metallurgists?

[cardzilla]

Ok, I've been planning on starting a company with the sole intent of manufacturing very trick items (light weight) for racing use.  Sort of a trick factory parts bin minus the necessary loan application.  I've been doing it for years with my own bikes and for the most part they've been the fastest things on the track... sometimes even when I'M the one riding them :)

My question is this: How temperature sesitive is Magnesium?  I took materials engineering, but I don't remember much about Mg, most of what I know involves aluminum.  By temperature sensitive I mean likely to change characteristics from being melted down and possibly cast.

I've found a HUGE surplus of government Mg... so huge you have to verify you aren't a foreign national looking to build weapons and I would love to get it to put away for the future (it's likely enough for a lifetime).  I'm doing research now, but I always like to hear the opinion of others.  Maybe there'll be a free magnesium case cover or two in it for ya ;)

[Super Dave]

Well, how's that go...

Replace steel with Ti, replace aluminum with mag.

I've heard of mag triple trees.  But I think it's hard to work with. 

Kawasaki used it on engine cases over thirty years ago...adn they ignited.

I think the factory teams have mag parts.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

I sure as hell wouldnt want a pure magnesium part on a bike to catch fire. That stuff is a nightmare to extinguish. Also reacts to water at room temp. The thin shavings and powdered magnesium is the most dangerous. Basically thats what I remember of it from back in school. The rims they make with it are probably an alloy with magnesium in it. Thats my guess.

[msbrit1]

Mag is very flamable when ground or shaved and reacts with water at room temp.  It also has to be high quality or it shatters without much effort. 

[cardzilla]

Starting to sound like I should stick to basic stuff... like titanium :)

[Super Dave]

I like steel.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

I like steel.

I prefer solmamite myself.

[andy342]

Magnesium car wheels shoot cool sparks about 10 feet in the air when you rub against a steel guardrail.

[hotrunner]

The melting point of Magnesium is 1199°f and the melting point of Aluminum 1221°f the major difference being that once Al melts there is little chance of ignition where Mg will ignite and burn white hot.  As long as the components you are building will not be directly exposed to the heat source you should have good luck with this material.  The true advantages of Mg are the specific gravity is only 1.74 where Al is 2.70 and iron is around 7.9.  What gives Mg it's strength is the Crystallin Structure is hexagonal where Al is cube shaped. 

If you have an application where you can machine the Mg alloy into the part desired this would be your best bet, Mg is easily machined as long as you flood the work piece with coolant as you cut.  You can re-melt it (depending on the alloy) and then injection mold it very simular to diecast aluminum.

Do you know what type of Mg alloy this is?  It will make a difference for what application you would like to use it in.



Hey I might not be a metallurgists, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!!

[cardzilla]

 

That's exactly what I was looking for.  I would be making pieces from an injection mold... the whole Mg fireball thing does scare me a bit.  I'm not sure of the alloy, I have to ask... but the pictures are of aircraft parts, possibly turbine housings?

[hotrunner]

Sent you a PM...