We are making an antenna out of magnesium for weight savings. If this was aluminum, I would yellow chromate it. What finish would be appropriate for magnesium. It will be exposed to the weather.
-Spencer
We are making an antenna out of magnesium for weight savings. If this was aluminum, I would yellow chromate it. What finish would be appropriate for magnesium. It will be exposed to the weather.
-Spencer
AIUI, there is no really good finish that will last a long time. What sort of antenna?
The very best finish for Mg is a process called HAE, it's a true anodizing process for mag and is an excellent base for epoxy coatings. Magnesium as a base metal is very active and needs all the protection you can give it to retard corrosion. Larger metal finishers who do Mil-Spec work will have the HAE process or give you a lead to who might.
Ed Angell
Paint!
Or an expensive Magnadize treatment from the company of that name.
Anything else is just further corrosion.
I suppose you could clean it mechanically under the plating bath, and you might get away with plating it with aluminum.
Note: Intermetallic corrosion occurs even betwen different magnesium alloys, and is much worse between Al and Mg. Even worse with Fe.
What stock are you using? Where do you go to buy that?
Is there a drawing?
I think it can actually be soldered!
Yours,
Doug Goncz (at aol dot com) Replikon Research, Seven Corners, VA
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