Cost to rechrome Princess stove parts

Beautiful and shiny but a big OUCH on the pocketbook!

Looks fantastic. If you are going to splurge, this is one of the places to do it.

For the vast majority of us, restoring these beauties is not an investment, or a business, but a hobby. Hobbies cost money.

No, you will never re-coup your cost if you were to sell just the stove, but I think you will easily cover your cost in the increased overall value of the trailer, especially considering the other high quality workmanship that is going into it.

But that isn't the point is it?

Thanks for sharing, I bet this is an eye opener for many.

Exactly! This is not a business or a flip. This is a trailer we get enjoyment out of fixing up to our own standards (no judgements about other choices) in our spare time and we hope to enjoy our trailer even more while camping. In our reality, the new chrome is a minor cost in the big picture of the rebuild. The $$$ spend on new tools is getting excessive. When my husband runs out to get coffee and takes more than 15 minutes...I know he's coming home with a new one. 

Also, if you have a Princess Stove and don't want to spend the $$$ on new chrome, another option I've read about here is to have new porcelain added to the top instead of chrome. This was something Princess did as well so it would look period correct. I understand new porcelain is cheaper than chrome but I don't have first hand knowledge. I may investigate this option (rather than paint) for our Marvel fridge since it's going to look like a sows breakfast next to the new/old Princess. We're on a slippery slope...

Am I incorrect in thinking that a third alternative to re-chroming or porcelain(ing) that is properly heat resistant is powder coating with the right paint/coating product? Seems like powder coating would be the most economical alternative. Also, seems to me when I was just a kid, my brother and his buddies were buying $25 broken down vespas and $125 '57 chevys and making one running machine out of 3 dead ones. When they wanted something chromed they would drop it off at the chrome shop, and when the owner had "enough" pieces or one good order and a bunch of smaller items, he would do a "run" and would end up with a lot of happy customers. Now it seems like no one wants to combine client's pieces to make it more cost effective.

Oh and by the way, mountainsounds. I do think you have added value to your camper by re-chroming the Princess parts, that will exceed the cost. It is a good investment.

Just had my Princess Stove top re-plated at Big D's Plating in Sante Fe Springs California. Danny does FANTASTIC plating. Stove top cost me $100 chrome came out mirror finish.