_ wrote:
I put my anodized parts in a naoh ("Drano") solution to get rid of the
existing anodizing and it looks as though now I'll need to desmut then as
they are a nice dark grey, not white at all. Will the stuff used for PCB
etchant (ferric chloride) work?
AHHH! No, don't do that! I'm not sure whether it is pure
ferric chloride, or ferric chloride which has been used to etch
PC boards, and is loaded with copper chloride, but one or the
other has a VIOLENT exothermic reaction with aluminum, and can
turn into a foaming mess that spits sparks! I had an aluminum
funnel start down that path on me about 30 years ago.

Jon