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Welding / faceplate modification question (see pics!)

4K views 17 replies 4 participants last post by  joeyboy 
#1 ·
Okay, I've been using brushed satin nickel faceplates through the common areas in my house.


However, I ran into a problem when I found they don't make that finish (w/o special orders, ach!) for coax plates.


So, I figured that with some brushed aluminum flashing, and a toggle switch brushed stainless steel faceplate, I could hook *something* up w/o it looking bad!


Anyways, the pic shows what I'm working with. In the pic you see the aluminum flashing being used as a tray, a generic white coax faceplate, and the actual coax connector piece.

Here's what I was thinking: If I could make a square out of the aluminum (either folded over edges, or just flat/sanded and then applied), and have a hole in it that fits that coax perfectly, I could mod the toggle switch satin finish plate I have to be a satin finish coax plate, only with a square of aluminum in the middle. I know that if I have the tools, I can make it work, if it's possible (I know it may be tedious).


So, here's the question, how would I affix the aluminum to the satin nickel finished faceplate?

<<< BTW, at my disposal I have regular solder, a soldering kit, and a propane torch >>>>


I'm planning to make a smooth aluminum square to completely cover the toggle hole in the satin plate, weld/affix it to the plate, and then I'll have a modified coax plate from a standard satin nickel toggle plate. Any tips, suggestions, etc are hugely appreciated! I could probably custom order this plate in a coax configuration, but I hate special ordering stuff. And it has to be satin nickel because there's 2 spots right beside it (a receptacle plate and a blank plate), so I need uniformity....
 

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#2 ·
<<<UPDATE: I just realized that picture is crap, but enough to get the idea. The double receptacle faceplate is a satin nickel, the cam just doesn't show it. The coax receptacle is a standard white plastic. The sheet that's holding everything is the aluminum flashing I'm thinking I could use to make a square over a toggle hole in a toggle satin nickel faceplate, and carve it precisely to accomodate the coax>>>>>
 
#3 ·
I dont know if it will work because the screw holes will need to be in the correct places, but if they are...would double faced tape work? What aboutjust using the more modern rocker switch faceplate in brushed nickel (very common, easy to find), and using the white coax connector/receptacle behind it.

Maybe this pic will help explain it better:

http://www.renegadecable.com/w/1/_thumb/200-266iv.jpg
 
#5 ·
I dont know if it will work because the screw holes will need to be in the correct places, but if they are...would double faced tape work? What aboutjust using the more modern rocker switch faceplate in brushed nickel (very common, easy to find), and using the white coax connector/receptacle behind it.

Maybe this pic will help explain it better:

[URL="http://www.renegadecable.com/w/1/_thumb/200-266iv.jpg"]http://www.renegadecable.com/w/1/_thumb/200-266iv.jpg[/URL]
Will check that link in a minute, but I was just showing the receptacle satin plate for illustration (trying to show the metals' similarities, but my camera skills prevented that!).

But yeah, I've got a satin nickel toggle switchplate that I want to use to do the mod, so there'd be top/bottom screws. I figured I'd cut the aluminum to the height of the toggle's hole, and make it a perfect square. Then affix it (weld, glue, tape, etc) to the toggle satin plate.

How about a blank faceplate, then drill a hole in the middle?

Or, try and hide the plate instead of glamorizing it.....paint it the wall color.
They don't come in blanks!! No blanks, no coax!! (which is a problem because I've got 3 outlets in a row, in this order: receptacle, coax, blank. I'm thinking of just patching the blank one since it's not power, it's someone's bad idea of a stereo cabling joke...)

The wall is white, if I botch this (if I even attempt it, starting to think it's not even worth the trouble, but I really want uniformity!), I'm just gonna use the standard white coax plate that's already in place....
 
#8 ·
(hmmmm, the more I look at that pic the more I think I should put satin screws on the coax plate... opinions on that? I have the screws if needed, I just keep snapping them! I've got a few extra right now because I've been using white screws on power socket plates)
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yeah they make them, but they'd have to be special ordered (or I'd have to start going to lowes, hoping they had the same brand available in coax - the two are so close on the wall they've gotta be the same....). It just seemed much easier to mod it than to find/order the proper plate (plus, the plate would've been expensive as hell I bet. Standard toggle white plate = $0.50, standard coax white = $4-5. Satin toggle plate = $5.99, so I imagine a satin coax would be well over ten!)


didn't even think of it til just now, but the satin screws won't work there!!! Whoever made the original cutout for that coax cable/faceplate didn't put a box in, they just used drywall anchors! I've never put a box in before, and since it was already that way and I didn't notice a problem with it before, I just followed in suit. The satin screws that came with those plates aren't nearly long enough to make it to the anchors.... Do you think a standard stainless screw would look better than whites? Do you think the white screw looks good on the power receptacle/outlet plate?
 
#11 · (Edited)
#12 ·
that's exactly what I did isn't it? I just didn't use a separate unit, I cut up a regular white coax plate and glued into a decora plate, is there much difference?


Re: satin screws, yeah I def gotta check hardware/cabinets sections for some of those. It's amazing how you spend $5.99 on a decora plate (satin nickel), and the screws are the weakest I've ever played with!!!!!
 
#17 ·
When wall & switch plates are manufactured, they are put through a stamping machine, which cuts out the holes, and the shape of the plate. Then the "blanks are put through another machine that forms the shape of the plate, which is the final product.

In order to replicate the process used during the manufacturing of the final product that you see in the stores, you will have to take time to do it, but may not look the same without some sort of jig to produce a somewhat reasonable product.
 
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