[Tele295]

My old Bigsbys didn't have a lick of shiney chrome plating anywhere. Now, of course, they are superplated and supershiney. Is there anyway to take that plating off and give a new Bigsby the old, matte finish look?

[Bonedaddy]

Dunno about taking the plating off, per se, but you could hit it with some 00 steel wool and knock the shiny down.

[cowboybob]

If ya REALLY want to strip the chrome off, you can take it to a commercial plater and they can strip it.

I have stripped chrome on some projects using the Caswell kit http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/aluminum.htm

Then you could do a brushed finish and clear coat or you could anodize it.

[Synchro]

Originally Posted by Bonedaddy

Dunno about taking the plating off, per se, but you could hit it with some 00 steel wool and knock the shiny down.

Steel is a more noble metal than aluminum and any bits of steel wool that embed in the aluminum wil cause corrosion which will show up as pitting. Scotch Brite discs are the answer.

[Bonedaddy]

Originally Posted by Synchro

Steel is a more noble metal than aluminum and any bits of steel wool that embed in the aluminum wil cause corrosion which will show up as pitting. Scotch Brite discs are the answer.

Is Scotch Brite tough enough? I've never used it, but have used either steel or brass wool to do the same thing. But yep, you gotta clean it up afterward.

[Sarah93003]

How about looking on eBay and buying one that is not chrome plated, swap them out, and then sell your shiny one?

[Tele295]

I haven't bought a shiny one yet, Sarah. I figure even a beat-up/worn v-cutout Gretsch Bigsby is going to cost me a pretty penny!

[Synchro]

Originally Posted by Bonedaddy

Is Scotch Brite tough enough? I've never used it, but have used either steel or brass wool to do the same thing. But yep, you gotta clean it up afterward.

That's what they use for cleaning aluminum at the airlines. They're not allowed to touch aluminum with steel wool. I'm not talking about grabbing a piece of Scotch Brite and polishing it by hand, you have to use the Scotch Brite that you chuck into a drill motor.

[Lee Erickson]

I thought the trad Bigsby was nickel plated gray iron?

Lee

[workknot]

I use the scotch brite pads that fit my die grinder, you can get them in several grits and they work quite well. I sometimes use them to get the machine marks out of the bridges I make.
Pop's

[Synchro]

Originally Posted by Lee Erickson

I thought the trad Bigsby was nickel plated gray iron?

Lee

I think that they're cast aluminum.

Originally Posted by workknot

I use the scotch brite pads that fit my die grinder, you can get them in several grits and they work quite well. I sometimes use them to get the machine marks out of the bridges I make.
Pop's

Indeed. The stuff's pretty awesome at about 10,000 RPM.

[Lee Erickson]

I think that they're cast aluminum.

In that case, just sweat on it some, it should come around.

Lee

[rcboals]

Found this link I don't know about it. If it is cast aluminum and just polished they do polish aluminum to a mirror finish it will eventually age and dull. If it's aluminum you could throw it up on your roof for a year. That is the way my friend ages new cosmetic parts to match vintage radios he restores some are real high buck. If it is aluminum you could contact a plater that also polishes auto parts and see if they can un-polish the shine.
http://www.finishing.com/395/91.shtml
http://www.finishing.com/4400-4599/4535.shtml

[cowboybob]

Originally Posted by Synchro

I think that they're cast aluminum.

Yes they are for the most part. Most likely AL 380. If I read the original question correctly, it is about removing the chrome plating (getting rid for the shine).

Yes, steel wool will embed into aluminum, and there will be a galvanic reation between the two. It will not be pretty.

An aircraft fuselage is not hard chome plated, but a chromate conversion (I won't go into here).

Elbow grease and a Scotch Brite willl dull the hard chrome finish. Maybe that is enough.

If you want it removed the chrome and do not want to buy a kit (if you are only doing one it will not be worth it) take to a plater and have it stripped.

A CLEAR chomate on the stripped aluminum will protect it from corrosion. YES aluminum will corrode if not protected.