Name this Metal

[Nailgunner]

can we settle this?

If you smack it with a hammer does it go *clunk* or *clang*?

does it feel lighter than it should?

can you bend it with a mole grip?

can you cut it with a hacksaw any easier than you could regular mild steel?

most importantly, is it glowing green and being chased by men in dark suits?

 

[sawinredneck]

Hit it with the grinder already!! Yellow sparks it's stainless, white sparks it's Ti, powder it's alu., catches on fire, it's mag. Easy really!

 

[Nailgunner]

get loads more of it and smash it into a lump with a hammer or better still a series of precisely triggered explosive lenses. If it does nothing, it wasn't plutonium.

If you can lick it all day without your hair falling out it wasn't thallium.

Listen carefully as you pour water on it. If you still have en eardrum left it wasn't cesium.

chances are it's just a lump of old junk, find an old saw quick and we'll all get all cuddly with it, this things no fun.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

All this over a piece of galvanized tin!

 

[BobL]

get loads more of it and smash it into a lump with a hammer or better still a series of precisely triggered explosive lenses. If it does nothing, it wasn't plutonium.

Depending which isotopes are involved, if it was plutonium it would be dead easy to identify, a piece that big would be too hot to touch! (seriously a 1 lb piece of Pu stays hot enough for years to boil water). You could also probably get some serious $$$ for it from some highly undesirable type of people.

You also don't need loads of it to make a critical mass, that's why "they" prefer to use Pu instead of U.

JohnL, The density check will be the quickest to rule out most things except for steel alloys. measuring the volume of sheet is deal easy, Calipers measure thickness and a ruler to measure area.

 

[sawinredneck]

All this over a piece of galvanized tin!

ARE YOU MADD MAN?????????????????????? TIN???????????? I don't think so!!!

This is the highly sought after Niisolenkinelplutotitinanium!!!!! It can only be made once every fifty years and only when the moon is high on the summer solstace!! Much must be done in very few hours, so it is VERY VERY RARE and hardly ever talked of outside of military circles!! My clearance just expired, so I can kind of admit that it exists.

 

[Stihl 041S]

Depending which isotopes are involved, if it was plutonium it would be dead easy to identify, a piece that big would be too hot to touch! (seriously a 1 lb piece of Pu stays hot enough for years to boil water). You could also probably get some serious $$$ for it from some highly undesirable type of people.

You also don't need loads of it to make a critical mass, that's why "they" prefer to use Pu instead of U.

JohnL, The density check will be the quickest to rule out most things except for steel alloys. measuring the volume of sheet is deal easy, Calipers measure thickness and a ruler to measure area.

I remember checking the serial number on items that had been in a metal storage container for 3 years in an underground igloo.........and they were warm!

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

ARE YOU MADD MAN?????????????????????? TIN???????????? I don't think so!!!

This is the highly sought after Niisolenkinelplutotitinanium!!!!! It can only be made once every fifty years and only when the moon is high on the summer solstace!! Much must be done in very few hours, so it is VERY VERY RARE and hardly ever talked of outside of military circles!! My clearance just expired, so I can kind of admit that it exists.

lol Thats good.

 

[guff]

i heard that the spaceship recovered and brought to area 51 was made of plywood.....

 

[sawinredneck]

i heard that the spaceship recovered and brought to area 51 was made of plywood.....

Of course that is what you heard!!! DUH!
Do you really think they would let every Tom #### or Harry see what it really was? They wanted the minnions to see that and spread the word. It's the old tried and true "misinformation, by mis information" ploy! The oldest trick in the book! They only let you know what they want you to know!!
Jeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz..................... what a bunch of amatures!!

 

[gink595]

Are you guys kidding, aluminum??? Have you ever seen a piece of aluminum oxidize, 14 years outside.... that would look like a POS if it were alminuim especially in the elements. I have new alminum sheets in the shop that are starting to haze from oxidation and has never seen anything but the trip to my house. I'm going with Stainless it has the tint to it that dull shine that never fades.

 

[secureland]

This question brought the metal guys out!

Wow!

I've done one test so far. A WOOD BIT DRILLED THROUGH FAIRLY EASILY

 

[Justsaws]

This question brought the metal guys out!

Wow!

I've done one test so far. A WOOD BIT DRILLED THROUGH FAIRLY EASILY

Twist, spade, auger, spoon, chisel need details.

If you wipe off all the silver crap it might be brass.:monkey:

 

[chowdozer]

SS is out because it wouldn't be a "fairly easy" drill. Although a spade bit might drill brass, I haven't ever tried it. A fluted drill in brass is not an easy task as brass is "grabby". Plated brass in a railcar would be unusual and the only reason I could think of would be spark resistance. Aluminum or zinc would be much cheaper.

The railcar may have been used to haul flammables or explosives and needed a no spark surface.

 

[777ER]

My Dad used to work with some of those exotic metals at the GE aircraft engine plant in Evendale, OH. Manganese, Hastaloy...

CF6 and CF34's?

 

[777ER]

Could it be Inconel alloy?

Very resist to corrosion.

 

[Stihl 041S]

Chowdozer;
There might be some question as to folks idea of a spade drill. The wood type I aggree with you but I also use spade drilld fior monel and used to use spade reamers for carbide.

 

[chowdozer]

Chowdozer;
There might be some question as to folks idea of a spade drill. The wood type I aggree with you but I also use spade drilld fior monel and used to use spade reamers for carbide.

I agree, I was using his description of a wood bit. I think a person that haswhat you suggest in his garage would also be able to identify the metal.

I also doubt it's inconel based on how easily he said it drilled and for cost/benefit in a boxcar. It doesn't bend too easy either.

 

[Stihl 041S]

Chowdozer;
I agree on the Inconel, go too fast and it work hardens like a..........well carbide is your only hope.
And you are right, mist guys with good equipment are up to date on metals.
I stand corrected. I have been working strange materials too long...........did you know you can turn a curly chip off of carbide?

 

[chowdozer]

Chowdozer;
I agree on the Inconel, go too fast and it work hardens like a..........well carbide is your only hope.
And you are right, mist guys with good equipment are up to date on metals.
I stand corrected. I have been working strange materials too long...........did you know you can turn a curly chip off of carbide?

lol

I have turned curlies with carbide on a lathe. Do you mean with a drill?