I have decided to look more closely at a few of the possible metals to help decide which material to use and to identify strengths, weaknesses and possibilities.
Bronze -
Bronze is an alloy of metal that is copper based with tin as the main additive. Some tins, though, can have phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon as the main alloying ingredient. Bronze is typically strong, tough, and corrosion resistant with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Bronze could be an interesting material to use however, bronze casting is very expensive to do and therefore is probably not a viable option for this project.
Galvanised Steel -
Galvanised steel is produced by coating steel in zinc. The properties of galvanised steel are a unique combination that make it ideal for car bodies, nuts and bolts, roofs etc. All galvanised steel has a matte-gray appearance however it is possible to get specific paint that can cover galvanised steel. Zinc coating applied by using electrogalvanising is the smoothist way and allows for a higher quality finish when painted. The steel must be formed before being gavanised however a small amount of work can be done afterward without the zinc starting to flake.Galvanised steel is as recyclable as other types of steel.
Copper -
Copper is the most efficient metal to conduct electricity and so is mainly found in electrical wiring, however it is becoming more commonly used to create sculpture. This is particularly since the colour range of different copper alloys is large, ranging from the salmon pink of copper through yellow, gold and green to dark bronze in the weathered condition. Copper weathers over time however it is corrosion resistant and ductility can be restored by annealing by a specific annealing process or by incidental annealing through welding or brazing procedures.
Lead -
The softest and heaviest of the common metals. It is very malleable and ductile, but has no elastic strength, and its tensile strength is so low that it cannot be drawn readily into fine wires. It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. On account of its softness it can be readily squeezed through a press and thus shaped into rods or pipes.Bronze -
Bronze -
Bronze is an alloy of metal that is copper based with tin as the main additive. Some tins, though, can have phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon as the main alloying ingredient. Bronze is typically strong, tough, and corrosion resistant with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Bronze could be an interesting material to use however, bronze casting is very expensive to do and therefore is probably not a viable option for this project.
Galvanised Steel -
Galvanised steel is produced by coating steel in zinc. The properties of galvanised steel are a unique combination that make it ideal for car bodies, nuts and bolts, roofs etc. All galvanised steel has a matte-gray appearance however it is possible to get specific paint that can cover galvanised steel. Zinc coating applied by using electrogalvanising is the smoothist way and allows for a higher quality finish when painted. The steel must be formed before being gavanised however a small amount of work can be done afterward without the zinc starting to flake.Galvanised steel is as recyclable as other types of steel.
Copper -
Copper is the most efficient metal to conduct electricity and so is mainly found in electrical wiring, however it is becoming more commonly used to create sculpture. This is particularly since the colour range of different copper alloys is large, ranging from the salmon pink of copper through yellow, gold and green to dark bronze in the weathered condition. Copper weathers over time however it is corrosion resistant and ductility can be restored by annealing by a specific annealing process or by incidental annealing through welding or brazing procedures.
Lead -
The softest and heaviest of the common metals. It is very malleable and ductile, but has no elastic strength, and its tensile strength is so low that it cannot be drawn readily into fine wires. It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. On account of its softness it can be readily squeezed through a press and thus shaped into rods or pipes.Bronze -
No comments:
Post a Comment