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Post by talkingstones on Dec 23, 2013 20:27:50 GMT -5
Is it safe to wear aluminum?
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Post by talkingstones on Dec 23, 2013 20:28:40 GMT -5
If so, it would be a nice cheap way to learn how to work with metal!
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 23, 2013 21:27:20 GMT -5
Is it safe to wear aluminum? Aluminum is not as toxic as a lot of people think. There was some research back decades ago that came up with a weak link between aluminum and Alzheimer's, but that link was disproven long ago. If it did we would all be in big trouble since being as common as aluminum is in the Earth's crust plants pick it up all the time, which we and the animals we eat all consume. I have never heard of aluminum allergies either like the common nickel allergies. |
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Dec 23, 2013 22:54:20 GMT -5
I think it's pretty safe, my dog tags (Canadian) were aluminum. But then when did the military ever care about the soldiers health  |
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Post by 1dave on Dec 24, 2013 15:49:14 GMT -5
Is it safe to wear aluminum? VegasJames is right. My Grand Mother was all concerned about getting Alzheimers from aluminum cooking ware, but that was all disproved. Aluminum is the most common metal on the surface of the earth and is everywhere. It is part of all the feldspars that break down to the clays in the soil everywhere. We couldn't get away from it if we spent every thing of value on the planet. Life has survived for billions of years in direct contact with it, so it must be OK. I see two problems. Soldering is very difficult, and it becomes brittle after a little bending. As with all metals, a brief re-heating resets the crystals and you are good to go again. A couple of bright spots - I can see casting agate cabs in place with the lower temperatures, and anodizing the finished product has a lot of promise for interesting jewelry. |
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Post by pauls on Dec 24, 2013 20:41:24 GMT -5
Casting Aluminium is easy, I melt aluminium to make parts for my Lapidary machinery and anything else that a cast part is easier than a fabricated part, sanding disks pulleys etc all cast by me. I generally do sand casting for big parts like that but I am becoming intrigued with Lost wax investment casting in aluminium. (I have done some Lost Wax silver casting). I doubt that very many stones would survive having molten aluminium poured on them, it really is hot. A blob of molten aluminium spilled on concrete will cause the concrete to explode. It has intriguing possibilities but I dont think cast in place gems is one. Just my opinion. Oh, if you are casting aluminium, recycle cast aluminium (old lawnmowers, pistons etc) its much easier to cast than old cans.
Talking about cast jewellery, I melted down a bit of that horrible junk jewellery from FleaBay, It had three genuine Faceted Garnets in it, horrible, just horrible. I took the stones out with the view to recutting them into something useful but they aren't worth the trouble, then I decided to melt the gold to see what it actually is, the "gold" burnt of with a burnt paint smell then it melted at a very low temperature to a blob of silver grey metal, not very affected by Hydrochloric acid, so not Zinc, not affected by conc Caustic soda so not Aluminium, best guess is lead.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 22:54:18 GMT -5
Casting Aluminium is easy, I melt aluminium to make parts for my Lapidary machinery and anything else that a cast part is easier than a fabricated part, sanding disks pulleys etc all cast by me. I generally do sand casting for big parts like that but I am becoming intrigued with Lost wax investment casting in aluminium. (I have done some Lost Wax silver casting). I doubt that very many stones would survive having molten aluminium poured on them, it really is hot. A blob of molten aluminium spilled on concrete will cause the concrete to explode. It has intriguing possibilities but I dont think cast in place gems is one. Just my opinion. Oh, if you are casting aluminium, recycle cast aluminium (old lawnmowers, pistons etc) its much easier to cast than old cans. Talking about cast jewellery, I melted down a bit of that horrible junk jewellery from FleaBay, It had three genuine Faceted Garnets in it, horrible, just horrible. I took the stones out with the view to recutting them into something useful but they aren't worth the trouble, then I decided to melt the gold to see what it actually is, the "gold" burnt of with a burnt paint smell then it melted at a very low temperature to a blob of silver grey metal, not very affected by Hydrochloric acid, so not Zinc, not affected by conc Caustic soda so not Aluminium, best guess is lead. Nice essay- How does magnesium fit into your math? Tin? tin melts low and is non-toxic. Only the Chinese would use lead for jewelry. Check specific gravity for lead - try nitric acid too. Lead nitrate OK but many things dissolve in nitric. Then put in a drop of dilute sulfuric. Lead Sulfate = not soluble, precipitate is diagnostic - I think! lol it's been a long time. +1 googol for safety. Molten metal spilled on concrete = steam explosion = avoid at all cost = wear shoes = wear safety glasses |
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Post by 1dave on Dec 25, 2013 1:45:53 GMT -5
I doubt that very many stones would survive having molten aluminium poured on them, it really is hot. Sharr suggested casting the following stones in gold and silver which melt at higher temperatures than aluminum. I'm willing to try it with a few agates that I don't prize. On page 208 of her Casting book, Sharr listed the stones that can withstand being cast in metal. Of course the lower the melting temperature of the metal, the longer the list would be. She states the high end of the Mohs scale of hardness helps identify stones to test before actual attempts. They are: |
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Post by 1dave on Jan 4, 2014 10:11:15 GMT -5
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,583
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Post by jamesp on Jan 4, 2014 11:58:56 GMT -5
I use these on my little aluminum rock hunting boats. They are from Harbor Freight. 730F and a bit fickle to use on thin Walmart boats. You have to apply heat, feed the rod, and scratch the AL work piece with a sharp stainless 'scratcher' in the puddle all at the same time. A true 3 handed operation. I kept rereading the oversea english and finally found that 3 hands was required. Too funny.
I used acetylene and found melt thru was easy to do and unforgiving And propane was too cold to keep the puddle happy. It still impressed me.
Description
Weld aluminum with any low temperature torch - even a propane torch. These aluminum welding rods are harder than mild steel which results in minimized parent material distortion during welding. You’ll also get a stronger weld than the parent aluminum material without flux or other welding material.
Harder than mild steel
Low working temperature (730° F)
No flux or fumes
Excellent corrosion resistance
Minimize parent material distortion during welding
Specifications
Name 8 Piece Low Temperature Aluminum Welding Rods
SKU 44810
Material Aluminum
Number of pieces included 8
Shipping Weight 0.36 lb.
Warranty 90 Day
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 4, 2014 13:20:22 GMT -5
Kinda changing the subject here... I used to collect electric coffee pots- percolators. I found one in a thrift store from like the 20's and it was beautiful (and it worked). I wondered why someone would go through the trouble of making it of aluminum, so I did some research. Aluminum production was new at the time and more valuable than silver. So, when it was bought new, it was an expensive status symbol of having the latest and greatest. Hell, most homes didn't even have power then. Roundabout the 50's aluminum was real popular, too. Really great trays were made of it. I've fallen in love with more than a few. Anyway, I guess my point is, aluminum has seen it's share of popularity and I think it is beautiful. However, I do not want to make make anything of cans because that would be like playing with razor blades. I'd enjoy seeing what others would do, though. (No injury pictures, please, I'm kinda squeamish- well not squeamish so much as too empathetic.) |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,583
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Post by jamesp on Jan 4, 2014 13:27:17 GMT -5
I got extras Tela  |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 4, 2014 15:23:34 GMT -5
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,583
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Post by jamesp on Jan 4, 2014 18:50:22 GMT -5
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 4, 2014 20:37:58 GMT -5
I wonder how much more I could get done with hands like that?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,583
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Post by jamesp on Jan 4, 2014 21:00:28 GMT -5
6/5 =1.2= 20% more.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 4, 2014 21:07:25 GMT -5
Thanks James Simple math eludes me. (seriously, it does...) |
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jan 5, 2014 0:08:05 GMT -5
Hope this isn't too far off the aluminum can subject.Over 40 years ago,I bought a couple of old chicken houses,and the tin that was on them was aluminum,apparently.Seems like this would work well as jewelry.Still have a lot of it left.   This is the only time I've seen this in use,dont know if they sell it anymore.These were built around 60 years ago. snuffy |
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Post by 1dave on Jan 6, 2014 9:38:19 GMT -5
Back in the 40's and early 50's when I was a kid there wasn't much aluminum around so we didn't get to experiment with it to our detriment. There was so much we could have learned pounding on it and melting it.
Well now's my chance . . . come spring. I'm saving cans now, flattening them, X chiseling them to fit in a crucible. One can weighs 1/2 oz. How tall a 1" square will that make?
I have some Duct Seal that I'm going to try casting in.
There, I said it. Now I have to do it.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 6, 2014 10:16:23 GMT -5
There, I said it. Now I have to do it. That's exactly how I am. LOL!!! If I say it, or better yet, write it, I am committed. Can't wait to see what you do. |
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