Aluminum Box ??

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I made a aluminum box for the front of my welding trailer. It is a unique diamond patteren (will post pics when Iam done)  I have it ready to mount. My question is what should or can I put on it to protect it from the weather? Would like to keep the shine of the polished look and not have to get the buffer out all the time to keep it that way. Not lazy just fussy. need to spend my time welding not polishing. Thanks Dale
Reply:Hands down I use this product quite often, even on diamond plate:http://www.permalac.com/about.asp2 years running on the diamond plate and it still looks new and shiney, has some scracthes here and there but it does work. It is all in the prep work though to get this on aluminum.  I just use satin, as it tones done the brightness a little bit.
Reply:mothers mag and aluminum polish.Iit will make the aluminum brighter and keep it shiny for a while, it is like anything you want to keep nice you have to maintain it.
Reply:Thanks I will post a few pics of it, almost done.
Reply:You could anodize it.  I did this to protect a repaired, sanded and then highly polished aluminum guard rail on my boat.  The 16 foot long loop was too awkward to immerse, I just used a cheap foam brush... pulled out the wooden handle/plastic inside of the brush and replaced that with an aluminum plate cut to similar size.I got some battery acid from a local battery store.  Using a small battery charger with -ve connected to the brush (cathode) and +ve connected to the aluminum rail (anode.. anodizing), I just kept brushing the acid onto the rail - like invisible paint.  If you keep the current low (less than 1 amp), brushing all surfaces for 10 minutes - job done.  If the aluminum starts to loose it's luster either the current is too high (dilute the acid) or it's time to stop.  Wash off the acid and you are good to go.  In my case, the home anodizing has lasted 15 years and it still looks like new!Last edited by Rick V; 08-09-2012 at 11:22 PM.Reason: Got the polarities wrong first time around.Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet
Reply:Look into spray on polish for motorcycles or aluminum rims. The spray must be redone fairly regularly but it's super easy. I use Maxima SC1 silicon detailer on my dirt bike and it makes it look great.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools