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How to anodize and color polish aluminum sheet

 

I would like to know the best way to anodize and color polished amluminium sheet, say 1.5mm thick.

I have some different colored examples which apparently originated in Germany, and they look great. However, no-one here in the UK seems to know how to achieve the same result.

The effect I am looking for is almost like colored mirror, though a just a little bit less reflective. What is important is to have a sense of depth to the finish, rather than polished surface.

Any suggestions welcome.

Carl Freedman
- London, UK

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You're looking for a bright dip or chemical polish. Also, the material will play a big factor in the amount of brightness you can get. There are some specialty alloys that are suitable for bright finishing. There are a few companies that specialize in these alloys (1100 series and 3003 are the most common). Do a search for aluminum lighting alloys on Yahoo and you should find what you're looking for.

Matthew Stiltner
plating company - Toledo, Ohio