Subject: Re: A way to identify aluminum?

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 00:21:41 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] writes:
>Subject: An easy way to identify Aluminum?
>
>Is there an easy way that someone (me in particular) can identify whether a
>casting is aluminum (desired) or some other non magnetic metal (not desired).
>
>I do not have access to a lab, so this would have to be something relatively
>safe and simple (if such a process exists).
>
>Thanks
>
>Barry.

Find the volume and weight of you casting and then calculate the density.
Aluninum is appromimently .1 pound per cubic inch. to get volume measure the
displacement you get by puting you casting in a water filled container 
and note the volume "increase".  You can check hand books for exact densities
of different Alunimum alloys.  2xxx and 7xxx aerospace alloys are of high
density because they have about 5 percent copper or zinc in them.  But it is
not likely that your casting will be of these heat treatable alloys.

Dave Smucker (Mechanical Engineering Manager, Flat Rolled Products ALCOA)