Rechroming winches

[spiller]

I have six Lewmar winches which are old and still very serviceable, but the chrome has gone.

For appearnce sake only, I am considering having them rechromed.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

Any comments before I proceed will be gratefully accepted.

 

[Plan_B]

There's chrome and there's chrome. If you want to tart the vessel up fo sale then the cheap chrome is often used. It you intend to keep it then hard chrome is best. This can be quite expensive but has a better chance of lasting. My local chap recommended zinc plating first then chroming. For a windlass drum about size 48 in winch terms it would cost just over £100.

I had one chromed cheaply on previous yacht and it started to bubble up after the first winter. I reckon that after 4 years it would need doing again.

Also weigh up the cost of transportation/postage against new/second hand parts.

Bear in mind also that much chrome work is carried out overseas because its cheaper. That has also been known to fail. At least if the part is new you can send it back.

DD

 

[spiller]

Thanks Plan B,

I'm in Dubai, so it might be reasonable. I might experiment with one to see how good it is before proceeding.

 

[KRG]

I had 4 lewmar 16's re-chromed 3 years ago with a local plating company and they are still looking like new. It cost me £25 per winch drum. One issue is the grip area may need re-doing. When I was investigating the options I contacted Lewmar and they also were offering the service although it was more expensive. I used the local company because of ease of transportation and they could complete the work more quickly.

 

[RichardTaylor]

I would like to dispute Plan_B's comments on using Zinc. For the first 12 years of my working life I worked in the electroplating chemical supply industry (caveat - that was until 15 years or so ago) and my opinion of using Zinc as a sub-coat would be that Zinc is a soft and easily corroded metal and would therefore be unsuitable.

IMO you would need to have any existing chrome removed (simple job) then possibly a "cyanide copper" layer (not an acid copper), then a thick Nickel plate (25 microns or so of hard shiny metal) followed by a Chrome top plate as the decorative finish.

 

[pvb]

See this old thread....

Lots of info and contacts in this old thread.

 

[uforea]

I've had 6 Lewmars rechromed by a local company for £120. Took them in on a Monday and had them back the following Friday, on the boat Sat. Don't know how good a job or how long they'll last but if I get 3 or 4 years I'll be quite happy.

Ted

 

[spiller]

Thanks to all contributors.

PVB, the link was very useful, thanks again.

 

[Plan_B]

I take your point Paximoon - it could have been Nickel plating, then chrome - thank you.

DD

 

[tcm]

yes, quite so, nickel is the base for soft (ie shiny) chrome with which most people are familiar. Hard chrome doesn't look shiny, an industrial finish.

You need to find a chrome plating company and turn up with the dismantled gear looking dead scruffy to make sure the quote is nice and low. Say that the winches are off an old fire boat or summink cheap for gawd's sakes, not marine....