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Hello guys. I recently ordered a set of chrome rims for the 2014 Scorpion. I plan on using them for my Tomahawk and want to drill the 5 hole pattern and then paint the centers. I was wondering if anyone has had experience in painting over the chrome paint on plastic rims? I wasn't sure what would be the best way to go about this. Scuffing the chrome paint, using primer, what type paint to use, etc. If anybody has some info that I could use, please do share. Thanks

Tom

They come in matte or chrome. I ordered chrome because I like the look better, so I will probably go with a glossy black for the center to match.

Are you wanting to just remove the chrome so they can be dyed? If so, spray Easy-Off oven cleaner and let it sit for a bit...you should be able to brush the chrome plating off with a toothbrush. Then you'll have plain white nylon, ready to be dyed in the color of your choice.

Coelacanth wrote:Are you wanting to just remove the chrome so they can be dyed? If so, spray Easy-Off oven cleaner and let it sit for a bit...you should be able to brush the chrome plating off with a toothbrush. Then you'll have plain white nylon, ready to be dyed in the color of your choice.

Thanks for the tip Coelacanth! Actually, I never even thought about that, but that sounds like a MUCH better idea. I have dyed many parts in the past, so it is something I am comfortable doing (more than painting) LoL. Have you done this process yourself? When I dye parts, I do it over the stove by getting the dye/water mixture just under boiling. Then I dip the parts in for about 10-15 sec. and then dip in cool water (this keeps plastic from warping from the heat). You just dip as many times until the desired color is achieved. Does that sound okay?

That is how I do Xbox controller parts, but they don't have paint anywhere on them. I just want to make sure it wouldn't effect the chrome paint I want to keep. Thanks.


TM

just be very careful, and double check that they are nylon.

I've used Easy-Off to remove the chrome plating (both shiny and satin finish) from a set of Imex wheels and several original Turbo Optima wheels (some of the latter were rim-scuffed anyway), then dyed them blue, black or left them white (RIT dye). The ones I dyed, I just followed the instructions on the RIT dye package, and kept stirring the wheels to keep them from staying on the bottom of the pot. It didn't take very long for them to get pretty deep in color...no more than 5 minutes, if I remember.

The advantage of removing the chrome plating from vintage wheels is the nylon won't have faded through the years, and will look almost brand new.

These will be brand new rims. I ordered them from Banzai and they are the 2014 Scorpion wheels. Not sure what they are made of yet, but I assume they will be exactly what everyone has with the Scorpion re re. If anyone that has got theirs already could check, let me know if they are plastic or nylon please. The info is pretty vague on them, plus I wouldn't know if they were nylon or plastic if I had them now (Pretty new to RC).

I am just planning ahead to save time. Kyosho may even later release Tomahawk type wheels (or the Tomahawk itself). Guess it all depends on the Scorpion 2014 sales, but it seems to be doing rather well.