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Decorating aluminum waterjet signatures as artwork

Q. I have been asked by a cancer treatment center to come up with a proposal for artwork inside a new radiation treatment room. The artwork is to play a part in the capitol fund-raising campaign for the radiation equipment. One of the requests is that this project incorporate the signature of each contributor.

I am inquiring re. the possibility of anodizing 1000 or more aluminum signatures. Another appropriate material could be considered. Aluminum was chosen for purposes of weight. The signatures could be cut out using water (which is being priced) or other method you might suggest. Each signature would be no larger than 1.5 inches by 12 inches. Then there is the coloring of the metal, which I know nothing about.

My usual role is that of an artist/muralist. I have done a lot of work in cancer hospitals. But the coloring of metal with any thing other than paint is a new area for me. I have seen brightly colored anodized aluminum, this is what I have in mind for use in the mural. Thank you so very much for your time, I appreciate your help on this important task!

Sincerely,

Linda Wheat
artist - Mandeville, Louisiana, USA
2004

A. I happened to have been involved in a somewhat similar project a few years ago and don't think that anodizing will do what you want. The waterjet cutting will leave a somewhat rough edge, and bright dipping will not remove it. Mechanical tumbling to smooth it may prove impractical with signatures like this. And then when you go to anodize it, the results will be inconsistent.

Maybe progress has been made in the last few years, but at the point I think you should plan on nickel plating the signatures. After that, if you want color, you could brass or gold plate or, for more "rainbow" colors you could apply translucent electrophoretic lacquers in various shades onto the bright nickel plating.

If you were to form these signatures by taking a small diameter aluminum rod and bending it, then color anodizing would probably be very practical, but it sounds like an awful lot of handwork to forge a thousand signatures with a tube bender :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

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