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[Steve Helmick]

Also true, but those steel arms are not plated, so you must use good flux.

In the machine shop QC inspection of post-grinding of chrome plated steel parts, we used a liquid solution with copper in it to look for "grind through". A wipe with the fluid would turn bare steel to copper color. Would this be an adequate copper coating for improved soldering? I don't recall what the composition of the fluid was, other than the copper component, but I'm sure somebody will know, and could offer an opinion as to whether would work.  Steve

[Brett Buck]

Dear Vitalis,
Well, I bought these old spokes at the flea market.
I think Cadmium plattered / galvanized steel goods are banned for years: some dark-green-brained stupid politicians declared it to be "poisoning". (I never wanted to eat it...   )

    I don't think it is banned around here, but, I agree, unless you scrape the green dust off, pile it into lines, and snort it like cocaine at Studio 54, you are probably OK.

    Brett

[Steve Helmick]

Aircraft bushings (usually Aluminum Nickle Bronze) will normally have Cadmium plating on the OD and flange (if present), and installed (glued in) with Zinc Chromate primer into the typical aluminum or steel part, plus a bead of sealer around the exposed edges. Objective is to prevent galvanic reaction corrosion.

One night at my Boeing experimental shop, they gave me a Cadmium sphere, and wanted it lathe-turned into a disc. I asked my Leadman to call about toxic concerns, and he came back after calling. At least, he said he called...said the Safety person said to keep it cool, and if it smoked, RUN! So, no, Cadmium is not banned, although carefully controlled plating processes and waste disposal are critical. Same problems with chrome...adds to the cost. Cad plated fasteners are not generally available, outside the aircraft industry suppliers. The average shiny bolts from the retail hardware store are "brite zinc" plated. Zinc is considered to be good for you, at least for now....  Steve

[Igor Burger]

http://www.intertek.com/uploadedFiles/Intertek/Divisions/Consumer_Goods/Media/PDFs/Sparkles/2011/sparkle576.pdf

[Istvan Travnik]

Dear All,
Europe is full with very clever politicians, and very-very clever scientific advisors of them.
For example: try to imagine our situation about the quicksilver:
traditional clinical thermometer is banned, since the quicksilver in is poisoning, therefore manufacturing has stopped and import is banned.
BUT
The quicksilver in all fluorescent light sources cannot be poisoning, since they are preferred, being more efficient solutions related to incandescent lamps...

So I remain by good old cadmium plated spokes, but my canopy is hermetically glued on my model already: I hope, the sight of the mechanism is not poisoning itself...

One another thing - to think on... (since several colleagues appreciated the copper as good soldering basement) :
In the elementary school we  learned in Chemistry that immersing some clear iron or steel object into blue vitriol (Copper-sulphate) solution, some copper will cover the iron surface. (No electric current needed). I think that blue crystal is available in every agricultural shop, since it is a traditional basic material of spraying of every vineyards...   

[Steve Helmick]

"One another thing - to think on... (since several colleagues appreciated the copper as good soldering basement) :
In the elementary school we  learned in Chemistry that immersing some clear iron or steel object into blue vitriol (Copper-sulphate) solution, some copper will cover the iron surface. (No electric current needed). I think that blue crystal is available in every agricultural shop, since it is a traditional basic material of spraying of every vineyards..."

Thank you, Istvan, for providing the details about which I'd mentioned above...Copper Sulfate. It has been 20+ years since I used Copper Sulfate to test for grind-through on chrome plated steel shafts. I'll have to ask about it at the Aggie Shop and see if they have it available. Can anybody provide a guess as to whether this thin layer of copper would actually help with soldering?  Steve

[FLOYD CARTER]

I have found that music wire, as sold in hobby shops is too brittle for control horns.  The sharp bends required cause fractures in the rod, which is prone to later failure.  I always anneal the music wire before bending.  Heat the wire with a torch to a dull red and let cool gradually.  Control horns thus treated can be "tweaked" safely, and permanently, with no apparent "memory".

I examined  the welding rod I have for my oxy-acetylene outfit.  I think it is too soft, and I doubt if it can be hardened.

[Istvan Travnik]

Another bet to find some semi-hard steel wire for control horn (if you think the welding wire to be too soft, and music wire (spring material) to be too hard (if you do not want / not able to find some motorcycle spoke in proper diameter):
the knitting needle.
I remember our old stunter comrades in the '60s robbed all 3 mm dia. knitting needles from the mom, or grandma...
When it was chromed, needed to sand off before bending.