Hartree-Fock calculations at semiempirical level, using the Extended Debey-Hückel Approximation, and LDA with pseudopotentials are used to investigate the properties of homoepitaxial islands formed by Cu and Ag. The islands have a three-dimensional shape and the dimensions of their height and basis are in the range of the bulk Fermi wavelength. Linear chains of Ag and Cu atoms are deposited on the island steps. The calculations describe the binding action of the island on the chain as well as the allowed energies and the density of states of the complete system. The results indicate that, due to the corrugation of the potential at the island-substrate interface, the more stable chain configurations are the ones near the island top rather than at its basis. Furthermore at these small sizes the island steps act as weak and permeable barriers. In fact, the electronic charge retains bulk-like features, though traces of quantum confinement can be identified.