The cost sounds not too bad. Around the Denver area, we have an aluminum surplus dealer (Alreco) who buys and sells remnants from machine shops and partial plates by the pound. By my calculation you got about 2.88 lbs of metal, and Alreco usually charges about $3/lb so it probably would cost around $10 for that part. I agree with the hard anodize idea. Be aware that some alloys do not anodize well.Thanks Bill. I just got off the phone with the anodizer and was told it will stand up to the task when Hard Anodized. We are good to go. I paid a case of beer for the 5052.
"Billy G"