Re: Brass that isn't brass

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "albert hassick by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>

Hi Pete, yah, it sounds like you got some brass plated 'pig metal'. 
Typically a diecast zinc/tinantimony compound that is useless for Tesla
work.  The darn stuff pits and smokes and the 'brass coating' as you have
already noted is just that, a very thin flash coat of brass, just enough
to give some glitter. The 'brass' acorn nuts must have been the icing on
the cake! One must really scout diligently to get proper brass materials
in todays 'super home improvement and hardware store chains'.  Ah, what I
would give for the creaky old oak floor tried and true hardware stores! 
They are all but gone.    Al.

On Tue, 08 May 2001 22:54:30 -0600 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
writes:
> Original poster: "Pete Komen by way of Terry Fritz 
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <pkomen-at-zianet-dot-com>
> 
> I discovered that the "brass" knobs that I used in my spark gap are 
> brass
> coated zinc(?).  Under the yellow colored brass skin is a silvery
> non-magnetic metal.
> 
> I just got some 1/4 inch "brass" acorn nuts.  Imagine my surprise 
> when I
> discovered that these "brass" nuts are magnetic.
> 
> I thought that acorn nuts would be solid brass, but no.  Same for 
> the knobs,
> but I guess "brass" means the finish and nothing else.
> 
> I hate not trusting these stores (the store may be a victim) but I 
> think
> I'll subject "brass" to the magnet test and the file test before I 
> buy more
> than one of any item.
> 
> Caveat emptor.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Pete
> 
> 
> 
> 
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