Need help to protect a striped alu frame!!

Hi all, I know someone has come with an answer around here but i couldn't find the exact info i need.

First I have strip the paint off a cannondale caad3 ANODIZE ALU frame, nitromors worked fine but it was a real pain to remove the whoole paint work.
After i sand down the frame with a steel wool 0000 grade, now it looks really cool and the alu still has a good finish.

Now I want to put some decals and protect the frame. So here is the question.

As I dont want to paint the frame again what is the best way to protect the anodize alu, laquer, polish? Has anybody done this? what did u used? what are the results?

Thanks a lot to everyone in advance.

alu can just be left bare can't it? It would dull a little but essentially be fine (I think)

It can be left bare. Aluminium oxide is not permeable, so it forms a thin external layer (like only microns thick) but doesn't penetrate any further. Anodizing aluminium is essentially just adding a slightly thicker external layer of aluminium oxide.

If you want a super-shiny mirror-finish frame, you can go over it with increasingly fine grades of wire wool, then with 1000, 1500 and 2000g sandpaper, then with Autosol or some other metal polish. It'll need re-polishing every few months to keep the shine, as it'll go dull over time (but will remain smooth, so it won't ever need re-sanding).

If you want it in that pure alloy look, just clean it up and spray a thin coat of clear coat on it.
And after a couple minutes a second coat but a bit thicker. And let it dry for more than days
until you rebuild the frame up.

I treated my steel bmy frame that way, and it held up very long without rust or any other problems.
Just make sure that the surface is totaly clear, without any fat spots, dirt, dust etc. and it's gone work. :)

Clearcoat will chip really easily. I've tried it, both from a can and from a gun. There's a product called POR15 Glisten which is apparently very tough, though.

However, there's no point in doing this to an aluminium frame, since they don't rust. If you want it to look shiny, just polish it. Adding a clearcoat won't make it look any shinier...

Out of interest how did you strip it? Chemical, sand, blade or other?
Thanks

POst Photo when finished.
Sound Mint!

what i wanted is to protect the decals i will stick on without making it shinier so i see that clearcoat is a good option isn't?
I have stripped it with nitromors, after all the process looks really good but its been a real pain. Wanted to do it myself so im happy with the result but thing next time ill bring to someone to do it in a tank or whatsover.
Ill get some pics as soon as i built it up

thank all for the help