I reckon what you say makes sense Steve, moreso they had 1000s of components done, and was a production line unlike the one off hobby chroming that we have done today. Also I suppose, the hobby chrome has to be stripped and polished and prepared and plated etc... so more attention goes into that as opposed to new fresh metal.
You can still get thoroughly naff new chrome. I have a 71 VW camper, and if you buy Mexican repro chrome parts they don't last. They call it sunny side chrome .... No good for our wet weather here !
Nigel, uk
On 15 Feb 2024 at 21:08, Steve Wahl via Jukebox-list jukebox-list@lists.netlojix.com wrote:
On Thu, Feb 15, 2024 at 07:48:05AM +0000, Nigel Pugh via Jukebox-list wrote:
Back to my original post though, my conclusion is all the jukebox manufacturers of the time used poorer or cheaper chroming processes than the hobby chromers that we take our bits to to restore.
I think you're right that the original chroming work may not measure up when compared to a good re-finishing job done today. To me at least, it makes sense that it would be this way:
The original manufacturer's aim wasn't to make a machine that lasted decades; it was to sell a machine to a route operator, then sell another one to him a few years later. It did need to last long enough that it wouldn't hurt the company's reputation, but not much more; and if the finish started showing defects by the end of the expected life, but still worked, that might mean it moved to the operator's "B" and "C" locations sooner, and the "A" locations got a new box quicker. "A" locations deserve / want shiny new boxes all the time, anyway, right?
If cutting corners to cut cost on the plating didn't affect appearance for the time the box spent in its first location, there was every reason to do it. The maker can then increase profit, or lower price to beat competition, or some of each.
The people re-chroming individual objects today have a different target customer, who cares much more about the longevity of the finish, whether on motorcycles or jukes. And they're doing individual pieces, not replicating a large number on a production line.
All of the jukeboxes I have, have spent more of their life re chromed than they did wearing their original chrome and the re chrome is still immaculate whereas the original chrome didn't stand the test of time. Taking out harsher environments of a machine on site in a damp cold bar with beer chucked over it and general wear and tear, the original chrome hasn't lasted as good.
Given the considerations I've given above, this kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
Occasionally I see original machines with wonderful chrome so there's always exceptions.
Many semi-random variables contribute to this: Was the first chroming done by someone new on the job or someone with lots of experience? Were they working at normal speed, or were they in a time crunch to meet production numbers? Was the chemical mix perfect that day, or was it off by a bit? And then there's the environment the juke spent its life in after leaving the factory. If all the factors line up in your favor, the finish survives today. But it's largely a matter of luck.
Just my observation, for whatever it's worth!
--> Steve
-- Steve Wahl steve@pro-ns.net
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