18 Automatic Tool Box

Geno, I apologize, for the poor picture, the area right in front of the hinge area is slightly discolored. Looked like an Orange tinted chrome. They have to strip the chrome, then strip the nickel and finally strip the copper. Then plate it with copper, polish it, plate it with nickel then plate it with chrome then polish it. They target for this to be done Friday.
I may try taking pics of the plated parts I was able to bring home, and upload some.

So they just did a bad job and have to do it over?

honestly do not think it should be considered a poor job, I had to sand the areas in front of the hinge halves, and this is where the finish was imperfect. Perhaps they can leave the cover in the copper or the nickel longer to achieve a thicker layer and subsequently alleviate any bleed through.
P.S. I have prepped the hydro pump to motor manifold for clear coating to prevent tarnish or corrosion of the decorative polished copper plating.

I think the difference between a good finished product and a great one is the details. every project is a collection of little projects rolled into one big one. looking forward to seeing her finished. good job.

This thing sure is gonna be fancy, nice work Mark! :goodjob

23 AUTOMATIC LSE wrote: honestly do not think it should be considered a poor job, I had to sand the areas in front of the hinge halves, and this is where the finish was imperfect. Perhaps they can leave the cover in the copper or the nickel longer to achieve a thicker layer and subsequently alleviate any bleed through.
P.S. I have prepped the hydro pump to motor manifold for clear coating to prevent tarnish or corrosion of the decorative polished copper plating.

BIG LIKE!!!!

Received the toolbox cover back, it was reworked twice. This last time it turned out the chrome shop just sort of decided enough was enough. The majority is presentable with just a fraction of bleedthrough
on the hinge areas.

On a side note the worker at the chrome shop said the lid and the 2 hinge halves was the only parts I had not yet picked up. This was not correct as I still did not receive the remainder of the parts from the first time I picked up parts. They said,"You received those when you picked up the first batch of parts.". I know that I didn't, so consequently I am now missing 2 hydro valve control levers, 2 {3} cups that bolt under the valves, 2 clevis pins that allow the levers to pivot, 2 {3} "S" hooks, 2 buckles with the wire balls. and a left threaded P.T.O. engagement rod nut. All of which I paid them to chrome, which is now at $40.00 minimum per part. They also sent the 2 "S" tubes back with the boss fitting nuts stuck to the curve portion of the tubes, after unsticking them there was bare copper plated areas that did not get chrome plated. I am going to have to see if they have found the lost parts when the reworked parts are finished. Not sure what to do if they try to say they don't have them.

I had a bad feeling when the first line was "the chrome shop just sort of decided enough was enough." If they can't do their job they shouldn't charge or take things on they can't do in the first place. It's starting to sound like they don't know what they're doing... If they don't take care of their work, like the fitting nuts stuck to the tubes, then they are thieves.

Chrome shop called and said, "Parts are done." I picked them up and they did have the missing parts {even were plated.} I did not realize until after bringing them home and taking them out of the plastic, that there were some parts that were unacceptable. The reworked "S" tubes are unusable, flange nuts are now stuck on the flared ends of the tubes. Oh and the tubes are impregnated with ??? Not exactly what I want flowing in my hydro. Let's move onto the two "cups" that bolt to the hydro valve assembly. The plating prossess deformed these, and lined the inner wall with more ??? Copper and dirt. Again not something for floating around in a hydro. Besides the piston shaft would not fit in the cups. Then the mounting holes were distorted and too small for the bolts. Aside from that the good parts came out really nice. I really was disappointed because the "S" tubes were N.O.S. never mounted. Ouch! I may have to have some bent to shape from stainless steel tubing and then after plating assemble the already chrome flange nuts and then flare the ends. The cups may need bolted to a spacer sealed shut. This should prevent any contamination entering the inside.

I am going to check on some sort of material to form a seal around the perimeter of the box top. Then the only thing left will be assembly, after welding the box hinge half spacers, and the buckle supports. I do need to tweek the lid hinge halves as I failed to precompensate for the chrome plating taking up the gaps, so I am intending to remedy this by grinding a bit off of each. No pics yet but maybe forthcoming after a bit more progress.

I'm sure glad they found the parts you supposedly picked up.

What you are going through with the damaged, dirty, and not done correctly parts seems to be the norm these days, it's a real shame. That's the reason we do so much in house, to avoid the thought of wanting to kill people lol.