August 28, 20169 yr I was given a hunk of some pretty nasty cable. Rather than try another knife or something like that, I decided to set this hunk aside for some other project where iffy welds won't be an issue. Here's the first project with it. My first attempt at a cobra.
August 28, 20169 yr Oh I LIKE it Heap! Cobras have shorter more rounded heads. If you could get it split open for a mouth I'll bet there are a couple fangs in there somewhere. I'll be waiting for pics of cobra 2,3, . . . Frosty The Lucky.
August 28, 20169 yr That is one cool cobra. Would really like to give that a go. All I get from cable is lots of fizzle and spit and pretty blue flames and white smoke. Not nice.
August 28, 20169 yr 5 hours ago, ausfire said: That is one cool cobra. Would really like to give that a go. All I get from cable is lots of fizzle and spit and pretty blue flames and white smoke. Not nice. Stay far away from that cable. That's a sure sign of galvanization. Not only is it toxic to breath but your welds won't take with it present. Probably why you've had problems.
August 28, 20169 yr That's galvanized Aus! Haven't you been reading us go on about galvanized cable? Stay away from it or strip it in an acid bath, it's BAD stuff. Frosty The Lucky.
August 28, 20169 yr 5 hours ago, Frosty said: That's galvanized Aus! Haven't you been reading us go on about galvanized cable? Stay away from it or strip it in an acid bath, it's BAD stuff. Frosty The Lucky. Yes, Frosty, I know all about that stuff. Any sign of gal and it comes out of the forge. Sometimes you can get rusty looking cable, but it still has zinc on the inside. I am constantly removing gal from all pieces I use in the junk sculptures. I have used more HCl than I care to mention, but it doesn't seem to penetrate to the inner part of cable. It would be nice to find some cable that is not galvanised. It is disappointing to get a likely looking piece of cable hot, only to find it starts burning blue.
August 29, 20169 yr Yeah, getting crud out of cable is a challenge worth a man's efforts. A pile of scrap wood and a leaf blower out back of beyond will deal with the galvy. Vinegar won't block itself out of tiny spaces by forming crystals like HCL can. Just look at how many solids end in HCL for example. Vinegar may be slower but it doesn't form crystals as readily. Frosty The Lucky.
August 30, 20169 yr Sometimes you need to unwind the cable to get to the insides, then wind it back together.
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