One recurrent theme in this NG and in the mags is how to
identify an old piece of metal from the scrap bin.
ISTR from my school chemistry days that there were certain
flame tests that could be conducted, and also that Tubal Cain's
book gave an estimation for types of steel based upon their
being ground (grinded?).
Is there a simple way for us to identify the content of metals,
perhaps based on an old Lott's or Merit chemistry set?
Or should we consider using the power of our home computer
systems to perform X-Ray crystallography. ("The Boy Electrician",
1941 edition details making an X-Ray generator, as did an old
Scientific American, based on using EL34's or similar)
- posted
18 years ago