Seek replate of 2 new Chrome Showerheads in Polished Nickel

[bradesp]

I have just remodeled an entire master bath... All the hardware is in polished nickel, however the dear wife insists on a style/brand of showerhead that is only availabe in CHROME. Does anyone have experience taking an item like this and putting on a highly polished nickel finish? If so, can you give me a general idea of cost and turn-around time?

Also, will this finish be equal or similar to the factory polished nickel finished on my other bathroom hardware?

Thanks!

Feel free to email me directly (remove the obvious antispam in the address).

bradesp<hatespam>@<hatespam>yahoo.com

[dadkar2]

There are a few variables involved here, but let's start by assuming the finish on the shower head is triple chrome.

Have you tried removing the chrome? Underneath the thin layer of chrome plating is the nickel you're looking for. Caswell's manual explains how this is done with Pickle 2 (hydrochloric acid). After that, you'll have to neutralize the acid and then polish up the nickel with metal polish, but that's it. If you're reasonably handy, it should be something you can do. Just be sure to CAREFULLY follow all the instructions for safe handling and neutralization of the acid. Wear nitrile or latex gloves and protective goggles.

Of course, this assumes that the finish is indeed triple chrome. If not, then it's a completely different story. If for example the finish is copy chrome (a cobalt formulation), then the above procedure will not work--but it shouldn't hurt it either. Is the item plastic or metal? Not many folks here will feel comfortable stripping and replating plastic, or for that matter, pot metal.

Ken