Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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School teacher wanting to show students the grain structure of Aluminium

2005

My name is Martin, live in Devon Uk. I would like to be able to show my students the grain structure of cast aluminium. I would like to know how I would go about etching the surface of a polished blank that I have just cast in the school.

how do I go about doing this. I think that the students would greatly benefit from seeing how the grain structure changes after it have been reformed in a mould.

thanks,

Martin Mckenna
Education - Devon , UK

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Hi Martin,

Why don't you contact ST.JOHNS CASS COLLEGE in London ... they teach metallurgy and definitely grain structures.

Hope this helps ... or as they say in Devon, 'i 'opes yew can get zummat fram they'

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).
2005

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A couple of minutes in HCl or HF acid ought to do the trick.
Of course, make sure you rinse the part well after dipping, and also that you have the proper safety equipment (rubber gloves [on eBay or Amazon]/ goggles [on eBay or Amazon]). HCl would be the "safer" of the 2 aforementioned acids to use.

Marc Green
anodizer - Boise, Idaho
2005