Satin chrome finish wood screws

Bill_F. | Posted in Joinery on October 21, 2000 02:13am

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Does anyone out there know how I can put a satin chrome finish on wood screws? The pull handle I’m adding to a poplar cart I just completed has a “satin” chrome finish — essentially chrome with a matte or dull finish. Unfortunately, the 4 screws that came with the handle are too short (6 x 3/4″) for my application. I want to use at least 1 1/2″ length so the handle doesn’t pull out. I’ve given up on trying to find them in the marketplace. Any help would be appreciated.

Replies

gpwestmoreland | Jun 10, 2000 06:09am | #1
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Bill,

Several years ago I needed a finish like you describe for shop-made hold down cleats in a handgun display case I was building. (Wanted the finish of the hardware to match the satin/nickel finish on the gun.) I used zinc coated flat mending plates, hacksawn and ground to the shape I needed. For the finish, I put a wire brush wheel in my bench grinder, held the cleats to the wheel with vise-grips till the zinc was polished off. It left a nice satin-like finish which closely matched the gun. Maybe this procedure would work on your screwheads. If you don't have a grinder, you can buy cup type wire brush attachments for a power drill. GPW.

Bill_F. | Jun 10, 2000 07:08am | #2
*GPW,Your solution sounds real good. I'll get some zinc plated steel screws and polish them off with my dremel fitted with the wire brush attachment. If the dremel isn't powerful enough I'll pick up a wire brush attachment for my drill. Many thanks. Bill F.

John_Nolte | Jun 10, 2000 07:22pm | #3
*Bill:You could try the same technique with stainless steel screws. When you take of the zinc plating on steel screws, you have plain steel that does potentially rust.John

trialnut_ | Oct 21, 2000 02:13am | #4
*BillJust take some stainless screws and sandblast the heads with very fine sand. This will look like satin chrome and will not rust. Hope this helps