Stripping Vac-Metalized Plating Off Resin

[GeordieIndy]

Hi Guys,

Does anybody know of a cheap way to strip Vac-Metalized plating from a resin item without having to sand it off? Apparently there is a company in Indiana that has a machine that can do this, but as I live in the UK I think it would be very pricey. I have also spoken with several people including a Vac-Metalizing company here in England, but they have basically told me the only way is to sand the plating off.

I am wanting to get the item stripped and have it replated the same colour as what it was, but the price for that is roughly £260 as a one off job, with the other costs that are involved in fixing this, it is going to cost almost the same, if not more than what I paid for it....

This is something I have waited many years for, so trying to fix it is something I really want to do.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Sarednab]

I think we are in the same boat my friend...

 

[GeordieIndy]

We definitely are! I am hoping someone can come forward and help us both out!!!!!!

 

[Pro Mod]

I seem to remember one of my guys put some chromed kit parts into a jar of brake fluid and it lifted over a period of time.
Worth a try on something non precious.

Also, we had a lot of items vac metalised last year and for whatever reason it didn't work properly, so we ended up sanding it all back and it all came of quite easily with wet and dry paper!

 

[GeordieIndy]

I've heard the use of Acetone with sand paper works, but if the Acetone is left too long it can eat away at the resin.

This prop is just under $600 so I want to be very careful with it....

Cheers!

Andy

 

[Dalroi]

I have removed vac-plating from styrene kit parts by immersing them in a container of household bleach for a short time.

I kept a close eye on it and t worked really quickly, dissolving the plating with no sanding. I then washed the parts off in cold running water.

There were absolutely no adverse effects on the plastic.

I hope this helps.

Dalroi.

 

[GeordieIndy]

Was the bleach neat or diluted with water?

Here are a few pics of why I need to take the plating off:

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Kevin Gossett]

I was going to suggest the brake fluid trick as well. When I was building model cars as a kid, and I wanted to strip the paint off a part I would soak it in brake fluid. It pulled the paint right off with no adverse affects to the plastic, but not sure it if would do the same for plating

 

[ob1al]

It's probably crossed your mind, but couldn't you just touch those areas up with a little gold leaf, if it's just those two tiny areas? Then polish the areas up for an almost seamless blend?

Or a gold plating kit like this:

How to Repair Gold Plate on Glass | eHow.com

Might be an option rather than stripping the idol and going to the expense of redoing it?

Al

 

[GeordieIndy]

I have thought about that, but if the plating is coming off already before I have even held the thing... Plus the money this thing cost me, it's the most expensive prop I have ever bought, so was hoping to have it perfect.

Looking into all options at the moment though, so cheers!!!

Andy

 

[Contec]

I strip vac-metalized plastic model parts with the help of Oven cleaners..

This brand

I put the part in a zipbag and spray a thick foam inside the bag and then seal it. An hour or so you take it out and wash it and use a toothbrush for those tight spots...
Never tried it on resin but i think it will work on the vac-metal stuff anyway.

 

[GeordieIndy]

Thanks!!

It's good hearing members different techniques!

Regards,

Andy

 

[Dalroi]

I used neat Domestos and it worked fine.

Dalroi.

 

[GeordieIndy]

Thanks!