I would suggest anodizing! The best etch for aluminum is not acid, but alkali, and following that by staining, essential *is* anodizing.
Here's one reference on various finishes: http://www.saf.com/how-to-specify/how-to-decide-between-anodizing-painting-a nd-powder-coating/ Note, "Anodizing is unaffected by sunlight" Dave _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2015 3:34 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Looking for suggestings on surface treatment of my aluminum cross sundial "Time to Reflect" Hi Everyone, I am looking for suggestions on different types of surface treatment that I could do on my aluminum cross sundial besides powder coating and enamel paint in the lettering. I could anodize it but I am not sure it would hold up in the sun. Would some kind of light acid etching work or some kind of staining on the aluminum? Thanks, Ken Clark Elizabethtown, PA The following is my post from Facebook and link. Time to Reflect sundial. This is a sundial that I been working on for over a year. I designed this aluminum cross sundial on CORELDRAW which was saved as a DXF file and converted to SOLIDSWORK program and CNC by Max Machine of Elizabethtown, PA. I am still looking at different options for the finish. I have been thinking of powder coating it blue-green patina like the statue of Liberty. This is still a work in progress and is mounted over my well pipe for now. I still need to fabricate the mounting bracket and will be bolted to probably an 18 inch diameter concrete base. I need to find the right location or church that will accept this sundial. Thanks, Ken Clark https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10205271882252638.1073741827.11145 22471&type=1&l=0a021f4dfa
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