pennies prevent rust? what say ye?

Too cool! But in either case, I think it's illegal to deface money.

Reply to
Silvan
Loading thread data ...

How many of your tools have copper alloy parts? Do they rust?

Reply to
Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A.

Oh damn, all of those pennies I have used for shot pin washers will put me in Levenworth. ;-)

Reply to
Greg

nope. it's just illegal to try to spend it after you do.

Reply to
nospam

I didn't remember this guys name until I saw this link. About a year ago, I was in a Supertronics store. I walked up to the counter and he was there talking to the clerk. He gave the clerk one of those quarters and told him to give it to the owner. After he left, I asked the clerk about it and he said that the owner knew this guy and had been promised one of his quarters the next time he did it. There was a digital scale there and we weighed it. It was so close to the weight of a standard quarter that manufacturing variation could account for the difference. The quarter was indeed smaller in diameter as shown in the picture but it was somewhat thicker than normal.

Reply to
CW

True. And copper corrodes--oxidizes--in its own way, forming a green layer.

Charlie Self

"I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it." George Carlin

Reply to
Charlie Self

Ayup. Sometime in the 80's, as I recall. There is a *legal*requirement* that the face value of any U.S. coin, when produced, be higher than the value of the metal(s) used to make it. The price of copper had risen to the point where there was 'nearly' one cents worth of copper in a penny, and the price of copper was still climbing. Thus, something *had* to be done.

Zinc is cheaper than copper. Considerably so.

Modern pennies have a fairly thin layer of copper/tin cladding over a zinc core.

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

It's electrically dissimilar enough to induce a voltage when in contact with slugs and snails. :)

Reply to
Silvan

Any reason why it works on a quarter as opposed to something else, or does it work on a variety of things?

Not that I would ever get motivated to build one of those things anyway, mind you.

Reply to
Silvan

It'll work on most any metal. The _huge_ magnetic field crushes the material. The items are still the same volume (no increase in density) but the illusion is cool! It's a one shot deal however, the magnetic coil explodes like a small bomb when it is hit with the current.

-Bruce

Silvan wrote:

Reply to
Bruce Rowen

I doubt it. You need some kind of electrical connection in any type of cathodic protection scheme. Just placing metals in close proximity won't work.

Since there's no DC power source, this would have to be a sacrificial anode system. And in order for that to work, the anode has to be more electrochemically active than the cathode. Copper is not a good choice for a sacrificial anode because it has less affinity to oxygen than many other metals, including iron. Zinc is a popular choice for a sacrificial anode.

Do you remember the Statue of Liberty restoration several years back? The copper skin was fine, but the original iron framework had corroded in many places. The iron was actually the "sacrificial" anode for the copper in that arrangement.

| I have had a short length of copper pipe in each drawer of my | Snapon box since it was new.... NO rust on the tools at all.

Is there an electrical connection between your pipe and any of the tools? If not, then you are probably not employing cathodic corrosion protection.

Is there any visible oxidation on your copper? If not, then the lack of oxidation of your steel tools is more likely due to the relative absence of moisture and/or oxygen in your tool chest, not the presence of the copper.

--Jay

Reply to
Jay Windley

Chrome plant I worked in plated nickel over steel, flashed chrome over the nickel. No copper used at all.

Rick

most chrome plating on steel is put on over a layer of pure copper,

Reply to
Rick

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

Hmmm... Explosions are fun.

Well, they *can* be fun. Depends on where they happen I guess. :)

Reply to
Silvan

There you go getting all technical and scientific. My tools don't rust because I have a bobble-head Taco Bell dog hot glued to the toolbox. It works. Prove it doesn't. :)

Reply to
Silvan

Same for the UK.

Like many people, I throw my copper change in a jar. Except that I have two jars, one just for the non-magnetic stuff. Then I use it as casting bronze, because it's cheaper than buying it.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 04:25:39 +0000, Andy Dingley scribbled

Did you guys switch to the Euro without me noticing. I thought you still had pence, not cents. ;-)

I gave up on saving pennies a long time ago. I try to get rid of them ASAP. I do keep my loonies and toonies (one and two dollar Canadian coins, Keith) in a mineral water bottle. After a year or so, I have a nice stash to buy something with. But then, I don't feel the need to have metal on hand so that I can cast bronze when the urge takes me.

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address

Reply to
Luigi Zanasi

They are still great shot pin washers! Don't drill them or anything, just shoot through them. Copper over zinc holds up great, even outside.

Reply to
Greg

Frank,

A few have danced close but I don't think anyone has nailed it yet. So here's my two cents...

I suspect that the tool corrosion could be due to the dissimilar metals in the tool box reacting with moisture and salt to produce a mild acid, enough to get a small current flowing and over time cause corrosion. IF the pennies work to reduce rust it is probably because of the zinc content, not the thin copper plating. IIRC it is the metal with the most available electron slots in its outer shell in the atom. Zinc has more than most metals so it is the preferred choice for a sacrificial metal.

You might consider stopping by your local marine supply store and picking up a zinc block if corrosion is a problem for you. Cost about a buck or two - more than a few pennies but it should work better (if this theory is correct) because they are not wearing a copper coat like the pennies.

-Chris

Reply to
Chris

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.