pennies prevent rust? what say ye?

Yep ... it's called "electrolysis" ... and it'll remove the hair from your hand, tools.

If I recall correctly, it's on the underside of the periodic table, in the corner between two aprons.

That works ... till the oil evaporates.

Never heard of it in a toolbox but it's not impossible under the right conditions. Two dissimilar metals in a saline solution can result in a current flow and eating away of one of the metals ... historically plays hell with boat propellers.

Try naval jelly. =)

Most newer outboards contain zinc sacrificial anodes attached to the lower unit. Modern props are usually aluminum or stainless steel (and even some plastic composite ones floating around out there). Not sure what all they have for the saltwater environment, though....

I run watercooling in one of my computers. People cringe at the thought of water mixing w/ electronics. However, distilled de-ionized water poses little risk to electronics simply because it is a poor conductor in that state.

when working at GE Nuclear I cringed when I looked down into a huge water-filled chamber brimming with electrical devices and lights! I asked how can they do that, and as you've already guessed, it was filled with DI water.

dave

mrdancer wrote:

Dissimilar metals and their electrolytic action work faster with brine, but can work with ANY impurities in water. Whether or not this has any bearing on copper preventing rust on tools, I don't know...my guess is no, but I'm not going to rule it out until a metals guy tells me to. But I'm not going to load up my tool boxes with pennies, or even strip copper, either.

Charlie Self

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

Arrgh, throw some copper pennies inna ye tool boot, ye cheap bastid. Ye canna work with arthritic tools.

MacMike

Mike Baglio pipes up:

Hell, why not? I work with arthritic hands. :)

Charlie Self

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

I had one of the few jobs that required water and electricity together- a High-Voltage Test Technician. We would soak reels in water for 6 hours and then "shoot" (charge) them. Looked like an arc welder underwater when one blew.