> What protective finish, if any, exists on the 6061 aluminum tubes
> supplied with our kits? Should we prepare the completed pushrods for
> paint and what would be a preferred method?


Angier, There is no protective finish on the tubes. Here's what I did:
1. Treated the finished tubes with alumaprep (available at a auto parts
store)
2. Alodyne (sp) the tubes. This is a self etching protectant and pre-primer
that gives the aluminum a slightly gold appearance.
3. Prime (just a spray can from the hardware store)
4. Paint (hardware store spray can)

To do all of the above is probably less than a half day's work. Do all of
your push rods at once to save effort.

Bill
harrelson@erols.com
N5ZQ  LNC2  O-320  VA42  Fredericksburg, VA