White Metal

[old fart]

Here is something to consider does white metal rust or does it fall apart with age . And does chrome on white metal better known as pot metal ( not the type you smoke either ) fade with time ?? Anyone out there with knowledge of what really happens to pot metal with age , just wondering on this cold winter day .

Old Fart

[64V-K7]

White Metal ( Pot Metal) is mostly zinc, aluminum and magnesium. It pits because and imperfection in the chrome plate will allow the zinc, which is a sacrificial metal to deteriorate on exposure to road salts. If you want to restore a piece, you have to remove the existing chrome, drill the pits to remove any existing crud, then fill it with something like copper, by electrolysis. Each pass has to be buffed out and if the pit isn't level, do it again.. It can get very labor intensive

[StudeRich]

I have never seen any of the Chromed Pot Metal on my Studebakers actually Fade.
It just Pits and sometimes wears thin showing the duller silver, Nickel Plating or if heavily worn, all the way to the copper plating.

Of course it is a totally different story for the Late 1951 and 1952 Korean War Chrome.

They are either good enough to use, or bad enough to re-Plate.

[old fart]

Hi Studerich : I have a left front turn signal bezel from a 1955 Champion 4 Door that has done just that . The chrome is faded right down to the base nickle plating . And you are right pitted in the under side protected areas where the salt didn't get washed off like where the bumper is over the lower side of the bezel . The faded area looks like somebody sanded it down with 2000 grit paper , the area is smooth like a babies butt and just as dull . Well I'm glad to see someone has some intellectual thoughts on this subject I guess we can still learn something in our seventies as I now know what pot metal is made of thanks to 64V-K7.

Old Fart.

[GrumpyOne]

White Metal ( Pot Metal) is mostly zinc, aluminum and magnesium. It pits because and imperfection in the chrome plate will allow the zinc, which is a sacrificial metal to deteriorate on exposure to road salts. If you want to restore a piece, you have to remove the existing chrome, drill the pits to remove any existing crud, then fill it with something like copper, by electrolysis. Each pass has to be buffed out and if the pit isn't level, do it again.. It can get very labor intensive

You can also fill the pits in with aluminum via TIG welding, a process where one has excellent control as to heat input etc. It's a tedious process but a viable alternative...

[TX Rebel]

The problem with pot metal is that it tends to corrode sacrificially when in contact with nickel in the presence of moisture and it will occur even with a good copper barrier between the base metal & the nickel, though the more copper & nickel, the better the finish will last. The best technique is to clean the piece up, then copper plate. Once copper is applied, pits, cracks & low spots may be soldered over. Then item may be filed/ground down, polished, &plated with desired result. For more info, pls see my web site: www.custompolishcchromeplating.com

[scottsewall]

This link work better for me http://custompolishchromeplating.com/