leomara Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I have not had any plating work done in many years and now I need to do some again. I want to be able to deliver the parts myself because too many things are getting lost in transit. I also want to see the place I'm dealing with. I'm not restoring a show car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRHaelig Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 Hey John, thank you, yes I'm aware of these places but I was also looking for recommendations from people who have had work done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akstraw Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Librandi’s in Pennsylvania is first rate, both by reputation and from personal experience. Middletown, Pa; not too far away for you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings32 Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Yes I use Librandi,s wouldn't use any other Kings 32 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Todd Librandi does first rate show quality work. His facility is spotless. Longish lead time but he delivers on time. He also knows how to charge but when it comes to quality re-plating be prepared to turn your wallet up side down........Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 100 percent agree on Librandi. Excellent work at excellent prices, but you won't be disappointed. Chrome is one of those things on a car which stand out, and if you try to skimp and save (not saying you are) and get second rate work, it will stand out as a sore thumb all the time. I will say that, if you're doing secondary pieces for chrome and want great service and a fairly high quality product, Speed Sport Chrome in Houston Texas is an interesting choice. I send some plain door sills to them, back in less than two weeks and I had a hard time finding any defects, if at all... If you want pot metal done correctly, repairs and keeping detail, then it's R&D Finishing in Elisabethton, Tennessee. They strip part, enhance detail (such as fancy door handles), THEN plate, and result is fabulous. Your choices are somewhat limited if you want to hand deliver, of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 My last load of chrome work went to Librandis, and I recommend them too. All chrome shops have a long lead time. Librandi's delivered a few days ahead of schedule, and the work was top notch. The longish lead time seems to exist at all chrome plating shops. There are several old forum threads here worth reading. You'll probably come up with a list of 3 or 4 in the entire USA and maybe a couple more in Canada that get good reviews from people around this forum. All the time involved in a GOOD chrome job is prep work. Chrome is expensive anywhere. You can easily spend just as much on a crappy job as a good one. If it winds up peeling back off after a couple of years, then you get to do it again, and you are just out all that money you spent at the first shop. If the first shop ground all the detail out of your parts because they were in a hurry, then you get to re-buy those too, assuming you can even get replacements. I have told this story before I think, but one day back in the 90s I was having lunch with a custom car builder and two other guys who used to work in a plating shop. Thanks to some peeling bumpers in the parking lot, the conversation turned to plating. Those 2 former platers were adamant. "Always get show chrome if you want it to last". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Another vote for Librandi's. I had them do the valve covers on my 1969 Hurst/Olds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akstraw Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 I have used R&D Finishing in TN many times as well, mostly for nickel, and some chrome. They have always done great work for me. An interesting thing with them was that if you hand delivered and picked up, then you had to pay TN sales tax, which is pretty high. It was actually less in total cost for me to ship back and forth to them from NC on one job than if I had driven over there and paid the sales tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 Thank you all for the input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13CADDY Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Be careful what you send where=a rare & detailed part that you can't replace--you may never see it again--took my windshield frame to a smaller shop that told me, to bad so sad thats the best they could--I had to buy another to replace the one they ruined--took to second one to a Tn. shop, it was pricey but nice--be careful---Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 Good point. There is nothing worse that having someone loose or damage your parts. Been there. Not fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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