ORIGINAL: Byte the dust
Hey Savagejim.
Actually you're not that loss.
The process involves placing aluminum in an electrolyte, weak sulfuric acid, and passing a low voltage current through it. The aluminum part is connected to the positive (anode) side and the negative side is connected to a cathode made of lead. This causes the aluminum to oxidize, similar to steel rusting, with the net result of a very hard, tough abrasion resistant protective coating being formed. An interesting 'quirk' of this process is that the film formed looks like honeycomb, and has 'tubes' growing up from the aluminum. These tubes conveniently allow color dyes to flow into them.
Now if you want to go for home-made be ready to have some mistakes, but you may learn from them.
Oc.
Thanks! I should have known that: anode=positive for anion ("not ionic" therefore not a negative charge) and cathode=negative for cation (therefore negative charge).
When you say weak sufuric acid, do you mean liquids like used in auto batteries? If so, what is the proper manner to dilute it for this use? How much current must be run through this system for oxidation to occur?