Copper and Zinc Spheres

Zinc is gonna be a problem- not much of anything is made in real zinc anymore, and even sheet zinc is very hard to find. But copper, and a variety of other metals, are available from Wagner-

Or copper floats. See McMaster page 427. I agree, zinc's gonna be tough, but it is easy to cast yourself and not very expensive if a solid sphere is OK.

Ned Simmons

Thanks - Solid will work, mostly just trying to save cost on all of that copper - but a hollow copper sphere and a solid zinc sphere would be fine. I don't have casting ability here.. anybody want to make a few $$

John Jenkins

Really? I wonder what they're using for zinc plating anodes these days?

Tom

They make zincs of all shapes for use in marine environments. Try West Marine or Jamestown Distributors for a start. There might be some mounting holes, but there are also "fish" that just hang in the water.

Eide

I merely meant that zinc is not commonly available in sheet, round bar, or flat bar, much less angles, square tubes, pipes, and the like. Much less premade hollow zinc spheres. Its an oddball metal, and is used for a few things. I am sure you can buy zinc anodes, both for plating and for boats. I am sure there are a few other industrial products made of solid zinc.

But today, it is rarely used for roofing anymore, and its major use is in galvanizing and vitamins.

But if anyone knows a full line supplier of zinc sheets and profiles, I would love to hear of it.

Faux zinc -- looks just like the real thing and doesn't cost any more.

Tove

Yes Tin isn't as common as copper or steel. But Tin is used in many products. Tin is used in alloys of metals. Tin-lead is only one.

Martin

Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

snipped-for-privacy@fidalgo.net wrote:

Off-topic to your request (sorry) but:

Man-alive! What a magnificent collection! I dips me lid to you, sir.

-- Jeff R. (whose gabber is still flastered)

Zinc is still an important metal. The amount of zinc produced and used annually is behind only steel, copper and aluminum. About 75% of it is used in galvanizing, but zinc alloys (Zamac) are still used in some die casting. Zamac is readily available in billet form. Plenty of die-cast zinc (alloy) objects can still be found in junkyards.

Copper sphere? Sparkmuseum ?

Get something spherical and plastic / glass, then electroplate it. if you need it for what I expect, then you don't need much wall thickness.

Check with people who make those balls that top flagpoles. One episode of This Old House had Norm at a place that makes those

It was New Yankee Workshop. Karl

Till the Next Time