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Possible To Finish Stainless Without the EPA?

Hi, we make elaborate custom birdcages for the exotic bird market. In the past we've used mild steel and then finished by beadblasting followed by powdercoating. We'd like to offer stainless, but can't find an in-house finishing system that can take off the braze oxides. Sand and bead blasting is too harsh and would require polishing, which would take too long given the amount of joints. The cages are the size of an 85 gallon drum and so they are too large for tumbling

A dipping system would be great to get into the many wire gaps, but ultrasonics with citric acid only takes off about 50% of the braze oxides. We are trying to avoid using mineral acids like hydrofluoric or nitric that would get us involved with the EPA and board of health - especially given the necessary size of the tanks. Looks like we've hit a brick wall! Please let me know if you have any ideas, leads or contacts that may be of help. Thanks, Joe

Joe Diemer
wireworker - Portland, Oregon
December 21, 2009