Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Need to make brass tub fixture look like chrome or nickel but is bolted in

September 16, 2009

Hi I have a big jacuzzi tub in a house I just bought and the brass tub fixture is BOLTED down with the elbows into the tub. When I look at the fixture it looks worn in places and looks like there is almost a nickel finish underneath. I am doing the rest of the bathroom in Chrome and need the tub fixtures to match it what can I put on it to bring it that nickel finish or make it look chrome. I can't get the piece out to do it can you guide me please so I don't know why I see the nickel finish coming through but that is what I want

Thanks,

Megan

Megan Burke
- Piedmont California

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Hi, Megan. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of the technological revolution is that we often don't know what things are anymore. If it looks like a duck, it's not necessarily a duck.

The brass color could be a zirconium nitride PVD finish, it could be real brass plating, it could be a brass-tone lacquer. But in any case, there is a good likelihood that there actually is nickel plating under it. I would hope that it is lacquer, and that it can be removed with acetone [on eBay or Amazon] (try some nail polish remover on it). If not, it might be a more durable organic coating that can be removed with aircraft stripper -- but this is really toxic stuff that requires very good ventilation and goggles and rubber gloves; further, there is a good chance the aircraft stripper will ruin any non-metallic thing it touches.

If you can't chemically remove it, you may be able to polish it off with a buffing pad and some jewellers rouge on an electric drill. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
September 17, 2009