Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Magnesium Honeycomb section in auto exhaust in Australia

Panache - 20-12-2009 at 23:42

Does anyone know of which model falcon or commodore had this section in it? Baring that does anyone know of a reliable magnesium source in Australia, can be an alloy its just for burning for a demonstration.
Actually that reminds me, Prince made a tennis racquet out of magnesium in the eighties, the 'Prince Magnesium Pro'.

len1 - 21-12-2009 at 00:24

The head of some power-tools (a jigsaw I think I saw in Bunnings) is advertised as 'magnesium' - prob an alloy with aluminium

ScienceSquirrel - 21-12-2009 at 05:22

In the UK metal pencil sharpeners are made from magnesium.
Placing one of them on the corner of a tripod and heating it with a Bunsen burner will result in it catching fire, a favourite trick of naughty students in school chemistry.
Apart from that you could try a camping shop for a fire lighter.
I think some hard disc cases are made from magenesium so if you have an old crashed one that may be of use.
NeXt Cube computer cases are made of magnesium and yes you can burn a whole one!
http://picasaweb.google.com/nitrobaphotos/NeXTCubeFireAtLLL#

[Edited on 21-12-2009 by ScienceSquirrel]

ziqquratu - 21-12-2009 at 19:58

If you search for replacement sacrificial anodes for hot water heaters, you'll probably find someone who will be happy to send you some offcuts, which are magnesium around a small (ca. 3 mm diameter) iron (I think) core. Yo can then shave the Mg off, drill out the iron, or whatever you want to do with it.

In this way, I once got near 3 kg of magnesium for the cost of a self-addressed post satchel.

Ramiel - 21-12-2009 at 20:41

I bought a block fire starter from an army surplus and camping store which is solid Mg 9x25x80 mm. Got it for under $10, can't remember the exact price.

len1 - 21-12-2009 at 23:31

This was a long time ago, right?

not_important - 22-12-2009 at 02:21

Which was a long time ago? The free-for-postage Mg cutoffs? Or the other stuff, in general?

http://www.defensedevices.com/magnesium-firestarter.html (expensive)


http://www.opentip.com/Office-Products/Kumreg-Magnesium-Wedg...


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000701HEQ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QV19VQ

Eliteforum - 22-12-2009 at 02:54

Why not just buy the pure stuff off ebay?

grndpndr - 22-12-2009 at 05:19

StrippedModel airplane motors,crankcases only, less cylinder,moving parts.Pistons, rods etc.Unless you have a source for these...the above?Tryed to melt one as a kid!
Suprise,suprise.

Panache - 23-12-2009 at 04:10

Quote: Originally posted by len1  
The head of some power-tools (a jigsaw I think I saw in Bunnings) is advertised as 'magnesium' - prob an alloy with aluminium


More likely its called magnesium because its a similar colour to magnesium. I think there should be a moratorium on any new product names utilizing the word 'titanium'.

Thanks for the firestarter tip, guess i'll go with that, if you want reliable, source it from the military (except the pakistan military).

skippy - 23-12-2009 at 17:02

I used to do some scrap metal salvage etc. and I seem to recall that air nailers usually had magnesium cast housings.

Lloyd - 10-1-2010 at 22:17

Hi Panache,
It might be worth finding an old hardrive body,i think the top cover
stainless and the rest is clean magnesium.

kclo4 - 10-1-2010 at 22:37

Quote: Originally posted by Lloyd  
Hi Panache,
It might be worth finding an old hardrive body,i think the top cover
stainless and the rest is clean magnesium.


If this is the case, you ought to be able to get megnesium pretty easily from computers in thrift stores, and sometimes in old surplus school supplies -- though they take out the hard drive.. you'd have to ask them before they toss them. Probably get it for free if you were lucky.

Xenoid - 10-1-2010 at 23:31

I can't say I have checked this out personally, but can't you just go into a boat shop and get a magnesium sacrificial anode.
Aluminium boats always use magnesium anodes, but zinc and aluminium are available as well.
They come in all sorts of weird shapes and sizes. Just get a simple block shape, they are cheapest. There is a whole range listed on e-bay as well.

Mr. Wizard - 10-1-2010 at 23:48

Go to a concrete workers' supply house and see what the big flat tools that go on the end of a long pole are made of. Here they are called a 'bull float', and are magnesium. They also sell a tool for spreading stucco or plaster on walls called a 'Darby' , also magnesium or an alloy of magnesium.

I got a bent one from a worker who stepped on it.

bquirky - 11-1-2010 at 08:49

people here have done a lot of sodium electrolysis at home. perhaps some brave soul who allready has a sodium rig might try magnisum electrolysis from magnisum chloride it is listed as melting at about 700degrees...

Panache - 15-1-2010 at 04:35

Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Wizard  
Go to a concrete workers' supply house and see what the big flat tools that go on the end of a long pole are made of. Here they are called a 'bull float', and are magnesium. They also sell a tool for spreading stucco or plaster on walls called a 'Darby' , also magnesium or an alloy of magnesium.
.


So i went into a concrete/concreters trade store, to my dismay it was empty and the three dinky-di aussie dudes working there immediately asked me 'yup anything you need help with', unfortunately all their heads imploded immediately the word magnesium was used so i could not get anything further from them, but apparently we do not have anything like that.