| Bwana, I was pleased to discover etching primer available in a rattlecan at the 
autobody supply (probably been available like that for 10 years, what do I 
know). It ain't cheap at $13 a can, but supposedly will work well on most all 
metals, including aluminum. This is a big deal, because painting aluminum isn't 
easy; folks think aluminum is "clean", nothing is further from the truth. 
You need 70* (cheat with a lamp) and to topcoat in 24 hours.
You maybe made a smart move, one I maybe should have made. My homemade deal 
probably weighs not much more than yours, though, because it was engineered 
(well, kinda) and didn't use clunky steel stock.
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