29-Jul-2015, 18:11
Started the morning running an M3X.5mm bottoming tap thru the ultrasonic cleaner to get it as squeaky clean as possible with no other metal contaminants remaining on it. Then ran it in & out several times in each of the 4 outer threaded bores that hold the bottom cover to the upper case. Carefully brushed all the metallic particles from the tap with a previously sealed/sterile toothbrush opened specifically for this sample collection after each in/out pass in the threaded pilot bores on to a clean paper towel. Then headed out to the anodizers who use a spectral analyzer litmus test for testing the presence of various metals and tells them if anodizing will work before they commit to a job. It will confirm with great accuracy the metal content of small flakes further ground in a glass mortar/pestle with the drop of a liquid agent on to the ground flaked powder collected from the screw holes then under the spectroanalyzer compare the color against a series of colored squares comparing metal ratios from 16.3 million options. Accuracies within 1%. There's a more accurate one available but samples have to be sent out-of-state and can go down to .0005% accuracy. For my purposes this is way better than I hoped to find and walk-in service to boot. Then he wouldn't take any money saying bring me the work if you end up doing this. I handed him $20 and told him its a definite 'maybe.'
The breakdown of our plating was a surprise to me as it turns out there are 4, not 3 layers as I originally thought since 3 is the minimum for aluminum. Turns out we also have a layer of tin under what I thought was the bottom copper plating.
The breakdown by metal and percentage is as follows:
Tin 21% paramagnetic (lightly magnetic)
Copper 16% non-magnetic (mostly) see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E97CYWlALEs
Nickel 28% Ferromagnetic (highly magnetic/can be magnetized)
Chrome 33% (a weird one indeed) totally non-magnetic at below 38*C/104*F but paramagnetic above that temp. Only elemental solid on the planet with this characteristic!
Bauxite 1% non-magnetic (the primary ore in aluminum)
Undetermined 1%
The breakdown of our plating was a surprise to me as it turns out there are 4, not 3 layers as I originally thought since 3 is the minimum for aluminum. Turns out we also have a layer of tin under what I thought was the bottom copper plating.
The breakdown by metal and percentage is as follows:
Tin 21% paramagnetic (lightly magnetic)
Copper 16% non-magnetic (mostly) see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E97CYWlALEs
Nickel 28% Ferromagnetic (highly magnetic/can be magnetized)
Chrome 33% (a weird one indeed) totally non-magnetic at below 38*C/104*F but paramagnetic above that temp. Only elemental solid on the planet with this characteristic!
Bauxite 1% non-magnetic (the primary ore in aluminum)
Undetermined 1%
Statements in my posts are opinion only, not to be construed as fact. Any projects I engage in are at my own risk! Their outcome cannot be assured and may result in success, small/no change or catastrophic failure. I encourage no one rely on anything I say or do as gospel and to realize your mileage may vary!
