Hi all ..I own a few lower end radios that have rusted old tube shields that were once chrome plated... I don't wana pay to get these replated with real chrome..just not worth it...SOOOO I decided to try chrome spay paint...You will need to THOUGHOUGHLY clean all old rust and chrome off of shield(s) ..down to bare metal if you can...wire brush..ect ect...then clean in some sort or wash..I use laquer thinner to get off ALL particles..let dry...spray with chrome paint and let dry for a day or two...Results are not perfect but for the lower end radios I think this works fine...Paint can be found at any hardware store or Walmart..Also most tubes that these shields sit on don't get screaming hot so high temp paint is not needed but can be used

Agree with all you have said, but be careful to make sure that the tube base does have some electrical contact with the shield. If you do too good a paint job, this will be defeated.

:Hi all ..I own a few lower end radios that have rusted old tube shields that were once chrome plated... I don't wana pay to get these replated with real chrome..just not worth it...SOOOO I decided to try chrome spay paint...You will need to THOUGHOUGHLY clean all old rust and chrome off of shield(s) ..down to bare metal if you can...wire brush..ect ect...then clean in some sort or wash..I use laquer thinner to get off ALL particles..let dry...spray with chrome paint and let dry for a day or two...Results are not perfect but for the lower end radios I think this works fine...Paint can be found at any hardware store or Walmart..Also most tubes that these shields sit on don't get screaming hot so high temp paint is not needed but can be used
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AHHH yes...good point codefox... If you do have a tube that has some-sort of connection directly to tube you will have to clean paint off...For most of the tube shield i am refering to ONLY cover the tube and have no connection...

:Agree with all you have said, but be careful to make sure that the tube base does have some electrical contact with the shield. If you do too good a paint job, this will be defeated.
:
::Hi all ..I own a few lower end radios that have rusted old tube shields that were once chrome plated... I don't wana pay to get these replated with real chrome..just not worth it...SOOOO I decided to try chrome spay paint...You will need to THOUGHOUGHLY clean all old rust and chrome off of shield(s) ..down to bare metal if you can...wire brush..ect ect...then clean in some sort or wash..I use laquer thinner to get off ALL particles..let dry...spray with chrome paint and let dry for a day or two...Results are not perfect but for the lower end radios I think this works fine...Paint can be found at any hardware store or Walmart..Also most tubes that these shields sit on don't get screaming hot so high temp paint is not needed but can be used
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Well, obviously, if you do have a situation where a glass tube has been replaced by a metal one, and pin one is grounded appropriately, I guess the tube shield is moot. Just be sure that pin one was not used as a tie point for some other purpose. This happens just often enough to drive us all nuts.

:AHHH yes...good point codefox... If you do have a tube that has some-sort of connection directly to tube you will have to clean paint off...For most of the tube shield i am refering to ONLY cover the tube and have no connection...
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:
::Agree with all you have said, but be careful to make sure that the tube base does have some electrical contact with the shield. If you do too good a paint job, this will be defeated.
::
:::Hi all ..I own a few lower end radios that have rusted old tube shields that were once chrome plated... I don't wana pay to get these replated with real chrome..just not worth it...SOOOO I decided to try chrome spay paint...You will need to THOUGHOUGHLY clean all old rust and chrome off of shield(s) ..down to bare metal if you can...wire brush..ect ect...then clean in some sort or wash..I use laquer thinner to get off ALL particles..let dry...spray with chrome paint and let dry for a day or two...Results are not perfect but for the lower end radios I think this works fine...Paint can be found at any hardware store or Walmart..Also most tubes that these shields sit on don't get screaming hot so high temp paint is not needed but can be used
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Lower-end radios did not have chrome plated chassis. They were cadmium plated. If you want exceptional results that can come close to chrome if you spend enough time, and will look great even if you don't, sand the shields with fine emery paper. Continue with wet or oiled emery paper. Finish up with a good fine abrasive polish like Mothers Aluminum Polish. Clean in soap and water, and then with acetone to remove all traces of oil. Clear lacquer or acrylic coat. Gently baking may set the coat better. Do not coat insides of shields, as this is where electrical contact is made.

Steel can take on an amazing shine if polished well. It actually looks better than chrome if polished enough, but will eventually darken if not treated and protected properly.

We are talking about lower end radios here..not cadmium plated chassis or crap like that....and tube shields that only shield and make NO electrical contact...geez

:Lower-end radios did not have chrome plated chassis. They were cadmium plated. If you want exceptional results that can come close to chrome if you spend enough time, and will look great even if you don't, sand the shields with fine emery paper. Continue with wet or oiled emery paper. Finish up with a good fine abrasive polish like Mothers Aluminum Polish. Clean in soap and water, and then with acetone to remove all traces of oil. Clear lacquer or acrylic coat. Gently baking may set the coat better. Do not coat insides of shields, as this is where electrical contact is made.
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:Steel can take on an amazing shine if polished well. It actually looks better than chrome if polished enough, but will eventually darken if not treated and protected properly.
:

George

Aluminum or stainess steel spray paint works wonders and isn't much work. All shields should have electrical contact to chassis. Best to scratch through paint at this contact point.

Norm

:We are talking about lower end radios here..not cadmium plated chassis or crap like that....and tube shields that only shield and make NO electrical contact...geez
:
:
:
::Lower-end radios did not have chrome plated chassis. They were cadmium plated. If you want exceptional results that can come close to chrome if you spend enough time, and will look great even if you don't, sand the shields with fine emery paper. Continue with wet or oiled emery paper. Finish up with a good fine abrasive polish like Mothers Aluminum Polish. Clean in soap and water, and then with acetone to remove all traces of oil. Clear lacquer or acrylic coat. Gently baking may set the coat better. Do not coat insides of shields, as this is where electrical contact is made.
::
::Steel can take on an amazing shine if polished well. It actually looks better than chrome if polished enough, but will eventually darken if not treated and protected properly.
::
:

As Norm said, all shields should have electrical contact to the chassis, or else they won't work properly.

Polishing the shields looks a lot better than aluminum spray paint.

Low end chassis were cadmium plated. Higher end chassis were nickel or chrome plated. The cadmium plating was shiny when new, and polished steel will look about the same, only a different shade of silver.