, it doesn't look to bad.

At one time, I was considering a real OOB build and said I would leave the chrome as it was. But you know how it is - I've always removed the chrome and old habits die hard.

I am somewhat worried about the fit if I paint over the top of the existing (and non chrome stripped parts).

I did an experiment just now - I took a Tamiya 'chrome' sprue and started sanding it and after 5 rubs of my sanding stick, was straight through the chrome to the underlying plastic. Using the same sanding stick and on a Meng sprue, it was 200 rubs of the same sanding stick and I still hadn't removed as much as I did on the Tamiya sprue.

Clearly this stuff is well hard and sanding doesn't appear to be an option.
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CK
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Re: Chrome removal

Post by CK »

Hi Malcolm,

I do a little research and the Meng plating may be actually real chrome. If it is real chrome, it will be much more stable than aluminum. Chrome plating is very resistance to chemical corrosion and it can only be damaged by strong acid. Also, the surface has low wetting property which means that not much will be sticking on it.

If you want to paint on top of it, you will need to have a sanded the surface to make it matt for a good primer to adhere to it.

If you just want to tune down the shiny surface, may be just put a semi-gloss clear coat on it and not to handle the part as much as you can.
C K
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Topic author
Malcolm
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Re: Chrome removal

Post by Malcolm »

I am writing by way of an update on this matter and in the hope that it may prove useful to someone else in the future.

Another two weeks have past ...

Soaking in Brake fluid eventually reacts (badly) with the plastic.

Soaking in the oven cleaner does nothing.

Continued soaking in Coke has eventually removed a bit more of the chrome and indeed, in places, has weakened the bond between the chrome and the plastic so that I can get an 'edge' to the chrome and then get a knife between the two and remove chrome in that way.

But it's really slow going and I wish I hadn't started.

At this rate, I may just about finish in time for the 'best of 2025 thread'!

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Re: Chrome removal Meng GT40

Post by Chinamalc »

Thanks for the feedback, interesting to hear what actually works!

M.

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Re: Chrome removal Meng GT40

Post by Sennafan »

I will build this soon and yes you can just paint over it

I always use windex here in the states with ammonia, but haven’t tried it on Meng kits yet

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Re: Chrome removal Meng GT40

Post by daniel »

I removed the chrome on the Trumpeter kit and that was a nightmare also. I used brake fluid and the chrome was actually pretty easy to remove but there is some kind of "primer" under the chrome that is very thick, hides the detail and was hard to remove. I had to pull it of in patches by hand. Like I said the chrome is no big deal since it's extremely thin but the strange transparent yellow primer is were the trouble is.
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