----- Original Message -----
From: "Jules Richardson" <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2005 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: HP-2116A chassis (or repairing cast aluminum)
On Sun, 2005-04-17 at 07:32 -0700, Vintage
Computer Festival wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Apr 2005, Bob Shannon wrote:
>
> > I think the actual frame here is magnesium alloy, not aluminum.
> >
> > Any attempt to weld this might be spectacularly bad idea.
>
> Listen to the man (with an emphasis on "spectacular" in the true sense
of
the
word).
Don't know about welding the stuff, but ISTR a website recording
someone's efforts to get a magnesium-cased NeXT to burn - quite the
opposite of spectacular to be honest. (the page was put up well after
the fact, and it was a few years ago that I saw it - no idea of a URL(
Pure magnesium ignites at 476 C and burns at 2200 C so if the case is pure
enough (doubtful, additives change the burning properties) and you get it
hot enough then good luck trying to put the fire out.
No need to worry - trying to get a magnesium case to burn is _hard_
work, es evidenced when some misguided individual tried to get an empty
NeXTCube case to burn:
Regards,
Alex.
--
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and
looks like work." -- Thomas A. Edison