yes plastic can be chrome plated and conductance is not much of a hurdle. The surface is impregnated with a material conducive to bonding metals. A thin copper film is then deposited on the surface. Copper accepts other metals very readily to be vacuum deposited onto it which is why it is a common base for VDM (vacuum deposited metals). A metal of your choice is then vaccuum deposited on the base copper in a layer of only a dozen or so angtroms thick. So thickness of a vaccum deposited material usually is not an issue.
A common substitute for chrome plating on plastic (or other metals for that fact) is a vacuum depostited nickel which is a safer and cheaper process. However, a silver vacuum deposited surface with a thin protective overcoat of PTFE or AOC will provide the best reflectivity and shine, but nearly no one deposits silver for small batch parts. If you really want some eyepopping, use a dichroic film overcoat (aurora look) or a gold vacuum deposit (bling look).
I've seen this stuff on plastics and man does it look cool. I wish I could post some pictures of these last two, but I wouldn't be allowed
A different method that most consider true chrome plating involves the same basic steps as before where a compound is applied to the plastic, a copper base is added, then nickel. However, once the nickel is added, the piece is now conductive and can be traditionally chromium plated. This process provides a noticably thicker but more durable finish. This surface is more prone to chipping rather than scuffing or scratching.
A quick google search showed 2 companies that each use one of the mentioned methods.
Vacuum Coating: http://www.cvvacuumplaters.com/
Plating: http://www.aki.co.uk/page/chrome_plating
A common substitute for chrome plating on plastic (or other metals for that fact) is a vacuum depostited nickel which is a safer and cheaper process. However, a silver vacuum deposited surface with a thin protective overcoat of PTFE or AOC will provide the best reflectivity and shine, but nearly no one deposits silver for small batch parts. If you really want some eyepopping, use a dichroic film overcoat (aurora look) or a gold vacuum deposit (bling look).
I've seen this stuff on plastics and man does it look cool. I wish I could post some pictures of these last two, but I wouldn't be allowed
A different method that most consider true chrome plating involves the same basic steps as before where a compound is applied to the plastic, a copper base is added, then nickel. However, once the nickel is added, the piece is now conductive and can be traditionally chromium plated. This process provides a noticably thicker but more durable finish. This surface is more prone to chipping rather than scuffing or scratching.
A quick google search showed 2 companies that each use one of the mentioned methods.
Vacuum Coating: http://www.cvvacuumplaters.com/
Plating: http://www.aki.co.uk/page/chrome_plating


pics asap! ) and it is getting green accent parts on it. Anyway I have been trying to figure out what kind of hopper shell would match the awsome bling of it
. I have had the same cruddy blue shell for some time now and they are well past their time. I have been thinking green but IDK. Though I do still play mostly bush ball, so my hopper needs to be somewhat versitale.
Maybe I can throw in a shell on "accident" oops 
Good try though!
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