>> About the only common material that sodium
hydroxide will attack is
>> aluminium, and then only when concentrated or exposure is reasonably
long;
> it has no
effect on copper, steel, etc.
Yeah, I've relied on this as a way to make
satin-finish aluminum front
panels for equipment. As the reaction progresses, the NAO2 (?) solution
has to be preiodlically replaced. It generally took me about two days to
get the desired look.
A bead blaster would give you that satin finish in no time flat...
True, at the cost of more real-estate... but when I'm done soaking
a panel, the Tupperware went back to the kitchen cabinets, awaiting
the making of the next Jello Salad...
I never got as much flack for that as I did using Mom's roasting
pan for oil changes.
;)
-dq