The Chrome Process

recordman

I've seen some comments about the chrome on the TC-14s being less than perfect which leads me to wonder about the "plating" process.

Can anyone confirm if TLG uses vacuum metallizing, the process of vaporizing aluminum in a vacuum chamber, for this fig? Vacuum metallizing is a common way to "chrome" plastic. The parts have to be rotated in the chamber I believe to get full coverage. The vaporized aluminum has to condense on the parts and rotating is supposed to help in full coverage.

As it is mine still isn't plated between the legs. I suppose this is a limitation of the process. There is no actual chrome used but still must be expensive to produce. The tamps are added last.

I still think it's a great fig and glad that TLG makes the effort to make it special.

CCC

The plating behind the arms has been discussed before. I hadn't noticed the legs. But then, you're not meant to take them out of the bag or play with them!

vwong19

I haven't gotten the urge to open one yet... I may never notice.

GothamConstructionCo

^^Yes you are :o)

yys4u

^Agree :)

CapnRex101

The insides of the legs are not chromed to begin with so there is no chrome loss.

mattheww888

Everyone is making a big deal out of the alleged poor chroming on the TC-14, but no one has mentioned the chrome Stormtrooper (or the gold C-3P0 for that matter). Is the chroming just as bad on these other minifigs?

SpaceCake

Everyone is making a big deal out of the alleged poor chroming painting on the TC-14, but no one has mentioned the chrome Stormtrooper (or the gold C-3P0 for that matter). Is the chroming painting just as bad on these other minifigs?

Sorry. Had to fix it.

By the way, that Sandcrawler diorama in your avatar is goddamn AWESOME. How come you decided not to use tan bricks though?

mattheww888

@SpaceCake,
Yeah, I'm sure painting is the more accurate term (it's pretty obvious).

That scene I built back a few years ago, before I knew about BL and this website and all I had to use was yellow. Plus, I don't have the extra cash to purchase all the extra tan bricks I would need to recreate it. Here's another pic (top view). Now that I look at it, I should really cover up the blue baseplate that's it's built on. Work, work, work....