Collins Aerospace Museum
 

Apr-19 ···
233D Transmitter Restoration Project

To Chrome or not to Chrome?
 
Took the modulator tube deck down to Rainbow power coating today for a quote and to see if that approach would be reasonable to fix the chrome plating on the chassis.

Minimum would be $125, and could go as high as $275 if the sandblasting doesn’t clean up the surfaces properly. They claim that the powder coated chrome requires a perfectly smooth surface to adhere and look well. The powder coated chrome looks good, but it is not a mirror surface like “real” chrome. I had thought that the chrome powder had metal particles, but the estimator said the coating was a very good insulator. Likely not a major problem, but I think that is not desirable.

There are chrome plating operations in Sterling, IL, Burlington, Davenport and maybe one in Manchester. The old car guys say that most of the operations have 3 or 4 month backlogs.

I have decided to reassemble the tube deck and move ahead with testing. I am going to clean and polish the chassis as much as possible so they will look reasonably good.

Jim