[modeleng] Re: Alumin(i)um was RE: Re: O/T Disposable Propane bottles

Best Lead melter I have ever found is a small Cast
Iron Skillet that I liberated from SWMBO's storage
cupboard.  Shhhh!

Al Messer
--- Tim Rickard <the_viffer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The brains of people with Alzheimer's have more Al
> in them than the brains 
> of those who don't. What is not yet known (so far as
> I am aware) is whether 
> this is a symptom (in which case there is no need to
> worry) or a cause in 
> which case there is a need to worry.
> 
> Some people have stopped using Al pans for that
> reason. We have not totally 
> banished ours yet but tend to prefer to use
> stainless ones.
> 
> Al should react with acid on the basis of the
> thermochemistry (oohh I'm 
> coming over all scientific). In fact it reacts
> rather slowly under normal 
> acidic conditions because of the presence of a tough
> and fairly inert layer 
> of Al oxide which prevents the acid getting at the
> Al.
> 
> One of the more dramatic but non-explosive chemistry
> demos is to scratch Al 
> under a film of mercury thereby removing the oxide
> layer and stopping any 
> newly formed oxide crystals stopping the oxide from
> adhering firmly because 
> the Hg and Al react to form an alloy of slightly
> different lattice spacing. 
> The Al oxidises in air before your eyes. A
> phenomenon familiar to anyone who 
> owned a 1960's BMC car...
> 
> Al is rapidly attacked by even mild alkali which
> reacts with the oxide 
> layer.
> 
> I'd therefore be more cautious about using Al pans
> for alkali dishes like 
> salt cod than for acidic ones like rhubarb.
> 
> Manfully attempting to keep it on subject I've my
> eye on one of our Al pans 
> for using in casting a small amount of lead. I can't
> think of any chemical 
> hazards with that (but plenty of physical ones
> especially if I get caught) 
> If anyone knows of any would they let me know?
> 
> By the way we spell it right.
> 
> 
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