Where to send my chrome faces to get stripped?

[Anonymoose]

Where in the UK are you?

There's heaps of places that do it here, keep googling

http://www.surfaceprocessing.co.uk/

http://www.envirostripukltd.com/portfolio/auto-restoration

http://ctc-powder-coating.co.uk/acid-dipping/

http://www.metalrestoration.co.uk/index.php

http://www.sherwoodservices.co.uk/about.html

That's just the first few that came up in the London area with "metal stripping and polishing" search

[Bullydawg]

Oh awesome! I guess I went about the search incorrectly! Thanks! I'm close to Peterborough, so a drive to London area is no biggie!

[Bullydawg]

Okay update time. Since I am not liking the thought of having the chrome stripped and pitting the aluminum underneath, which I would have to sand out... not liking the sand blasting idea, which I would also have to sand out... I decided to just get an orbital palm sander and get to work with 4 grit. I feel this is my best option and I can keep an eye on it as I go. It might take longer to get through the Chrome/Nickel, but I feel this is the best bet regardless, and cost wise.

At least now if I mess it up, it is on me, and I won't get mad at someone else for messing them up.
Here is a progess shot of the beginning. And yes, I will be pulling them apart, I just wanted to see how it would go real quick.

[Crankey]

At least now if I mess it up, it is on me

that is a great point. good for you.
after you do one wheel, you might consider having them blasted, not clean, but just to get a jump start and get that chrome/nickel peeling. once it's blasted a little it should start to flake a bit and become easier to to sand off.

if it is nickel and not chrome it will sand easier, but it's still a very hard metal to sand. I do it myself at work often.

so, now that you've begun this process, remember this, once you expose some aluminum, it will sand faster and easier then the surrounding nic/chrome that still remains. so it's possible to dish out an area if your not careful.

try to keep moving around and get down to the copper layer, then proceed on to the aluminum. the different layers of the plating will act as a guide coat like you might use in bodywork.

if it were me I might try quickly sanding the spoke faces with 36 grit on a 4 1/2" grinder. but I use a grinder like that daily and so maybe your not comfortable with it. but I'd make a few passes to try and rip/ tear that nickel layer to get it started peeling.

either way, this will take a while. good luck post up progress.

[Bullydawg]

I was actually thinking about using a grinder with a finer grit, but I would almost want to use a used grinder disk that already has the angle in the disk from wear. I'll keep the thread updated as I go. I was trying to hit the nickel layer first as I know that the aluminum is softer, and I will be doing that on the rest of the spokes. The Nickel sanded off much quicker than the chrome.