hydrogen embrittlement

Have recently been contemplating building a set of chrome plated, or
part plated, forks for a road bike, however am wondering about the
dangers of hydrogen embrittlement as a result of the plating process.

While in the Air Force I manufactured several SAE 4130 and 4140, heat
treated and plated parts for various aircraft and the plating
procedure was complicated by the baking to remove embrittlement
however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional
treatment.

Has anyone any actual experience with chrome plating bicycle frame
parts and the procedure, or lack thereof, used to remove hydrogen
embrittlement.

Cheers,
John B.

On 7/14/2012 7:59 PM, John B. wrote:

Have recently been contemplating building a set of chrome plated, or
part plated, forks for a road bike, however am wondering about the
dangers of hydrogen embrittlement as a result of the plating process.

While in the Air Force I manufactured several SAE 4130 and 4140, heat
treated and plated parts for various aircraft and the plating
procedure was complicated by the baking to remove embrittlement
however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional
treatment.

Has anyone any actual experience with chrome plating bicycle frame
parts and the procedure, or lack thereof, used to remove hydrogen
embrittlement.


Durable plate is copper-nickel-chrome, polished between
passes. Decorative plate is chrome over steel and will flake
away from a bicycle frame in normal use. Bicycle frames may
require multiple anodes. For a thin CrMo tube, plating speed
is important- too fast risks embrittlement.

Discuss this with your plater. If your plater is experienced
in the area (from similar material in airplanes, motorcycles
and race cars ) and not engaged primarily in tumble plating
hardware or doing bumpers and furniture, he won't give you
that thousand yard stare when you ask.

One of our customers recently had a Thai plater strip and
redo a vintage chromed Cinelli with very nice looking
results at a ridiculous price compared to our
death-by-regulation USA.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Sun, 15 Jul 2012 12:57:43 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 7/14/2012 7:59 PM, John B. wrote:

Have recently been contemplating building a set of chrome plated, or
part plated, forks for a road bike, however am wondering about the
dangers of hydrogen embrittlement as a result of the plating process.

While in the Air Force I manufactured several SAE 4130 and 4140, heat
treated and plated parts for various aircraft and the plating
procedure was complicated by the baking to remove embrittlement
however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional
treatment.

Has anyone any actual experience with chrome plating bicycle frame
parts and the procedure, or lack thereof, used to remove hydrogen
embrittlement.


Durable plate is copper-nickel-chrome, polished between
passes. Decorative plate is chrome over steel and will flake
away from a bicycle frame in normal use. Bicycle frames may
require multiple anodes. For a thin CrMo tube, plating speed
is important- too fast risks embrittlement.

Discuss this with your plater. If your plater is experienced
in the area (from similar material in airplanes, motorcycles
and race cars ) and not engaged primarily in tumble plating
hardware or doing bumpers and furniture, he won't give you
that thousand yard stare when you ask.

One of our customers recently had a Thai plater strip and
redo a vintage chromed Cinelli with very nice looking
results at a ridiculous price compared to our
death-by-regulation USA.

I did discuss this with a plater (located in Phuket, Thailand :-) who
does beautiful work. He never heard of the problem. The guy in
Singapore also, never heard of the problem. Thus, partially, the
reason for my question.

Economics 101 (:-)
Minimum wages, which would be what a guy buffing parts would be
making, in Thailand is now 300 baht/day (up from $5/day a few months
ago). About 10 dollars. Buffing compound and plating supplies are
generally imported and likely are higher in price then the U.S.;
electrical power is lower.

Cheers,
John B.

John B. wrote:

Economics 101 (:-)
Minimum wages, which would be what a guy buffing parts would be
making, in Thailand is now 300 baht/day (up from $5/day a few months
ago). About 10 dollars. Buffing compound and plating supplies are
generally imported and likely are higher in price then the U.S.;
electrical power is lower.

And they probably dispose of the toxic waste in the local river,
unprocessed.

hauke


--
Now without signature.

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:40:05 +0200,
(Hauke Fath) wrote:

John B. wrote:

Economics 101 (:-)
Minimum wages, which would be what a guy buffing parts would be
making, in Thailand is now 300 baht/day (up from $5/day a few months
ago). About 10 dollars. Buffing compound and plating supplies are
generally imported and likely are higher in price then the U.S.;
electrical power is lower.

And they probably dispose of the toxic waste in the local river,
unprocessed.

hauke

I can't say for Singapore but certainly there is no waste dumped in
the local Phuket, Thailand, river - there is no river even close to
the district that the chrome shop is in.

Cheers,
John B.

John B. wrote:
:On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:40:05 +0200,
Hauke Fath) wrote:

:John B. wrote:
:
: Economics 101 (:-)
: Minimum wages, which would be what a guy buffing parts would be
: making, in Thailand is now 300 baht/day (up from $5/day a few months
: ago). About 10 dollars. Buffing compound and plating supplies are
: generally imported and likely are higher in price then the U.S.;
: electrical power is lower.
:
:And they probably dispose of the toxic waste in the local river,
:unprocessed.
:
: hauke

:I can't say for Singapore but certainly there is no waste dumped in
:the local Phuket, Thailand, river - there is no river even close to
:the district that the chrome shop is in.

Well, there's ground water, that'll work.


--
sig 86

paint the sucker chrome. have you seen the chrome M-B ? whew plus a few expletive deleteds.

'hiya hiya hiya wanna go for a ride down toda beach" ?

I tried finding MB Chrome Paint online but no go over to the dealer....with ur MB off course.

The local AAA oaint shop has a catalogue....Dupont !

John B. wrote:

however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional

I cant help with your question - but could I ask for the contact details of
the company in Singapore, please?

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

On Sat, 21 Jul 2012 13:45:53 +0000 (UTC), Nige Danton
wrote:

John B. wrote:

however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional

I cant help with your question - but could I ask for the contact details of
the company in Singapore, please?

Sure. I'll get an e-mail address for you.

Cheers,
John B.

On Sat, 21 Jul 2012 13:45:53 +0000 (UTC), Nige Danton
wrote:

John B. wrote:

however I am also in contact with a company in Singapore that
"glosses" up bikes for the upper end of the market and they chrome
plate everything from forks to complete bike frames with no additional

I cant help with your question - but could I ask for the contact details of
the company in Singapore, please?

The Rebound Center. see
http://www.togoparts.com/bikeshops/s...ils.php?sid=62
Cheers,
John B.