Easy enough to test that theory. Remove any coating with abrasive and/or solvent and try a burn. Already have some scrap tumblers. This just costs a little time. I like red scotch-brite pads for this kind of finishing, but plenty of options.
That will be the plan once this front clears. It does not matter if I hurt the finish. I killed the tumblers anyway. When we got talking. He told me about a new spray they came out with for aluminum. They said it does a much better job. That is just what it is for. So I may look into that also.
Update. The tumblers were coated for for sublimation. I could sand off the coating and laser it. But it stood out. So my wife put them in her sublimation set up and it worked. So problem solved.
Thanks for the help