Making bright chrome into satin chrome

[ben78]

I am mid way through renovating my bathroom (removed all the lovely mottle green triloflex asbestos sheeting and its all waterproof now ) and the tapsets I have bought are a nice plated satin chrome finish. Nobody can get my a standard satin finish shower rose.

I can get a bright chrome shower head, anyone know of a simple or at least straight forward method of making it not shiny but dull?

I hit a piece of chrome with a sander and 180 grit then wet n dry with 600# which came out nice, but very labour intensive.

Painting is also an option - if chrome can be painted... can it?

Thanks

Ben

[CCWKen]

Chrome plate matte finish is a little hard to get even but you can sand blast it. Use a fine grain washed play-sand and lower the pressure. The play sand isn't as harsh as regular blast sand. Most of the grain's sharp edges are tumble removed. Glass beading will also work and gives a "smooth to the touch" feel.

[This message has been edited by CCWKen (edited 12-29-2004).]

[Evan]

Send it to me and I'll put it on my shower for a few months. Our well water will turn anything shiny to dull fast.

Seriously, you could use an acid etch. It's used in the semiconductor industry to etch chromes plated masks.

here

[ben78]

That etch looks good...

Reckon the local chemical shop will be able to get me 200g of cerium ammonium nitrate??

[Evan]

Hmm... Might want to find another technique. I just looked up the price. 250 grams is $65.48.

[Steve Stube]

I think you are after an Armoloy satin chrome finish. Do a search on "Armoloy satin chrome". I have had lots of 4140 and A-2 steel tooling Armoloy treated for hardness and wear characteristics (won't peel like chrome sometimes does) never for appearance but it does look great when it comes back from the platters. Cost compares to chrome plating costs.

[ben78]

Have been looking at websites dealing with bathroom stuff, I think I may possibly be able to get it powdercoated to match the other tapsets...

[Mike P]

What about a ScotchBrite pad??

Chuck the shower head in the lathe, spin it and rub the ScotchBrite pad all over it.

Can the head be threaded onto a length of 1/2" pipe and then chucked?

Mike P

[This message has been edited by Mike P (edited 12-30-2004).]

[daryl bane]

Since this question is related,I'm not trying to hijack the thread. Is the satin chrome finish on machine tool dials plated, or is like vapor-blasted? and what is that? What did the MFGs use ?

[Rich Carlstedt]

It May not be chrome !
A lot of work is Nickel Plated,and by the Electroless Nickel method. Surface finishes are easily made, from bright "Chrome" (looks like it)to a beautiful Satin finish.
If you are going to plate, look at EN as a source.
EN is cheaper and faster

[Thrud]

Ben contact a local plater and have them do the job - it is safer and less trouble. If they can put it in with another job - and you are not in any hurry - you can get ti done much cheaper. Be nice to them and it will get youmach farther than being a pest.

Just a suggestion.

[Jpfalt]

Glass bead blast it with the pressure turned down.