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world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


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Guess that finish?

2007

Hi there,

I am trying to find out what type of finish is on this part so that I can use it on something I am designing. I know that the part is a cast Zinc, and has two coatings on it. You can see this in the pictures on the corner where it has worn away. The outer coating seems to be quite fingerprint resistant.

   
If anyone could help it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Adam Tebbutt
Product design engineer - Sydney, Australia

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Hi there,
It looks like metal spraying,check it out on the internet.

Ken Foyn
- Durban, South Africa
2007

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Just good old silver spray paint.

Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2007

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You might ask the manufacturer of the item that you photographed.

Bill Reynolds [deceased]
consultant metallurgist - Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
We sadly relate the news that Bill passed away on Jan. 29, 2010.
2007

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It is almost impossible to identify a coating just from a photograph. However, you say the base metal is zinc, so my bet is that the coating is nickel, possibly duplex nickel. However, I am not clear whether the underlayer we can see is zinc or some other metal. As suggested above - ask the manufacturer what it is.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2007

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Well if you hadn't told us that the base metal is cast zinc, I'd have guessed it was aluminum and the coating was a gold dyed anodize followed by a fingerprint resisting spray lacquer :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007