On Aug 4, 3:12*pm, "anorton" wrote:
Recent posts on cutting fluids reminded me of this question. *I once heard
that machining aluminum using alcohol produces a beautiful finish that
resists corrosion. *In fact the rumor was that this is how the shiny solid
aluminum knobs on stereos are made.

Does anyone have any experience with this or know where to find info on it?

-Adam Norton
(recent lurker, first-time poster here)

Don't know about alcohol but there are other refrigerant type cutting
fluids that will leave a very nice finish on aluminum. Downside is
that untreated "shiny" aluminum isn't going to stay that way unless
undisturbed, no handling. It'll have a very thin film of oxide on
it. Good for telescope mirrors, not so great for knobs and hubcaps.
Any home electronic aluminum trim parts I've seen have been either
lacquered or anodyzed. Anodyzing isn't likely to give you a mirror
finish, part of the process involves etching the surface in some
rather nasty caustic chemicals to remove any oxide or other
contaminants before the process starts. No shiny surface from that.
So it's likely your knobs are either lacquered or clear powdercoated.

One problem with using alcohol would be that you'd end up with
flammable vapor in your workshop. One spark and you'd be baked.
Other aluminum cutting fluids may give you liver cancer but they won't
blow you up!

Stan