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Aluminium wheels

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:01 am
by Muskymoto
Me and my dad do abit of casting and are abit short of aluminium

And have found a source of aluminium car wheels

do they contain anything else like magnesium or anythnig that will stop us using them?

Cheers
Thanks in advance

Marcus

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:30 am
by steamin10
Generally speaking no, the are fairly consistant with alloy content. They are of stronger grades of aluminum without zinc additions that cause oxide and strength problems.

A simple swipe with a grinder will generate long spark streams, if it is magnesium. Magnesium cannot be hadled in a common casting furnace, as it readily ignites, and cannot be extinguished with water, it must be smothered in oxygen preventing material, like sand.

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 3:37 pm
by Falcon67
Besides, if you run across any old school drag race/performance real live magnesium wheels (like from the 60s), they are worth huge bucks if still intact.

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:58 am
by Muskymoto
Ok cheers unfortunatley there not old ones there rather new ish

would you guys use them i still have to swipe one with a ginder to find out but could they contain much else?

Cheers for help

Marcus

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:21 pm
by tomc
Marcus,

Aluminum wheels make a good source of aluminum for casting. Break it up and melt away. Depending on the make, there should be very little steel to worry about. I don't think they mixed aluminum and magnesium so you should be safe. IIRC, vinagar on magnesium is the test. Can't remember the outcome anymore. Maybe Google can tell you if no one else can chime in. I now if I could get my hands on some bent wheels, i would melt them for our foundry.

Tom C.

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:16 pm
by Harold_V
tomc wrote: I don't think they mixed aluminum and magnesium so you should be safe.
Safe is correct, but many of the aluminum alloys contain low percentages of magnesium. The highest I found (5182) was 5%, but most are below 2%.
IIRC, vinagar on magnesium is the test. Can't remember the outcome anymore.
Vinegar (acetic acid) will dissolve magnesium, but not aluminum.

Harold

Re: Aluminium wheels

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:46 am
by steamin10
The only thing I worry about is using any pot metal, that is really not aluminum, but mostly Zinc. It is weak and creates really large crystal structure in heavy cross sections. It can be handy by itself for detail parts that dont require a lot of strength. (Also referred to as Diecast, it has been largly repaced by various forms of plastics in automotive uses)

Remember to keep any steel or iron away from your molten aluminum, no screws or bits of rivets in the melt. It will have negative effects on your casting.