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Smooth texture on zinc plated parts without finger prints

We are manufacturing zinc products with appearance surfaces. As standard finishes we offer satin chrome and satin brass. These are obtained by a satining operation on the zinc parts prior plating. We would like to get rid of the satining operation in order to reduce our costs. We tried to sand blast the parts prior the plating and we got a nice smooth textured surface. The only problem is the finger prints are now highly visible after we touch the parts. What can we do to eliminate this problem or at least reduce the tendancy of finger print to show?

Christian D [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2001

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Ed. note: Please use the search engine with the terms "gloves fingerprints", Christian. A lot of people from good shops have been making the point that the days of platers working without gloves are over. Gloves may solve the problem. Good luck.

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My company is a large producer of Zinc Electroplating ,we had a problem some years ago with finger prints on critical computer parts.We investigated the use of a water based lacquer This unified the colour to a silver finish . One of the other benefits was that if the lacquer was fingermarked it could be easily wiped away .Therefore the part was asthetically of a very high standard and blemish free .if you were to combine the light blast effect with zinc / clear passivation and add the lacquer I believe this may solve your problem.

Steve Pendleton Md
- Stoke on Trent Staffordshire England
April 3, 2008