- Email: [email protected]
Aluminum: Considered practically in relation to its general application in the arts and mechanics
272
[J. F. 1.,
Stebm2etz:
and i6 candle-power vertical is b e t t e r than one which g i v e s 6 candle-power horizontal and 16 candle-power vertical is an open question. E v e r y one m u s t agree that there is some limit below which the horizontal candle-power of a lamp should not be decreased, and this is before the zero point is reached. If reflectors over lights to throw the w h o l e light flux in the vertical direction are necessary for any sort of lighting, that lamp is best which uses a form of filament giving h i g h candle.power in the vertical direction w i t h o u t the reflector. By reflection one adds only to the direct light. Of t w o lamps having a given light flux to reflect, t h a t one h a v i n g most initial candle-power in the direct rays will have t h e b r i g h t e s t light after a reflector is p u t in place. A S h e l b y coil filament turns out then to be b e t t e r than any other f o r m when used with a reflector or shade as well as without.
Stated 2Fleqlizg, hem Wednesday, May 9, z9oo.
ALUMINUM : CONSIDERED
PRACTICALLY
IN
RELATION
TO
ITS
GENERAL
APPLICATION IN THE A R T s AND MECHANICS. BY JOSEPH A. ST]~INtVLI~'I'Z, Member of t h e Institute.
" As light as air! As b r i g h t as silver! Impossible of tarnish! As strong as steel! Cheap as clay ! " T h e g r e a t n e w white metal aluminum. H o u s e s , b r i d g e s and locomotives to be built of it. Iron a n d steel, m e t a l s of the past; with the great ' A l u m i n u m A g e ' d r a w i n g u p o n US."
Such p i c t u r e s q u e and startling r e m a r k s were not at all u n c o m m o n ten years ago, and even more recently in t h e most prominent local papers and technical journals. T o the unthinking mind, it was perhaps q u i t e b e l i e v a b l e that aluminum, the laboratory curiosity c o s t i n g dollars p e r ounce, should excite wild dreams of c o m i n g w o n d e r s w h e n , Mmost over night, the discovery and successful a p p l i c a t i o n
Oct., ,900.]
~l/urn
.of t h e electrolytic m e t h o d s c this u n k n o w n m e t a l to a l m o s t B u t n o t h i n g could h a v e a d v a n t a g e a n d disaster of Years of t i m e a n d tons of ss disillusionize the w o r l d of t h u n d r e d s of t h o u s a n d s of ( wasted in t r y i n g to force the services, devoid of wisdom or foresig ~'~ ' ' : T h e purpose of this paper is to b uses of a l u m i n u m t h a t h a v e proved sive, w i t h the view of encouragin ,. along k i n d r e d lines, and to speak a ing i m p r o p e r uses of t h e metal, so t h a t disaster may..,b~ avoided, and to save a l u m i n u m from f u r t h e r d a m a g e t o ! t $ chemical a n d physical reputation. F r o m t h e fact t h a t t h e a l u m i n u m o u t p u t is a h n o s t doubling from y e a r to year, it i s almost as impossible to cover the uses of the m e t a l ill detail as it would to trace the m y r i a d uses or applicatiol~s of a n y particular metal, such as silver, copper, brass, .zinc, tin-plate or g a l v a n i z e d iron. ,+: A s a t i s f a c t o r y classification is nearly impossible, henc~ t h e t h o u s a n d and one uses of in a r u n n i n g list as the sugget U p o n t h e use of a l u m i n u we will not dwell, save to briefl m a n y h u n d r e d s of tons of me T h e a l u m i n u m is added to . . . . . . . . . a few ounces to the ton of 'steel, in t h e ' m a k i n g o f i n g o t s a n d billets . . . . . L a r g e r t o n n a g e s are t r e a t e d in t h e process o f m a k i n g steel castings by a d d i n g the a l u m i n u m to t h e molten m a s s before pouring. It has also been f o u n d of g r e a ~ a d v a n t a g e , to insure t h e m a k i n g of a perfect casting, to insert small scraps of a l u m i n u m in t h e m o u l d at such places and corners and cores where difficulties threaten. M a n y tons of a l u m i n u m are yearly used for the m a k i n g of patterns. T h i s is i n d e e d a most correct use to r e p l a c e the old h e a v y brass g a t e s of p a t t e r n s w i t h t h e l i g h t - w e i g h t Voi.. CL.
No. 898.
I8
2~
Steillmetz :
[J. F. I.,
aluminum, stiffened with about 5 per cent. of zinc and a ; i lik~ amount of copper. The advantages of these lightweight patterns are manifest. The men at the benches cad m~uld more forms in a given time and with less fatigue. The patterns, weighing but one-third as much as brass, ca~:l be handled and stored more rdadily and cheaply. T h e egpress charges upon return of patterns are greatly reduced ~ n item of considerable m a g m t u d e in an active foundry. ) I m m e d i a t e l y the very large use of aluminum suggests i~self for models and salesmen's samples. Particularly will t ~ hardware traveler see the boon of this, and many of oU~"largest houses have full lines of salesmen's samples, rep!aieing the old line of ironwork or nickel-plated brass, at a reduction of 6o per cent. of weight, and of no increase of c~t. : ~ o t long ago a large foundry of Wilmington, and, later, a Philadelphia foundry, had some large iron castings to m;~ke, the yokes of cable, roads, great iron pieces spreading the full width of the track and supporting the rails, and earr~ing in their middle the conduit through which the cable r~u. These castings were made from wooden patterns, ~ i c h caused much trouble by chafing and wearing in the s~t:td, and warping and springing out of alignment. At t h e s~ggestion of the writer these patterns were duplicated in aitiminum, and all difficulties were thus transformed into ~fi~leasant memories, and the work fell out good and sound a~d "true. i:U n t i l : recently aluminum has not been employed as an Ngtive competitor of brass alad copper on account of its h:igher comparative price, but to-day aluminum is chea~er t~ian copper, considered bulk for bulk. Copper is three and (~e-third times heavier than aluminum. Taking, therefore, ~opper at it8 present market price, and increasing by this f~ctor, it will appear that aluminum is cheaper, a fact which siibuld open many channels of new application for aluminum. ! One thing that has figured seriously to the disadvantage ~ f aluminum and, indeed, has quite precluded it from m a n y e~¢ellent fields of use, is the lack of a good, cheap, easilywdrked and permanent solder.
Oct.. 19oo.]
A ht minu m.
2~
It is true that t h e r e is a m o s t e x c e l l e n t market, i n v e n t e d b y Mr. J o s e p h Riehards, oi b u t this solder is difficult to apply, a n d i t is frequently be~ yond the ability of the ordinary tinsmith to secure a saris= factory joint. T h e r e are several reasons for this lack of success. N o t k e e p i n g the w o r k h o t is the chief cause of the solder-mushing and m a k i n g a rough, dirty seam. It is v e r y often t r u e that the peculiar p a t t e r n or intricate design o f the piece m a k e s it i m p o s s i b l e to keep the work h o t at t h e p o i n t s r o b e soldered. Then, too, the quick formation of a film of oxide u p o n the a l u m i n u m , unless r e m o v e d b y scratching or filing, figures to t h e d i s a d v a n t a g e of a solder b y not p e r m i t t i n g it to take a firm hold upon the parts to be joined. W h e r e v e r possible, then, it is earnestly s u g g e s t e d to make joints b y crimping or lock-seaming or b y riveting, or, b e t t e r yet, to avoid all joints by spinning or d r a w i n g up the shape to be made, w h e n e v e r its contour will permit of such practice. T h e old s a y i n g that " t h e best joint is no joint at all " holds good here conspicuously. A few r e m a r k s relative to the g r o w t h of the a l u m i n u m industry, with c o m p a r a t i v e figures, will prove of interest; T h e following table shows the a l u m i n u m pr0duetion of the U n i t e d States and of the world, e x p r e s s e d i n metric tons (2,0o0 pounds): 1889 I89o
U.S. 21 "6 27"9
World. 70"9 165"3
PerCent. in U.S. ~0 17
189 r
68" 2
233 "4
29
I892 1893
118'Z I54"4 250'0 4t7"3 59o'9 1,814"4 2,358" 7 2,948"4 . 4,000"o (est.)
487"= 716'0
24 22 =I 29 36 53 52 49 53
1894
I895 1896 1897 1898 I899 i9oo
1,240" 9
1,4~8"2 1,659"7 3,394"4 4,500-0 (est.) 6,000"0 (est.) 7,500"0 (est.)
T h o s e returns m a r k e d e s t i m a t e d (est.) are the b e s t which can b e c o n j e c t u r e d from available data. T h e a l u m i n u m in-
276
.5teinlnetz :
[J. F. I.,
dustry is growing most rapidly in France and in the U n i t e d States. Canada will enter the list of producing c o u n t r i e s next year, with a plant of 5,ooo horse-power, and will add i,ooo tons each year to the world's output. Presuming that the total amount of aluminum p r o d u c e d last year was used for the specific purpose of electric conductors, then the 6,ooo tons of aluminum would displace I2,ooo tons of copper, or a like amount of a l u m i n u m sheet would be equivalent to 2o,ooo tons of sheet copper, w e r e the specification for culinary and cooking utensils. These comparative figures emphasize the i m p o r t a n t position that the metal has assumed. Considering the United States alone, of the m e t a l s produced here in I898, only pig iron, copper, lead and zinc were produced in greater quantity than ahlminum, a n d only these, with the addition of gold and silver, surpassed it in the value of the output. If we desire to manufacture a given object of metal, we can make it cheaper in aluminum than in a n y t h i n g else, ex. cepting iron, lead or zinc, to which might be added, a m o n g composite metals, tinned and galvanized iron. These are the only metals left for aluminum to compete with, and its greatest struggle in the future will be against tinned and galvanized iron. Dr. Richards believes that when the market price of aluminum reaches I5 cents per pound (probably in the next decade), it will compete actively with these common metals, and by I925, when it will probably reach Io cents per pound, its only practical rival will be steel. T h e middle of the twentieth century will see steel and aluminum standing side by side as the most useful of the useful metals, aluminum having by that time developed many peculiar alloys enhancing its physical properties and largely increasing its field of application. The plants now producing aluminum are those of the Pittsburg Reduction Company, at New Kensington, Pa., and Niagara Falls, New York; the British Alufninum Company, Of England; the Aluminium Industrie Actien Gesellsehaft, at Neuhausen, at the Fails of the Rhine, in Switzerland ; the
oct., 19o-.]
A h..i.um.
:~,.
Soci~t~ t:~lectrometalhlrgique Fran~aise, a t L a Praz;~
278
Steinmetz :
[J. F. I,,
This cast t u b w e i g h e d a b o u t I5o pounds, and the rough sand casting was g r o u n d s m o o t h u p o n t h e inside and around the rim b y use of an e m e r y wheel u p o n a flexible shaft, after which the t u b was polished b r i g h t u p o n a rag buffing wheel. A perfect casting was difficult to obtain, due to blowholes and shrinkage c r a c k s and sinks, and t h e difficulty of this piece done in practically p u r e a l u m i n u m can well be appreciated b y those familiar with f o u n d r y practice. T h e effect thus o b t a i n e d was decidedly brilliant, and most pleasing, b u t the t u b failed i g n o m i n i o u s l y in t h e test of time and use. T h e alkali of the soaps u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e d the luster of the finish, and ate deeply into t h e b o d y of the metal, marring and pitting it b e y o n d measure. T h u s it came a b o u t that a n o t h e r use for a l u m i n u m b e c a m e impossible of realization. T h e same general observations apply to t h e large list of p l u m b i n g fixtures of a l u m i n u m evolved at a b o u t this time, such as faucets, chains, handles, soap-dishes, basins, and m a n y s t a n d a r d shapes in nickel-plated brass, w h i c h were quickly retiied as brief experience p r o v e d their worthlessheSS.
A most excellent use for a l u m i n u m is f o u n d in t h e making of steam-jacketed kettles and cauldrons for b o i l i n g of syrups, fruit juices, h o n e y and wax, as well also as for certain acid work for which the peculiar chemical properties of the metal specially a d a p t it. A n example of this might be cited in Mr. L e v y ' s nitric acid atomizer for zinc etching, a g r e a t i m p r o v e m e n t over the old acid b a t h for o b t a i n i n g quick action in making etched plates for printing. T h e r e h a s recently b e e n com. pleted by a coppersmith of N e w a r k one of the largest alum i n u m kettles ever constructed ; the h e m i s p h e r i c a l b o t t o m or bowl m e a s u r i n g 5I i n c h e s ' a c r o s s its d i a m e t e r with its flanged edge, and 30 inches deep, was cold h a m m e r e d and formed up o u t of a flat circle 68 inches in diameter, and the upper band or t u b u l a r b o d y was c u r v e d a r o u n d o u t of a flat sheet m e a s u r i n g 13 feet 8 inches l o n g b y I4 inches wide. The kettle was h a m m e r e d out of ¼.ineh stock, and the bowl
Oct., I9oo.]
A/umillttm.
•
;179
was m u c h more readily shaped and more r e s p o n s i v e to t h e tools than even copper. T h e p u r p o s e of these large boiling kettles is for m e l t i n g wax for the cylinders of the Edison Company's p h o n o g r a p h s , as t h e w a x cylinder material seemed to attack iron a n d copper kettles, w h e r e a s the a l u m i n u m boilers are e n t i r e l y unaffected. In the electrical field a l u m i n u m is f o r g i n g a h e a d r a p i d l y into significant prominence. It was s i n g u l a r l y o p p o r t u n e for its i n t r o d u c t i o n for elec. trical p u r p o s e s t h a t the price of copper a d v a n c e d j u s t a t that time w h e n the processes of making a l u m i n u m in inc r e a s e d q u a n t i t i e s and at reduced figures of cost h a d b e e n satisfactorily installed, and when n e w uses a n d n e w fields were b e i n g eagerly s o u g h t ; for i m m e d i a t e l y m a n y careful e x p e r i m e n t s were undertaken to determine the possibility of s u b s t i t u t i n g a l u m i n u m for copper, and these i n v e s t i g a t i o n s promise to p r o d u c e m o s t e n c o u r a g i n g results. Comparative tests are n o w being made by the Chicago F i r e A l a r m Service b e t w e e n copper wire and aluminum. N u m b e r Io wire was used a n d the preliminary tests before e r e c t i o n s s h o w e d that the tensile s t r e n g t h of the copper wire w a s greater, size for size, b u t not so great w e i g h t for w e i g h t . T h e copper wire s h o w e d a g r e a t e r elongation and e n d u r e d ~vithout r u p t u r e a g r e a t e r n u m b e r of t w i s t s - - i n fact, t w i c e a s m a n y as a l u m i n u m . T o secure f u r t h e r d a t a under t h e actual: service conditions, the Chicago line will be given a winter's test, and h a s been s t r u n g in t h e stormiest section of the city, a n d w h e r e it will also be s u b j e c t to the smoke and g a s e o u s f u m e s arising from t h e locomotives passing in that section. T h e results of this service test will be made the s u b j e c t of a report this spring by City Electrician E. B. Ellicott, of Chicago, to his Board. T h e W e s t e r n U n i o n Company has s e v e r a l miles of a l u m i n u m wire in use now for over two years, a n d is carefully compiling the physical d a t a necessary for a consideration as to its merits in comparison w i t h copper a n d iron. A very i n t e r e s t i n g r e p o r t relating to the " T e s t s and CaN
28o
Steinmetz
."
[J. F. I..
eulations for a Forty-Mile A l u m i n u m W i r e T r a n s m i s s i o n Line," b y Mr. E. A. Perrine, as erected and conducted b y the Standard Electric Company, of California, is printed a t l e n g t h in the/l[~tmiu¢HJz l,V o r l d of November, 1899. General Greeley, chief of the Signal Branch of the U. S. Army, had several outfits of a l u m i n u m portable field lines in use in Cuba d u r i n g the recent war, and he reports t h a t t h e y were very satisfactory and particularly a d v a n t a g e o u s , owing to the l i g h t w e i g h t of the coils of a l u m i n u m wire. T h e m a i n electric conductors in use at the reduction works at N i a g a r a Fails are made of large a l u m i n u m bars m a n y square inches in area, and have been g i v i n g satisfactory service for years. To some extent a l u m i n u m has been used for c o m m u t a t o r segments, but the difficulty in wiring up due to the different m e t a l s in contact caused serious discouragements. Blades for switchboards have been successfully m a n u f a c t u r e d . The advantages of a l u m i n u m for use in the m a k i n g o f culinary and cooking utensils were early recognized, and the new metal bids fair to excel copper in this line of developm e n t ; in fact, many h u n d r e d tons annually are now consumed in the successful m a n u f a c t u r e of such articles. The early exploitation of this field was most discouraging, owing to the fact t h a t the m a n u f a c t u r e r s of cooking utensils understood the peculiarities of the m e t a l no b e t t e r than the consumers who purchased the articles for use, and. the utensils were generally seriously abused, b a t t e r e d and neglected, the universal idea b e i n g t h a t a l u m i n u m was quite indestructible, no m a t t e r how a b o m i n a b l y treated.. T h e utensils were allowed to take care of themselves ; t h e y were g r o u n d and scratched with sand-soap and often w a s h e d in lye, which, being one of the solvents of the metal, caused rapid disintegration. These early a t t e m p t s to. introduce a l u m i n u m cooking utensils were made at a time, several years ago, w h e n copper was less expensive, and when enamelled iron and t i n n e d a n d steel articles were infinitely cheaper. These adverse circumstances tended seriously to t h e ~ r e t i r e m e n t of a l u m i n u m from this field, but later develop-
Oct., 19°O.]
A lumblum.
:~8~i
[ merits, such as the fall in price of aluminum, and t h e he~oi~? ~ efforts of our pioneer m a n u f a c t u r e r s ground thus lost, and forged rapidly a~ success, for n o w a l u m i n u m cooking utensils, h o u s e h o l d arti~ cles and culinary shapes, for home, institutions and hospitals; field e q u i p m e n t s for the a r m y and outfits for the navy, a n d the i n n u m e r a b l e uses heretofore supplied b y copper, tin sheets and enamelled iron are divided with Muminum, and the new metal bids fair to win first honors. A m o n g some of t h e a d v a n t a g e s possessed b y aluminttm over the other m e t a l s might be cited its higher heat cond u c t i v i t y ; its light weight, bulk for bulk ; the fact t h a t it creates no poisonous salts or oxides when used in t h e p r e p a ; ration of fruits and v e g e t a b l e s and other possible combinations d a n g e r o u s with copper or tin. A v e r y large use of a l u m i n u m in forms of caps and covers, s t a m p e d out of sheet metal for sealing catsup, mustard, fruit, j a m s and jellies, and various lines of such goods, has been lately developed, the a d v a n t a g e of price and absence of d a n g e r o u s corrosion or acid action making alum i n u m an ideal metal for these purposes. In E u r o p e t h e peculiar a d v a n t a g e s of aluminum h a v e been recognized for a much longer time than in America, and a n u m b e r of the largest m a n u f a c t u r e r s in E n g l a n d a n d on the c o n t i n e n t are m a k i n g complete lines of utensils. T h e recent S o u t h African war has created a t r e m e n d o u s d e m a n d for a l u m i n u m field cooking and messing outfits~ t h u s s p r e a d i n g the f a m e of a l u m i n u m and knowledge: of i t s a d v a n t a g e s for p o r t a b l e gear a m o n g a class of m e n who will u n d e r s t a n d and appreciate them. A m o s t interesting account of t h e B r i t i s h a r m y equipm e n t will be found in the March number~ of Aluminum World, of the c u r r e n t year. ~ T h e G e r m a n army, as well as the field f o r c e s of other continental powers, are t h o r o u g h l y e q u i p p e d with M u m i n u m , and the dead w e i g h t per m a n of superfluous ornamentation and e q u i p m e n t has been considerably reduced, t e n d i n g g r e a t l y to increased efficiency as a fighting unit. In the recent Arctic explorations, in t h e gold-seeking ex-
282
5"le'fle~;'Zct.7 :
[J. F. 1.,
peditions into the Klondike and Alaska, in the j o u r n e y s into the l)ark Continent, a l u m i n u m e q u i p m e n t has played a p r o m i n e n t part; 3[r. \Vellman built a l u m i n u m sledges for t r a n s p o r t i n g his supplies over the ice; the A l a s k a n gold miners took in m a n y light c a m p i n g and cooking outfits, and Dr. Carl Peters had with his expedition an a l u m i n u m s t e a m launch in portable section, s. Five years ago the well-known shipbuilding firm of Yarrow & Co., of England, built the first a l u m i n u m torpedo boat, and while :t second craft of this description has not been since c o n s t r u c t e d so generally of a l u m i n u m , yet two of the latest additions to our navy, t h e torpedo b o a t s Craven and " Dahl..ren, have their o b s e r v a t i o n towers, hatch covers, galleys, cowls and m a n y m i n o r parts m a d e of aluminum. These boats were built b y the Bath Iron Works, of Maine, and the a l u m i n u m details of construction, embracing the use of rolled angles and structural shapes, plates and riveted work, Were conceived with the approval of C h i e f Constructor Philip tIichborn, of the U n i t e d States Navy, who looks forward with interest to the tests of time and the wear and tear of serviee to d e m o n s t r a t e the practicability and adaptability of a l u m i n u m for ship c o n s t r u c t i o n and fittings. T h e A m e r i c a n sloop y a c h t " D e f e n d e r " was built of a l u m i n u m plates from w a t e r line to deck level, the subm e r g e d plating b e i n g of bronze, whieh a r r a n g e m e n t tended to considerably lower her center of gravity, insuring increased stability. T h e s e a l u m i n u m plates, which were carefully and thoro u g h l y painted, gave good satisfaction and are still in service. Certain plates in the stern had to be replaced, as well also as smaller parts and fitting, due to corrosion and electrolytic action and wear and tear. In general this application was highly satisfactory and encouraging. A l u m i n u m p o w d e r and thin b e a t e n leaf are n o w l a r g e l y u s e d for securing decorative effects in the arts, a s silver paint, and for printing and bookbinding, h a v i n g
Oct., ,9oo.]
Ahtmi~um.
'~" i ~ 8 , 3
almost entirely replaced the silver nsed. . ; , si,!,:,i The p o w d e r is also mixed in the form of a for printing coarse cotton tinsel fabrics, in for Oriental trade. A paint called in the trade pegamoid, aluminoid, or a l u m i n u m bronze paint, is largely used for c o a t i n g architectural ironwork, lamp-posts, letter-boxes, elevato r grilles, and cages, and kindred applications, and has proved:highly satisfactory. Overtures h a v e b e e n m a d e to the Public B u i l d i n g C o m . missioners to p a i n t the outside of the Philadelpllia~City H a l l Tower, to restore it to an a l u m i n u m luster as origdnally intended, and far brighter and more durable than the dismal slate-blue of the unknown electro deposit now u p o n the ironwork. A l u m i n u m p o w d e r has f o u n d an excellent and successful use as a m i x t u r e for making photographic flashlights, b e i n g cheaper than m a g n e s i u m and devoid of t h e p u n g e n t odor or u n p l e a s a n t smoke incident to the c o m b u s t i o n of the old magn'esium powder. A recently d e v e l o p e d and t r e m e n d o u s l y successful application of a l u m i n u m is in fiat, smoot] graphic printing. T h e thin alumin lent impressions and are quickly r, lithographic stones, one of the gr, m i n u m being d u e to the possibility rotary press, as well, also, as to its l A l u m i n u m hair pins are being m d i s p o s i n g of a g o o d l y w e i g h t of wire. give excellent satisfaction, and have been t h e trade, who report a s t e a d y and increasing demand. T h i m b l e s b y the t h o u s a n d s of gross are m a d e b y several concerns in the U n i t e d States and abroad, and several tons of sheet a l u m i n u m are yearly thus employed. T h e metal, however, is r a t h e r soft for this purpose, as the hard steel needle soon perforates the thin a l u m i n u m shell. For ferrules and ornamental bands, for canes and umbrellas, the metal has been successfully applied.
284
Steinrnet,~.
[J. F. I.,
A large use of a l u m i n u m has d e v e l o p e d for m a k i n g m e t a l combs, brush backs, mirror frames, and a host o f toilet and fancy articles, useful as well as ornamental. In fact, it is quite impossible to e n u m e r a t e the m y r i a d articles now b e i n g m a d e of a l u m i n u m . One m i g h t as well m a k e u p a list of e v e r y t h i n g so far m a n u f a c t u r e d o u t o f sheet or wire in brass, copper or nickel, tin sheets, steel and iron, and such c o m b i n a t i o n s thereof, as form the m a t e rials out of which all known m e t a l devices h a v e t h u s f a r been m a n u f a c t u r e d , for a l u m i n u m is quietly, s t e a d i l y and surely encroaching u p o n the domain of the m e t a I s mentioned, and with the d e v e l o p m e n t of its special alloys this march of c o n q u e s t will proceed with ever-increasing acceleration. The metal lends itself readily to w o r k i n g in t h e m i n t i n g dies, and many very pleasing and d u r a b l e effects have b e e n obtained. M a n y tens of m e t a l are y e a r l y used in t h e making of coins, medals, checks, tags, religious and comm e m o r a t i v e medallions and insignia. Artistic and permanent effects have been obtained in die w o r k and m i n t i n g b y our A m e r i c a n pressmen. In conclusion, a few words q u o t e d from a recent p r i v a t e letter to the writer, from Dr. J o s e p h W. Richards, who is today one of the b e s t authorities on the s u b j e c t of the aluminum industry, will be interesting. In r e v i e w i n g the w o n d e r f u l g r o w t h of t h e i n d u s t r y a n d the success of aluminum, he says: " I s n o t the p r o s p e c t gratifying to us who have befriended t h e metal, so to speak, in its infancy, h a v e m o t h e r e d it, f a t h e r e d it, and e v e n wet-nursed the s t r u g g l i n g infant w i t h o u r own s u b s t a n c e (£ e., with m o n e y out of our own poekets) ?" The brief remarks e m b o d i e d in this p a p e r and the casual facts herein set forth a n s w e r this q u e r y heartily in t h e affirmative.
[J. F. 1.,
Stebm2etz:
and i6 candle-power vertical is b e t t e r than one which g i v e s 6 candle-power horizontal and 16 candle-power vertical is an open question. E v e r y one m u s t agree that there is some limit below which the horizontal candle-power of a lamp should not be decreased, and this is before the zero point is reached. If reflectors over lights to throw the w h o l e light flux in the vertical direction are necessary for any sort of lighting, that lamp is best which uses a form of filament giving h i g h candle.power in the vertical direction w i t h o u t the reflector. By reflection one adds only to the direct light. Of t w o lamps having a given light flux to reflect, t h a t one h a v i n g most initial candle-power in the direct rays will have t h e b r i g h t e s t light after a reflector is p u t in place. A S h e l b y coil filament turns out then to be b e t t e r than any other f o r m when used with a reflector or shade as well as without.
Stated 2Fleqlizg, hem Wednesday, May 9, z9oo.
ALUMINUM : CONSIDERED
PRACTICALLY
IN
RELATION
TO
ITS
GENERAL
APPLICATION IN THE A R T s AND MECHANICS. BY JOSEPH A. ST]~INtVLI~'I'Z, Member of t h e Institute.
" As light as air! As b r i g h t as silver! Impossible of tarnish! As strong as steel! Cheap as clay ! " T h e g r e a t n e w white metal aluminum. H o u s e s , b r i d g e s and locomotives to be built of it. Iron a n d steel, m e t a l s of the past; with the great ' A l u m i n u m A g e ' d r a w i n g u p o n US."
Such p i c t u r e s q u e and startling r e m a r k s were not at all u n c o m m o n ten years ago, and even more recently in t h e most prominent local papers and technical journals. T o the unthinking mind, it was perhaps q u i t e b e l i e v a b l e that aluminum, the laboratory curiosity c o s t i n g dollars p e r ounce, should excite wild dreams of c o m i n g w o n d e r s w h e n , Mmost over night, the discovery and successful a p p l i c a t i o n
Oct., ,900.]
~l/urn
.of t h e electrolytic m e t h o d s c this u n k n o w n m e t a l to a l m o s t B u t n o t h i n g could h a v e a d v a n t a g e a n d disaster of Years of t i m e a n d tons of ss disillusionize the w o r l d of t h u n d r e d s of t h o u s a n d s of ( wasted in t r y i n g to force the services, devoid of wisdom or foresig ~'~ ' ' : T h e purpose of this paper is to b uses of a l u m i n u m t h a t h a v e proved sive, w i t h the view of encouragin ,. along k i n d r e d lines, and to speak a ing i m p r o p e r uses of t h e metal, so t h a t disaster may..,b~ avoided, and to save a l u m i n u m from f u r t h e r d a m a g e t o ! t $ chemical a n d physical reputation. F r o m t h e fact t h a t t h e a l u m i n u m o u t p u t is a h n o s t doubling from y e a r to year, it i s almost as impossible to cover the uses of the m e t a l ill detail as it would to trace the m y r i a d uses or applicatiol~s of a n y particular metal, such as silver, copper, brass, .zinc, tin-plate or g a l v a n i z e d iron. ,+: A s a t i s f a c t o r y classification is nearly impossible, henc~ t h e t h o u s a n d and one uses of in a r u n n i n g list as the sugget U p o n t h e use of a l u m i n u we will not dwell, save to briefl m a n y h u n d r e d s of tons of me T h e a l u m i n u m is added to . . . . . . . . . a few ounces to the ton of 'steel, in t h e ' m a k i n g o f i n g o t s a n d billets . . . . . L a r g e r t o n n a g e s are t r e a t e d in t h e process o f m a k i n g steel castings by a d d i n g the a l u m i n u m to t h e molten m a s s before pouring. It has also been f o u n d of g r e a ~ a d v a n t a g e , to insure t h e m a k i n g of a perfect casting, to insert small scraps of a l u m i n u m in t h e m o u l d at such places and corners and cores where difficulties threaten. M a n y tons of a l u m i n u m are yearly used for the m a k i n g of patterns. T h i s is i n d e e d a most correct use to r e p l a c e the old h e a v y brass g a t e s of p a t t e r n s w i t h t h e l i g h t - w e i g h t Voi.. CL.
No. 898.
I8
2~
Steillmetz :
[J. F. I.,
aluminum, stiffened with about 5 per cent. of zinc and a ; i lik~ amount of copper. The advantages of these lightweight patterns are manifest. The men at the benches cad m~uld more forms in a given time and with less fatigue. The patterns, weighing but one-third as much as brass, ca~:l be handled and stored more rdadily and cheaply. T h e egpress charges upon return of patterns are greatly reduced ~ n item of considerable m a g m t u d e in an active foundry. ) I m m e d i a t e l y the very large use of aluminum suggests i~self for models and salesmen's samples. Particularly will t ~ hardware traveler see the boon of this, and many of oU~"largest houses have full lines of salesmen's samples, rep!aieing the old line of ironwork or nickel-plated brass, at a reduction of 6o per cent. of weight, and of no increase of c~t. : ~ o t long ago a large foundry of Wilmington, and, later, a Philadelphia foundry, had some large iron castings to m;~ke, the yokes of cable, roads, great iron pieces spreading the full width of the track and supporting the rails, and earr~ing in their middle the conduit through which the cable r~u. These castings were made from wooden patterns, ~ i c h caused much trouble by chafing and wearing in the s~t:td, and warping and springing out of alignment. At t h e s~ggestion of the writer these patterns were duplicated in aitiminum, and all difficulties were thus transformed into ~fi~leasant memories, and the work fell out good and sound a~d "true. i:U n t i l : recently aluminum has not been employed as an Ngtive competitor of brass alad copper on account of its h:igher comparative price, but to-day aluminum is chea~er t~ian copper, considered bulk for bulk. Copper is three and (~e-third times heavier than aluminum. Taking, therefore, ~opper at it8 present market price, and increasing by this f~ctor, it will appear that aluminum is cheaper, a fact which siibuld open many channels of new application for aluminum. ! One thing that has figured seriously to the disadvantage ~ f aluminum and, indeed, has quite precluded it from m a n y e~¢ellent fields of use, is the lack of a good, cheap, easilywdrked and permanent solder.
Oct.. 19oo.]
A ht minu m.
2~
It is true that t h e r e is a m o s t e x c e l l e n t market, i n v e n t e d b y Mr. J o s e p h Riehards, oi b u t this solder is difficult to apply, a n d i t is frequently be~ yond the ability of the ordinary tinsmith to secure a saris= factory joint. T h e r e are several reasons for this lack of success. N o t k e e p i n g the w o r k h o t is the chief cause of the solder-mushing and m a k i n g a rough, dirty seam. It is v e r y often t r u e that the peculiar p a t t e r n or intricate design o f the piece m a k e s it i m p o s s i b l e to keep the work h o t at t h e p o i n t s r o b e soldered. Then, too, the quick formation of a film of oxide u p o n the a l u m i n u m , unless r e m o v e d b y scratching or filing, figures to t h e d i s a d v a n t a g e of a solder b y not p e r m i t t i n g it to take a firm hold upon the parts to be joined. W h e r e v e r possible, then, it is earnestly s u g g e s t e d to make joints b y crimping or lock-seaming or b y riveting, or, b e t t e r yet, to avoid all joints by spinning or d r a w i n g up the shape to be made, w h e n e v e r its contour will permit of such practice. T h e old s a y i n g that " t h e best joint is no joint at all " holds good here conspicuously. A few r e m a r k s relative to the g r o w t h of the a l u m i n u m industry, with c o m p a r a t i v e figures, will prove of interest; T h e following table shows the a l u m i n u m pr0duetion of the U n i t e d States and of the world, e x p r e s s e d i n metric tons (2,0o0 pounds): 1889 I89o
U.S. 21 "6 27"9
World. 70"9 165"3
PerCent. in U.S. ~0 17
189 r
68" 2
233 "4
29
I892 1893
118'Z I54"4 250'0 4t7"3 59o'9 1,814"4 2,358" 7 2,948"4 . 4,000"o (est.)
487"= 716'0
24 22 =I 29 36 53 52 49 53
1894
I895 1896 1897 1898 I899 i9oo
1,240" 9
1,4~8"2 1,659"7 3,394"4 4,500-0 (est.) 6,000"0 (est.) 7,500"0 (est.)
T h o s e returns m a r k e d e s t i m a t e d (est.) are the b e s t which can b e c o n j e c t u r e d from available data. T h e a l u m i n u m in-
276
.5teinlnetz :
[J. F. I.,
dustry is growing most rapidly in France and in the U n i t e d States. Canada will enter the list of producing c o u n t r i e s next year, with a plant of 5,ooo horse-power, and will add i,ooo tons each year to the world's output. Presuming that the total amount of aluminum p r o d u c e d last year was used for the specific purpose of electric conductors, then the 6,ooo tons of aluminum would displace I2,ooo tons of copper, or a like amount of a l u m i n u m sheet would be equivalent to 2o,ooo tons of sheet copper, w e r e the specification for culinary and cooking utensils. These comparative figures emphasize the i m p o r t a n t position that the metal has assumed. Considering the United States alone, of the m e t a l s produced here in I898, only pig iron, copper, lead and zinc were produced in greater quantity than ahlminum, a n d only these, with the addition of gold and silver, surpassed it in the value of the output. If we desire to manufacture a given object of metal, we can make it cheaper in aluminum than in a n y t h i n g else, ex. cepting iron, lead or zinc, to which might be added, a m o n g composite metals, tinned and galvanized iron. These are the only metals left for aluminum to compete with, and its greatest struggle in the future will be against tinned and galvanized iron. Dr. Richards believes that when the market price of aluminum reaches I5 cents per pound (probably in the next decade), it will compete actively with these common metals, and by I925, when it will probably reach Io cents per pound, its only practical rival will be steel. T h e middle of the twentieth century will see steel and aluminum standing side by side as the most useful of the useful metals, aluminum having by that time developed many peculiar alloys enhancing its physical properties and largely increasing its field of application. The plants now producing aluminum are those of the Pittsburg Reduction Company, at New Kensington, Pa., and Niagara Falls, New York; the British Alufninum Company, Of England; the Aluminium Industrie Actien Gesellsehaft, at Neuhausen, at the Fails of the Rhine, in Switzerland ; the
oct., 19o-.]
A h..i.um.
:~,.
Soci~t~ t:~lectrometalhlrgique Fran~aise, a t L a Praz;~
278
Steinmetz :
[J. F. I,,
This cast t u b w e i g h e d a b o u t I5o pounds, and the rough sand casting was g r o u n d s m o o t h u p o n t h e inside and around the rim b y use of an e m e r y wheel u p o n a flexible shaft, after which the t u b was polished b r i g h t u p o n a rag buffing wheel. A perfect casting was difficult to obtain, due to blowholes and shrinkage c r a c k s and sinks, and t h e difficulty of this piece done in practically p u r e a l u m i n u m can well be appreciated b y those familiar with f o u n d r y practice. T h e effect thus o b t a i n e d was decidedly brilliant, and most pleasing, b u t the t u b failed i g n o m i n i o u s l y in t h e test of time and use. T h e alkali of the soaps u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e d the luster of the finish, and ate deeply into t h e b o d y of the metal, marring and pitting it b e y o n d measure. T h u s it came a b o u t that a n o t h e r use for a l u m i n u m b e c a m e impossible of realization. T h e same general observations apply to t h e large list of p l u m b i n g fixtures of a l u m i n u m evolved at a b o u t this time, such as faucets, chains, handles, soap-dishes, basins, and m a n y s t a n d a r d shapes in nickel-plated brass, w h i c h were quickly retiied as brief experience p r o v e d their worthlessheSS.
A most excellent use for a l u m i n u m is f o u n d in t h e making of steam-jacketed kettles and cauldrons for b o i l i n g of syrups, fruit juices, h o n e y and wax, as well also as for certain acid work for which the peculiar chemical properties of the metal specially a d a p t it. A n example of this might be cited in Mr. L e v y ' s nitric acid atomizer for zinc etching, a g r e a t i m p r o v e m e n t over the old acid b a t h for o b t a i n i n g quick action in making etched plates for printing. T h e r e h a s recently b e e n com. pleted by a coppersmith of N e w a r k one of the largest alum i n u m kettles ever constructed ; the h e m i s p h e r i c a l b o t t o m or bowl m e a s u r i n g 5I i n c h e s ' a c r o s s its d i a m e t e r with its flanged edge, and 30 inches deep, was cold h a m m e r e d and formed up o u t of a flat circle 68 inches in diameter, and the upper band or t u b u l a r b o d y was c u r v e d a r o u n d o u t of a flat sheet m e a s u r i n g 13 feet 8 inches l o n g b y I4 inches wide. The kettle was h a m m e r e d out of ¼.ineh stock, and the bowl
Oct., I9oo.]
A/umillttm.
•
;179
was m u c h more readily shaped and more r e s p o n s i v e to t h e tools than even copper. T h e p u r p o s e of these large boiling kettles is for m e l t i n g wax for the cylinders of the Edison Company's p h o n o g r a p h s , as t h e w a x cylinder material seemed to attack iron a n d copper kettles, w h e r e a s the a l u m i n u m boilers are e n t i r e l y unaffected. In the electrical field a l u m i n u m is f o r g i n g a h e a d r a p i d l y into significant prominence. It was s i n g u l a r l y o p p o r t u n e for its i n t r o d u c t i o n for elec. trical p u r p o s e s t h a t the price of copper a d v a n c e d j u s t a t that time w h e n the processes of making a l u m i n u m in inc r e a s e d q u a n t i t i e s and at reduced figures of cost h a d b e e n satisfactorily installed, and when n e w uses a n d n e w fields were b e i n g eagerly s o u g h t ; for i m m e d i a t e l y m a n y careful e x p e r i m e n t s were undertaken to determine the possibility of s u b s t i t u t i n g a l u m i n u m for copper, and these i n v e s t i g a t i o n s promise to p r o d u c e m o s t e n c o u r a g i n g results. Comparative tests are n o w being made by the Chicago F i r e A l a r m Service b e t w e e n copper wire and aluminum. N u m b e r Io wire was used a n d the preliminary tests before e r e c t i o n s s h o w e d that the tensile s t r e n g t h of the copper wire w a s greater, size for size, b u t not so great w e i g h t for w e i g h t . T h e copper wire s h o w e d a g r e a t e r elongation and e n d u r e d ~vithout r u p t u r e a g r e a t e r n u m b e r of t w i s t s - - i n fact, t w i c e a s m a n y as a l u m i n u m . T o secure f u r t h e r d a t a under t h e actual: service conditions, the Chicago line will be given a winter's test, and h a s been s t r u n g in t h e stormiest section of the city, a n d w h e r e it will also be s u b j e c t to the smoke and g a s e o u s f u m e s arising from t h e locomotives passing in that section. T h e results of this service test will be made the s u b j e c t of a report this spring by City Electrician E. B. Ellicott, of Chicago, to his Board. T h e W e s t e r n U n i o n Company has s e v e r a l miles of a l u m i n u m wire in use now for over two years, a n d is carefully compiling the physical d a t a necessary for a consideration as to its merits in comparison w i t h copper a n d iron. A very i n t e r e s t i n g r e p o r t relating to the " T e s t s and CaN
28o
Steinmetz
."
[J. F. I..
eulations for a Forty-Mile A l u m i n u m W i r e T r a n s m i s s i o n Line," b y Mr. E. A. Perrine, as erected and conducted b y the Standard Electric Company, of California, is printed a t l e n g t h in the/l[~tmiu¢HJz l,V o r l d of November, 1899. General Greeley, chief of the Signal Branch of the U. S. Army, had several outfits of a l u m i n u m portable field lines in use in Cuba d u r i n g the recent war, and he reports t h a t t h e y were very satisfactory and particularly a d v a n t a g e o u s , owing to the l i g h t w e i g h t of the coils of a l u m i n u m wire. T h e m a i n electric conductors in use at the reduction works at N i a g a r a Fails are made of large a l u m i n u m bars m a n y square inches in area, and have been g i v i n g satisfactory service for years. To some extent a l u m i n u m has been used for c o m m u t a t o r segments, but the difficulty in wiring up due to the different m e t a l s in contact caused serious discouragements. Blades for switchboards have been successfully m a n u f a c t u r e d . The advantages of a l u m i n u m for use in the m a k i n g o f culinary and cooking utensils were early recognized, and the new metal bids fair to excel copper in this line of developm e n t ; in fact, many h u n d r e d tons annually are now consumed in the successful m a n u f a c t u r e of such articles. The early exploitation of this field was most discouraging, owing to the fact t h a t the m a n u f a c t u r e r s of cooking utensils understood the peculiarities of the m e t a l no b e t t e r than the consumers who purchased the articles for use, and. the utensils were generally seriously abused, b a t t e r e d and neglected, the universal idea b e i n g t h a t a l u m i n u m was quite indestructible, no m a t t e r how a b o m i n a b l y treated.. T h e utensils were allowed to take care of themselves ; t h e y were g r o u n d and scratched with sand-soap and often w a s h e d in lye, which, being one of the solvents of the metal, caused rapid disintegration. These early a t t e m p t s to. introduce a l u m i n u m cooking utensils were made at a time, several years ago, w h e n copper was less expensive, and when enamelled iron and t i n n e d a n d steel articles were infinitely cheaper. These adverse circumstances tended seriously to t h e ~ r e t i r e m e n t of a l u m i n u m from this field, but later develop-
Oct., 19°O.]
A lumblum.
:~8~i
[ merits, such as the fall in price of aluminum, and t h e he~oi~? ~ efforts of our pioneer m a n u f a c t u r e r s ground thus lost, and forged rapidly a~ success, for n o w a l u m i n u m cooking utensils, h o u s e h o l d arti~ cles and culinary shapes, for home, institutions and hospitals; field e q u i p m e n t s for the a r m y and outfits for the navy, a n d the i n n u m e r a b l e uses heretofore supplied b y copper, tin sheets and enamelled iron are divided with Muminum, and the new metal bids fair to win first honors. A m o n g some of t h e a d v a n t a g e s possessed b y aluminttm over the other m e t a l s might be cited its higher heat cond u c t i v i t y ; its light weight, bulk for bulk ; the fact t h a t it creates no poisonous salts or oxides when used in t h e p r e p a ; ration of fruits and v e g e t a b l e s and other possible combinations d a n g e r o u s with copper or tin. A v e r y large use of a l u m i n u m in forms of caps and covers, s t a m p e d out of sheet metal for sealing catsup, mustard, fruit, j a m s and jellies, and various lines of such goods, has been lately developed, the a d v a n t a g e of price and absence of d a n g e r o u s corrosion or acid action making alum i n u m an ideal metal for these purposes. In E u r o p e t h e peculiar a d v a n t a g e s of aluminum h a v e been recognized for a much longer time than in America, and a n u m b e r of the largest m a n u f a c t u r e r s in E n g l a n d a n d on the c o n t i n e n t are m a k i n g complete lines of utensils. T h e recent S o u t h African war has created a t r e m e n d o u s d e m a n d for a l u m i n u m field cooking and messing outfits~ t h u s s p r e a d i n g the f a m e of a l u m i n u m and knowledge: of i t s a d v a n t a g e s for p o r t a b l e gear a m o n g a class of m e n who will u n d e r s t a n d and appreciate them. A m o s t interesting account of t h e B r i t i s h a r m y equipm e n t will be found in the March number~ of Aluminum World, of the c u r r e n t year. ~ T h e G e r m a n army, as well as the field f o r c e s of other continental powers, are t h o r o u g h l y e q u i p p e d with M u m i n u m , and the dead w e i g h t per m a n of superfluous ornamentation and e q u i p m e n t has been considerably reduced, t e n d i n g g r e a t l y to increased efficiency as a fighting unit. In the recent Arctic explorations, in t h e gold-seeking ex-
282
5"le'fle~;'Zct.7 :
[J. F. 1.,
peditions into the Klondike and Alaska, in the j o u r n e y s into the l)ark Continent, a l u m i n u m e q u i p m e n t has played a p r o m i n e n t part; 3[r. \Vellman built a l u m i n u m sledges for t r a n s p o r t i n g his supplies over the ice; the A l a s k a n gold miners took in m a n y light c a m p i n g and cooking outfits, and Dr. Carl Peters had with his expedition an a l u m i n u m s t e a m launch in portable section, s. Five years ago the well-known shipbuilding firm of Yarrow & Co., of England, built the first a l u m i n u m torpedo boat, and while :t second craft of this description has not been since c o n s t r u c t e d so generally of a l u m i n u m , yet two of the latest additions to our navy, t h e torpedo b o a t s Craven and " Dahl..ren, have their o b s e r v a t i o n towers, hatch covers, galleys, cowls and m a n y m i n o r parts m a d e of aluminum. These boats were built b y the Bath Iron Works, of Maine, and the a l u m i n u m details of construction, embracing the use of rolled angles and structural shapes, plates and riveted work, Were conceived with the approval of C h i e f Constructor Philip tIichborn, of the U n i t e d States Navy, who looks forward with interest to the tests of time and the wear and tear of serviee to d e m o n s t r a t e the practicability and adaptability of a l u m i n u m for ship c o n s t r u c t i o n and fittings. T h e A m e r i c a n sloop y a c h t " D e f e n d e r " was built of a l u m i n u m plates from w a t e r line to deck level, the subm e r g e d plating b e i n g of bronze, whieh a r r a n g e m e n t tended to considerably lower her center of gravity, insuring increased stability. T h e s e a l u m i n u m plates, which were carefully and thoro u g h l y painted, gave good satisfaction and are still in service. Certain plates in the stern had to be replaced, as well also as smaller parts and fitting, due to corrosion and electrolytic action and wear and tear. In general this application was highly satisfactory and encouraging. A l u m i n u m p o w d e r and thin b e a t e n leaf are n o w l a r g e l y u s e d for securing decorative effects in the arts, a s silver paint, and for printing and bookbinding, h a v i n g
Oct., ,9oo.]
Ahtmi~um.
'~" i ~ 8 , 3
almost entirely replaced the silver nsed. . ; , si,!,:,i The p o w d e r is also mixed in the form of a for printing coarse cotton tinsel fabrics, in for Oriental trade. A paint called in the trade pegamoid, aluminoid, or a l u m i n u m bronze paint, is largely used for c o a t i n g architectural ironwork, lamp-posts, letter-boxes, elevato r grilles, and cages, and kindred applications, and has proved:highly satisfactory. Overtures h a v e b e e n m a d e to the Public B u i l d i n g C o m . missioners to p a i n t the outside of the Philadelpllia~City H a l l Tower, to restore it to an a l u m i n u m luster as origdnally intended, and far brighter and more durable than the dismal slate-blue of the unknown electro deposit now u p o n the ironwork. A l u m i n u m p o w d e r has f o u n d an excellent and successful use as a m i x t u r e for making photographic flashlights, b e i n g cheaper than m a g n e s i u m and devoid of t h e p u n g e n t odor or u n p l e a s a n t smoke incident to the c o m b u s t i o n of the old magn'esium powder. A recently d e v e l o p e d and t r e m e n d o u s l y successful application of a l u m i n u m is in fiat, smoot] graphic printing. T h e thin alumin lent impressions and are quickly r, lithographic stones, one of the gr, m i n u m being d u e to the possibility rotary press, as well, also, as to its l A l u m i n u m hair pins are being m d i s p o s i n g of a g o o d l y w e i g h t of wire. give excellent satisfaction, and have been t h e trade, who report a s t e a d y and increasing demand. T h i m b l e s b y the t h o u s a n d s of gross are m a d e b y several concerns in the U n i t e d States and abroad, and several tons of sheet a l u m i n u m are yearly thus employed. T h e metal, however, is r a t h e r soft for this purpose, as the hard steel needle soon perforates the thin a l u m i n u m shell. For ferrules and ornamental bands, for canes and umbrellas, the metal has been successfully applied.
284
Steinrnet,~.
[J. F. I.,
A large use of a l u m i n u m has d e v e l o p e d for m a k i n g m e t a l combs, brush backs, mirror frames, and a host o f toilet and fancy articles, useful as well as ornamental. In fact, it is quite impossible to e n u m e r a t e the m y r i a d articles now b e i n g m a d e of a l u m i n u m . One m i g h t as well m a k e u p a list of e v e r y t h i n g so far m a n u f a c t u r e d o u t o f sheet or wire in brass, copper or nickel, tin sheets, steel and iron, and such c o m b i n a t i o n s thereof, as form the m a t e rials out of which all known m e t a l devices h a v e t h u s f a r been m a n u f a c t u r e d , for a l u m i n u m is quietly, s t e a d i l y and surely encroaching u p o n the domain of the m e t a I s mentioned, and with the d e v e l o p m e n t of its special alloys this march of c o n q u e s t will proceed with ever-increasing acceleration. The metal lends itself readily to w o r k i n g in t h e m i n t i n g dies, and many very pleasing and d u r a b l e effects have b e e n obtained. M a n y tens of m e t a l are y e a r l y used in t h e making of coins, medals, checks, tags, religious and comm e m o r a t i v e medallions and insignia. Artistic and permanent effects have been obtained in die w o r k and m i n t i n g b y our A m e r i c a n pressmen. In conclusion, a few words q u o t e d from a recent p r i v a t e letter to the writer, from Dr. J o s e p h W. Richards, who is today one of the b e s t authorities on the s u b j e c t of the aluminum industry, will be interesting. In r e v i e w i n g the w o n d e r f u l g r o w t h of t h e i n d u s t r y a n d the success of aluminum, he says: " I s n o t the p r o s p e c t gratifying to us who have befriended t h e metal, so to speak, in its infancy, h a v e m o t h e r e d it, f a t h e r e d it, and e v e n wet-nursed the s t r u g g l i n g infant w i t h o u r own s u b s t a n c e (£ e., with m o n e y out of our own poekets) ?" The brief remarks e m b o d i e d in this p a p e r and the casual facts herein set forth a n s w e r this q u e r y heartily in t h e affirmative.