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Sandman
Steam Supreme Being
Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 8841
Location: Ayrshire Scotland
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 Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:58 pm Post subject: How to safely anneal aluminium. |
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It appears I may have to straighten the base on my Cyldon, so I thought I'd post a tip from an old engineer.
Annealing aluminium is a dangerous business as it will blow away as molten metal if the temperature gets too high.
First give the surface to be annealed a good rub with household soap straight from the bar. Cover the whole surface to be annealed.
Set the torch to a gentle heat not a roaring flame.
Apply heat evenly to the whole of the surface and don't linger on one spot.
When the soap turns black, remove the heat source immediately.
The aluminium is now annealed and is ready to work with.
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MooseMan
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Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 4452
Location: Cardiff
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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Top tip Sandy! 
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Stilldrillin
Steam fanatic
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1478
Location: Staveley, Derbyshire. UK
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Sandy!
That`s one I had forgotten. Not heard that tip since me schooldays.
Thankfully mine has a really good straight base.
And it`s original rubber feet. 
They must have been very pretty when new!
P.S.
I`m NOT a polisher!
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David.
All those days which have come and gone......
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Stilldrillin
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Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1478
Location: Staveley, Derbyshire. UK
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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I forgot to say.
We were not allowed to coat the plate with soap, but to draw 2 diagonal lines only.
The whole class had to wash off with what soap was left over! 
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David.
All those days which have come and gone......
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Chris
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2317
Location: Hampshire
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, I'm going off topic. But do both your engines both happen to have the front boiler strap missing, or was there never one there anyway?
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Chris
http://www.chrisfisher-photography.co.uk |
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John Chapman
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Chris wrote: | | Sorry, I'm going off topic. But do both your engines both happen to have the front boiler strap missing, or was there never one there anyway? |
They only ever had one strap. |
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Graham-Jilly
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Joined: 04 Mar 2007
Posts: 4341
Location: Brisbane Qld Australia
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the tip Sandy will have to store that away for future reference
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flywheel61
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Joined: 12 Nov 2006
Posts: 2604
Location: australia
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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Please put it in the Steam Library if not already done.
Cheers
Chris
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Steve_S
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Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Leeds UK
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| That's a good tip... I think we'll both be using that for exactly the same reason! |
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tmuir
Steam Supreme Being
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 14610
Location: Western Australia
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:46 am Post subject: |
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Thanks,
Thats one I hadnt heard before.
I'm assuming it has to be real soap nut the crap in the shop they called 'beuty bars' or something like that, for instance 'Dove' is not really a soap but some other concoction.
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