chroming the next generation

[chaz]

working in a engineering business and also restoring/ repairing bikes I like to be prepared. been talking with the plating shops we use, mainly for anodizing, they tell me that chrome is being phased out by the EU by 2014.  platers that have supplies can still use them until 2014, no more supplies will be made.
this will rule out decorative chrome (the thin version), normal deep chrome (bars, levers etc) , Anodizing with di-chromate passivating, and possibly alochrom.  dont know yet if Zinc or tin plating will be affected but the best, deep chrome will be missing.
Anyone with S&T or Doug Taylor contacts or even Philpott (pitted forks) have a solution to future needs.   

[muskrat]

 Sounds like it will ALL be done in China or India then, no OH&S there. Stock up on DIY kits.
Cheers

[chaz]

on another forum  someone was talking to Philpots (pitted forks) about re chroming fork tubes and they are worried about the future.

[metalflake11]

Could this be the future?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lG6O5lvhm8     
The website is
http://www.customcreationpaints.co.uk/index.php
Nothing however, will replace the sheer durability of chromium plate. I picked some bits (chrome) up today from Leigh Metal Platers Manchester, for my '78 Bonnie. It is the best I have seen in a long, long time but 8 weeks and a fat wad of wonga took the shine off a little. No pun intended!

[a10gf]

Could this be the future?

Yes, would be interesting to know more about real life durability.

[metalflake11]

Something akin to paint I believe, you wouldn't do your fork stantions with it for sure!

[muskrat]

 I wonder what materials it could go over. Like if a tank had a few dents with bog in them would you get a slightly different finish on those bits. I had a tank lead wiped then chromed and you could see the chrome had a bit of a brass coloured hue to those bits.
Cheers

[metalflake11]

From what it says on their web site, it has to be put on over gloss black or very dark grey or it won't work, So no chance of it showing through. I wonder if the McClaren race car (F1) it done with this stuff? I spoke to a chromer recently and he said the military and British Aerospace have told the health and safety nazis they cannot function without chrome. Apparently, they did back off slightly from the rules they wanted to apply.