mercury flashlight?

the other day, i was kicked out of the house because my sister was having a birthday party and i wasn't invited, so me and my friend decided to hang out.
as we're driving from the bowling alley, and stopped at a red light, he turns to me and asks "so, if you had better tools and more money, coud you use mercury in your flashlights?"
i was a little shocked at his suggestion. i wasn't sure what he meant, but i thought he could mean using mercury for its heat absorbtion capabilities. realizing that this was a huge stretch, i asked him "mercury? what would i use that for?"
he responded "well, wouldn't that work better than lead?"

i broke out in howling laughter. he knows all about my "lead" flashlight modding, and obviously didn't get the concept...i explained it to him (he reacted like "oh" but his face said "wha?!") i think this guy could be a flashaholic someday, but will probably never come out of the closet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

btw...i bowled terribly! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Ah.. "LED" = "lead"

Had a blank stare on my face for a few seconds myself.

Here's an interesting use of mercury on a complete tangent. Hams can probably relate to this. My G'pa told me of old Ham radio operators that would complete the circuit to their antenna on their set by setting the antenna wires in a dish of mercury - that way they could turn the antenna 360 deg without tangling any wires. As a result of the current going through the dish, the mercury would warm up and eventually evaporate. Problem was that the dish was usually next to the operator who was then breathing in mercury vapors all the time - not good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Ahh Roth,

I thought you were coming from a different direction altogether. I thought you were talking about using a reformable metal or matrix for rapid prototyping. Specifically, the use of fixturing or proofing alloy in wood or clay molds. These low temperature alloys have melting points in the range of 117-158 deg F and can be melted in a boiling water bath and then poured into a mold. The resultant cast forms could then be fitted and finished into flashlight parts such as heads, switch bodies, tubes etc.

The metal is not so tough, but unless you plan to run a trio of 5W on extreme overdrive, it won't melt in your hands. Think about it. make a clay mold, melt and pour metal, build a light. When done, remove the operational bits, melt down the metal parts and start over again.

Wilkey

Is that the kind of metal I hear referred to as "woods" metal? The kind that you can melt in boiling water?

as far as mercury, we could definitely use it in our flashlights! It makes for great HID lamps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Unfortunately the EPA (or someone) limits the amount you can put into lights, thats one reason why CF's take so long to start there isn't enough in them.

But then Welch Allyn has managed to make the solarc bulbs without any in them and those are pretty spectacular so maybe it's not necessary after all.

I had a blank stare as well.
I didn't know anyone pronounced it LED (lead), I always say each letter, (L.E.D.).

Generally, if an acronym spells a word that is already in use, I use the letters. How many of you say it as "lead"?

James,

Wood's metal is one such alloy. I think Wood's metal is used as the meltable trigger in some sprinkler heads. I am not entirely sure of the makeup of these alloys but I'm sure they contain some quantity of a low melter like lead or tin.

Wilkey

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shankus said:
I had a blank stare as well.
I didn't know anyone pronounced it LED (lead), I always say each letter, (L.E.D.).

Generally, if an acronym spells a word that is already in use, I use the letters. How many of you say it as "lead"?

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif
you mean "lead" as in; "you can lead a horse to water' ?
- or -
".. a pencil must be lead" ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

[ QUOTE ]
shankus said:
I had a blank stare as well.
I didn't know anyone pronounced it LED (lead), I always say each letter, (L.E.D.).

Generally, if an acronym spells a word that is already in use, I use the letters. How many of you say it as "lead"?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not I, said the blind man to the deaf-mute. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I say each letter ("el ee dee") but that makes it a bit hard to pass along my URL or email address. But it does prevent somebody from going to "leadmuseum.org" or "leadmuseum.net" or "leadmuseum.home.att.net" and getting 404'd to oblivion. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

My friend is allways calling all my LEDs "LCDs"... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I usually say the letters too. Rarely I say it as a word, and then usually immediately correct myself.

What is a lead pencil? I have never seen one. All the ones I have seen use a composite clay/graphite rod as the part that leaves marks on paper. I have seen some L.E.D. pens though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

A few times in an "emergency" when I had no writing implement I did use the lead alloy tip of a bullet to write with... It kind of works, but not very well.

Most of those low melting temp alloys are a varying combination of bismuth, cadmium, tin and/or lead.

Are any of these low-melters responsive to magnets when melted?

lysdiode=lightdiode)
- -

Sigurd

wow, am i the only one that says "led" ?

I do, too, but when they start looking like this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I just say its a lysdiode. "emitting" sounds unnecesary for general use, and complicating. Also, I don't know how to translate it into Norwegian... "emitterende"? Sounds like "irriterende"=irritating.

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Rothrandir said:
wow, am i the only one that says "led" ?

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Yes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

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AilSnail said:
Are any of these low-melters responsive to magnets when melted?....

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Short answer is no, at least in as far as I assume you asking.

Of course everything is somewhat responsive to magnets in some way; mostly though, we don't notice it or can't measure it without expensive and sensitive equipment or analysis.

Some of the ultra-low melting alloys contain cadmium and/or other nasties- Google "cerrosafe" for ideas. I suspect most of them are poor thermal conductors.

Larry

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Rothrandir said:
wow, am i the only one that says "led" ?

[/ QUOTE ]

When i first came across the word LEDs many years back, i actually thought it ment 'low energy drain lights' because people kept saying 'led lights', and 'light emitting diode lights' did't quite sound right.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I was thinking, of course, of an electromagnetic chamber to shape liquid metal. Steel is not magnetic when melted. Don't know why.

There is a phase change in steel (Austenite - Martensite shift) at around 1425 degrees (Farenheit) (about "orange heat")... Doesn't have to be molten to lose its magnetic properties.

When I harden a knife blade or other tool, Depending on alloy, I heat it to just above the "de-magnetic" point then quench (rapid cool) in water, oil or blood...

Just joking about the last one... an old sword-making myth. ha ha. I deserve a /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif for that.


Other alloys require different treatment, but the "common" ones usually harden in that way.